I am Gold--though only 646 miles shy of Platinum, and I have enough future travel booked to push me several thousand over the 75,000 mile mark. I called CO to see (beg) if they'd make me Platinum a smidgen early. Nothing doin'!

But that's not my question. This is. Today, I booked a flight on continental.com. It's for mid-January travel (to SJU, by the way; I'm going on a cruise!). Getting to the point, I was surprised when I was able to select an exit row seat! I thought only Platinums could do that. Am I mistaken? Is this a policy change, letting Golds do that? Does the fact I am so close to Platinum enter into this? Or, is it simply a serendipitous website glitch? Do tell.

By the way, on Labor Day weekend, I will turn Platinum somewhere over Indiana, returning from a weekend with the little woman in the Windy City. ($55.20 RT CLE-MDW. Couldn't pass it up!) My coronation will be held at Christie's Cabaret in the Flats--sans the little woman, natch.