<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PHL:
If the waitlist doesn't clear by 11:59pm the day before your trip, it won't clear. It's wiped out at 12:00am. You'll have to check in mighty early to get on the standby list. Since you're originating at IAD, you might get a jump on other Gold's originating in Philly.</font>
This is true, but once this happens, you should still call that morning and ask if there are any upgrade seats available. Seats are opened up after midnight sometimes, and since there is no longer an upgrade list, they just sit there until someone grabs them. Make sure to get the US Airways number in England so you can call them the morning of your departure. When I flew LGW-PIT earlier this year I called about five hours before my departure and they were able to upgrade me over the phone to an open seat, no need for doing the waitlist thing at the airport and sweating it!