Continental would give me platinum based on my status with United...I don't know about Alaska.

The plan I'm looking at would have me keep my United status by flying them internationally year-round as well as transcons from Feb-Sept. I'd then fly CO on transcons (ANC-WAS, ANC/BOS) from Sept-Feb, to get to SEA, and deposit any AS miles earned going to Frisco or LA into my CO FF account.

Questions:

-Are upgrades truly that difficult to get as a Plat on CO? The routes I think I'd be using would be ANC-SEA, ANC-HOU SEA-EWR, SEA-HOU, and HOU-WAS. Anyone care to share their best guess on the percentage chance of an upgrade clearing on any of these routes?

-Can you see on continental.com that an upgrade will clear? Can a CO agent tell if you call before booking?

-Are OnePass miles really that difficult to use? I'd be looking to redeem miles for pairs of 1st Class domestic tickets booked 1-3 months-out as well as pairs of business seats to South America, Europe, and Israel.

-How easily can Plats get that last minute redemption seat(s) in any class, at the saver rate, to somewhere because of a death in the family?

-Does CO try to put elite luggage out on the conveyor belt first?