Check-in time used to be a tiebreaker for upgrades, as I recall, but I think they did away with that criterion. Someone who is even more anal than I am can confirm.

Heck, I can confirm...it still is:

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US.../upgrades.aspx

Just to make sure, so cheking in early is key?! :confused:

I think that if you examine the information on the page that I linked to, you'll see that it's highly unlikely that check-in time would come into play...elite level and fare class are the keys. There would have to be an elite at your level who booked the same fare class in order for check-in time to matter as regards gate/battlefield upgrades.

When denied an upgrade the first thing the GA says to me is there are other *G that have a better class of service or who have checked in before me. I cannot dispute this since I am not privy to the manifest. So I am at the mercy of the gate agent who may, or may not, be telling the truth.

Just a quick update:
On that flight I opened up about (out of IAH), I was upgraded somewhere about 24 hours before it and my wife got the airport upgrade (with reseating next to me).

On the way home this week, I was actually upgraded three days out although it looked like first class was almost full. She was upgraded at the gate when one of the booked first class passengers was a no show.

No idea why the return flight, with less FC seats available and less 'blanks' upgraded me three days out while the outbound was 24 hours.

Glad everything worked out for you & your wife!^