Even US waives this fee for its elites.

I've rarely paid it, unless traveling with a non-status companion and wanted to ensure we got seats. As a Plat, clearing SBY on my route has been 100%.

I hope CO remembers that a big part of the reason we need same day flexibility is because their EWR schedule is more of a general outline than any sort of rigid execution. I don't get on earlier flights to dodge higher fares or to get home earlier, I do it when I see EWR is a mess and I want to get home period.