Originally Posted by NWAMileageSlave
I think you would do ok for a midweek return ex-LAX on the 757. I agree with Dhast, that Monday and Friday I think you are likely to sit in the back.
If upgrading is important and you have control over your travels, I'd try flying into one of the "other" Los Angeles airports (SNA or ONT) or try a flight operating in the middle of the day, or try flying midweek.
I prefer a DTW connection because it pads my miles when I make my MKE connections. (There's a nonstop out of LAX, but the times don't work for me. The morning flight when they had it cost way to much, and the evening flight gets in way to late).
ONT serves MSP only, and from where I live in northern LA county, it's probably 50 miles to ONT and about the same to SNA. Parking at SNA is $12/day. There is reasonably good transportation to LAX nearby my house. $4/day parking, $6 r/t bus fare right to the terminal. The traffic situation in LA is so horrid, that I better be saving at least $150 for me to a) pay for gas and terminal parking and b) put up with godawful LA traffic. It is sort of like living near IAD in Washington and using BWI. You better have a really, really, convincing reason for doing so. When you plan your flights around rush hour, you know you're doing something wrong.