I am a newly minted CO Gold (Also AC Elite) as I do YHZ-EWR-AUS-EWR-YHZ every couple weeks.

Now that I am Gold, I am curious what my chances are for an upgrade on EWR-AUS and back? Anyone have experience on this route?

I am typically on CO450 on the way there and CO251 on the way back.


In an ideal world YHZ-EWR would be on an ERJ-190 and I think I would be getting upgrades pretty regularly, but it is a 145 and not the nicest 2hours and 20 minutes.

There's no F on any CO RJ.

My bad. I was thinking of United 190s.

There are no 190's at United either.

UA's Pilots Union would throw a fit if UA brought them in for UAX subcontractors to fly instead of UA mainline pilots. Their scope clause over at UA allows Express carriers to fly jets up to 70 (or maybe 75) seats, so they do have E170s. The 190s can't be flown under UA's banner unless UA mainline ALPA pilots fly them. The 170s, as well as CR7s, do have a small F cabin and a few rows of Economy Plus.

So in terms of room and comfort, UA's express outsourcers have a significantly better option than CO's barbie-jets. Though considering many are flown by Mesa and others by Republic subsidiary Shuttle America with wacky screaming FA seatpocket rules, UAX ain't so hot. Though a lot more comfortable in E+ or F on a few-hundred mile E170 or CR7 than on the CO ExpressJet 1043 mile RDU-IAH on a 145, even though the service is better.

There are quite a few posts in the "ask the pilot" thread on the UA board about this.

I don't know your travel days or fare class - but I think you should expect some upgrades EWR-AUS as a gold.