Didn't Larry & Jeff tell us there were about 100,000 Plats in the system last year?

With the DEQM offer, I wonder how many Plats, Golds, and Silvers there will be next year?

Offsetting the DEQM increase, of course, is the general economic downturn. But my observation is that most high rev and high miles fliers I know are continuing to fly, at only slightly reduced rates.

Probably many vacation only travelers will drive to grandma's, rather than fly CO to SJU or LON. But CO's backbone business travellers are still flying. Except we'll have more competition for that coveted transcon EUA.

I have highly mixed emotions about the DEQM offer. On the one hand, I like getting DEQM. On the other hand, I've been top tier since Bronze/Silver/Gold days. Three months of DEQM means there's going to be a lot more Plats to fight with over EUA's later this year and next year. I percieve that CO's free UG benefit to me is being diluted.

SO... What's your best guess at the number of 2010 Plats?

B7