Very slightly off topic, but my upgrade rate on this route has been far better than last summer even though load factors seem to be the same. Less Elites at US perhaps?

Last summer an upgrade was inconcievable on the A320 on the direct PIT-LAX flights. I would have to book through CLT to get 1rst on the A321 CLT-LAX leg, especially when the PIT-LAX N/S was nearly full, (in order to avoid getting a middle seat and a likely getting an upgrade on the CLT-LAX leg). Now that the A321s are F/16 and I have a decent shot of upgrade on the N/S I generally fly direct.