Good ideas Snow Goose but buyers be careful on what to expect for free upgrades on Latitude fares.

Cabins have been getting fuller. I just ended up buying low or full business class this year to avoid the hassle on transborder flights. Flights are mostly short so even if you don't get an upgrade, you will survive. The good thing about Latitude passes is the ability to easily change/cancel with no penalty and without phoning in. If you have tools like ExpertFlyer then you can see business cabin loads and plan accordingly. The problem is the greatly reduced flight availability to western US destinations (if any exist for some city pairs).