Originally Posted by jetsetter
I'm just curious what is different now than say 6-8 years ago when I was a CO Plat and nearly all the time got upgraded. Either:
1. In 2006 there are significantly more elites at all the levels, particular Platinum, than say 10 years ago? Although I would figure during the .com bubble there would be a lot of Plats?
2. CO has seriously changed the system to give much broader preference for upgrade based on fare paid? I jumped ship just as EUA was coming in to being, and I remember it wasn't popular, and it kind of took away the strategy part of the game, and it all became random. It takes the control away from the flyer more.
I am just curious if it is more 1 or 2 or something else? Does anyone even know how EUA works or to what extent it gives preference to higher fares?
As a US1 I would be like 98% upgraded. I could probably count on one hand flying as a US1 the times I would ride in back.
# 2 is certainly a factor, but it doesn't affect the number of seats available for upgrades; it only changes who gets those seats. The real difference is the advent of DL's Simplifares and the drastic lowering of paid F prices. CO sells the seats up front now instead of giving them to elites.
#1 is pretty irrelevant given the power of the above two factors.