Do seats ever open up in "R"
 

Im a bit green when it comes to using miles/upgrades/status and only recently hit any status of consequence so apologize if this is a silly question or if i use the argot incorrectly . Was wondering if first class seats ever open up in R at some point prior to travel if there is F availability.

In particular, my gf and i are flying next thur lga-iah-slc. I am pres plat, she has no status. I have miles/ru/swus. There look to be 7+ seats in F available on all segments. Nothing in R for all but one segment on the return leg. im unwilling to pay the 1600 per person to buy the upgrade round trip (which is the current offer).

Any advice on what, if anything, i could do? Was thinking if seats get converted to R as we approach departure day i could use a RU for her and hope i EUA? Any thoughts for the likelihood of an eua and/or battlefield upgrade for me/her given the F availability a week out from the flight?

Thanks in advance.

YMMV - from what I've seen, PMUA more aggressively offers NF/NC (along with XF/XC) close in to departure if loads are looking light. I can't say the same for PMCO based on all the flight searches I've done.

I'd definitely use a regional for your +1

If you're on CO metal, split yourself off the PNR, and apply the regional to your GF's itinerary. As the highest Plat, you can start to clear 6 days out on EUA. If it's not looking like it will clear, you can use a regional for yourself, but to me, it would be a waste.

Seats DO get converted to "R" as departure approaches if they aren't sold for cash. However, this often happens within the EUA window and whatever available R there is gets "eaten up" quickly by the free elite upgrades. As suggested, your best bet for your gf is to waitlist her for an upgrade using your regional upgrades -- you should be able to split the PNR online (I think it's called "separate traveler(s)" or something like that, I don't have any current 2-pax reservations to verify) and then I think you can put in for the waitlist with the RU online as well.

Once she's waitlisted, she should be cleared as soon as the "R" inventory is released, ahead of any elites on EUA (including yourself).

Is CO offering UFC yet for BF? I ask as I was looking at yesterday's EWR-NRT (trying to bypass ORD due to weather). Was at 28 booked out of 50 inside T-24, with only 3 on the UG list (and 2 of those were non-rev it looks like, on regular W/L too). Flight ended up going out at 48/50.

Suppose there could have been a bunch of weather waiver changes, just seemed a bit odd.