After flying up front on my trip to Europe last March and Asia last December, as well as getting domestic elite upgrades on every single flight for the past year, I admit I'm getting too spoiled.

Last Friday, I booked a DTW-BOS-DTW trip for travel two weeks from now. What did I check first? Price. Make sure it's affordable. Then, when I had no status, I would have checked time and convenience. What did I look at next? The chances of an elite upgrade! And I actually thought of switching to more inconvenient times to ensure a better chance of upgrading. I had to reiterate to myself: you flew coach for most of your life -- and most people do -- it's okay. I ended up taking the flights with more convenient times and not factoring the chances of an elite upgrade.

I'm going to feel really bad when/if I lose my elite status in the future.

- Pat