Last year I was only able to upgrade 20% of the time. I'm a 1K based in Washington, DC. I've chalked it up to bad luck and am hoping 2008 is my year!

This year I'm trying to be a little more selective and do what I can to make the cut (choosing flights based on planes and the like). But checking the schedule from IAD (their Trans Atlantic international hub) to LAX (a Pacific hub) I found the following schedule:

UA967 A319 IAD/04:40p LAX/07:08p
UA947 777 IAD/05:35p LAX/08:05p
UA211 A319 IAD/07:00a LAX/09:28a
UA209 A319 IAD/03:00p LAX/05:46p
UA639 A319 IAD/07:08p LAX/09:54p
UA49 A320 IAD/12:15p LAX/03:01p
UA867 A319 IAD/08:35a LAX/10:59a
UA83 A320 IAD/09:30a LAX/11:58a

This is for a trip in September and, of course, there is zero upgrade ability (meaning CR-1 are useless). What's up with five A319s going transcon? Anyone going overseas business class gets the US leg in FC - with only eight FC seats I can see why I was unable to upgrade. Is there really that little demand on these flights?

I'm thinking about routing through JFK so I can hit the P.S. flights....