I priced "First Special" itineraries for the following markets, leaving the West Coast Wednesday 9/12 & returning Wednesday 9/19.

LAX-BOS: $1,036 r/t
LAX-EWR: $1,112
LAX-IAD: $1,034
SEA-JFK: $848
SAN-JFK: $1,046
SFO-MIA: $838

Now, the markets that give AC access ("Business Special" on 3-cabin a/c, "First Special" otherwise):

LAX-JFK: $3,430 (in Business, on an "I" fare)
SFO-JFK: $1,214 (a single SFO-JFK flight each way on 763 had a $607 A fare), otherwise, it was $3,394 in "I" fare)
MIA-LAX: Narrowbody: $786 ($393 o/w)
MIA-LAX: 777: $1,347 or $1,690 ($503 o/w in "A", on one of the 2 777 W/B flights, and in the 763 E/B afternoon flight, or $845 in "I" on any 777 E/B)

Clearly, the real winners here are the MIA-LAX passengers who fly the narrowbodies for $800 r/t and still get club access & bonus miles, and anyone lucky enough to have the flexibility to buy the "A" fare 6 weeks out.

But can anyone seriously look at the $3,400 r/t NY-Cali fares and say that those people DON'T deserve perks for that kind of $$?