Pieper -- I totally hear you. But, you're talking international and I'm talking Maine to Southern California on a A320.

I am also elite on CO and they would be my choice hands down (for more than obvious reasons) on an A fare. I have two complicating factors at play, however:

1. the day I must travel CO's fares are pricing out higher and

2. I have to travel late afternoon (can't do morning flights that day) and CO's batting average on post-noon flights to EWR from PWM is truly the pits. They cancel easily more than 40% of the time, which is maddening. I can't take that risk.

So, I've decided to hold my nose and book my A fare on US to SAN for the end of next week. They have adequate inventory still and seats I'm willing to accept. I'll hope for some glimmer of good news out there. I'll post back when it's over.