Just an update. I managed to talk my way into the RCC at Dulles but the agent on duty made it clear that he was only doing it because I asked nicely and that *A rules did not require him to. Next time I think I'll just skip the whole *A thing and fly Virgin Upperclass. I hear there lounges are great.

On a side note, on my flight home my seat mate in first was my US Congressman. Ended up having a three hour conversation with him. My first ever celebrity conversation in several hundred thousand miles of flights.