Thanks for the suggestions. Sounds like my best bet is to call NW Worldperks and see if I get lucky with a cooperative agent (although in my experience they generally seem fairly uncooperative with regard to the details of award travel on partner airlines - the agent I spoke with last time told me KLM "doesn't assign seats" which seemed like a pretty incredible statement).

What are the guidelines for OLCI for a KLM flight? How early does that open up? Once it does, can you see which seats are open/occupied and pick/change seats then?

To add one more twist, I'm flying from SEA - AMS on that award ticket. The first leg (SEA - IAH) is a Continental flight. We have a 2 hour layover at IAH before the KLM flight departs.

When's the earliest I can access the OLCI for the KLM leg, and hopefully score good seats?

Thanks again for the help!!