I'm 11/16, first half of 2009 between SFO and EWR, on the lowest fare available in a wide window 1-2 months out, flying on a forced schedule that should be poor pickings.

Upgrade statistics are like weather conditions; they change seasonally. Sure, it always rains in Seattle, yet they had a heat wave while San Francisco was shivering this summer. And I heard people talking about how it always rains in Seattle, during this heat wave; they never got the memo.

If we recite a static rosary-bead prayer-myth to each other (or does the emoticon mean you knew what you were saying was false?), we miss noticing actual changes.

I believe that the bountiful upgrade opening I describe above has slammed shut. Why? My guess is because of nobody that we know. They don't post here. While we sit here and whine together whether it's worth it to earn Gold or Platinum, our ranks have been flooded with new DEQM Silvers (Dilberts?) who can afford the very affordably priced last-minute B fares. They're automatically upgrading as elites. This isn't even listed on the upgrade standby list status pages; I'm sure of this because I flew a B fare in first a couple of weeks ago and I wasn't listed (on the govt. dime and a refundable fare at their insistence).

I pray for higher mileage limits for CO's top elite level, e.g. to match UA's 100K. I'd be thrilled if it were instead 125K. Of course, with the B fare situation, this still wouldn't lock upgrades.