Hey all, my wife and I are flying PHX-IAH-EWR this week, the latter segment on the 777 flight. While I'm looking forward to my first time on the big bird (booked the layover for that purpose, though maybe should've just for the miles), we only have some standby upgrades available. I hear coach is much nicer in the 777s than in other models, but just wondering if anyone has experience with this flight.

The CO Web site seemds to suggest there are no seats available in FC, even though we're not quite to the three-day window. I know those are CO's top 2 hubs, so bound to be a lot of full-fares who've already UG'd. But my hope is that out of 48 people, there will be enough cancellations that we might squeak in.

Please respond if you have any insight.

the iah-ewr (and ewr-iah) routes are heavily trafficed...i've done this twice on 777's and was able to upgrade once(barely) when I called within the 3 day platinum window...if you are not elite; but just have coupons I think the chances of an upgrade are slim....

coach does have the individual entertainment units....but they don't show as many movies as BF...i found the seats in coach comperable to a 757....of course...my son was at the window; and I was stuck in the middle...

Unfortunately, I have to agree with redsoxfan. I know lots of elites choose that flight just because the BusinessFirst cabin outshines the other first class cabins by so much. It's absolutely wonderful. I flew the 777 EWR-IAH last summer. I am not elite, but I booked a first class reward 4-1/2 months prior and it was for a Saturday flight...mostly leisure travelers.

If it's any encouragement, the guy sitting next to me was flying that day for the first time in his life. He was scheduled on the immediately earlier flight that was cancelled. Can you imagine, the first time ever flying and doing so in the first class cabin of a 777? I told him he shouldn't get used to it

Good luck though. Ya just never know.

The only time that I was lucky enough to fly in a triple 7, I was flying back home from BPT-IAH-LAX on CO. When I checked in at BPT, they put me on the upgrade list. After a delayed flight, I barely made it to the gate in IAH and the gate agents were waiting for me with my upgrade. I gave them the upgrade cert from my Prestige Pack and proceeded to board for a very pleasant flight back to LAX in BF. I am 6'3" tall and could not believe the room that I had. I had to unbuckle my seat belt just to be able to reach my laptop under the seat in front of me!

Last year I arrived at IAH too late to catch the last flight to DCA, a lot of flights were delayed that day, so I was told that there were no rooms available near the airport. Not wanting to spend a night at the airport I asked at the President's club if they could put me on the next flight to EWR, and then to DCA the next morning. No problem! The next flight to EWR was leaving in 15 minutes, a 777, and had 1 F/C seat left. This gave me the opportunity for a quick visit with my brother in NJ. The 777 has the best ratio of F/C to coach seats.

As Sheryl says: "Ya just never know."