Hi CO fliers! I was just today comped to silver status on CO due to a move from PHX to AUS. The connections I can get through IAH are much better than what US was offering me through PHX. A trip to PHL from AUS-IAH-PHL is much more convenient than AUS-PHX-PHL!

Does anyone have any hints for how to best get upgrades on CO (or NWA) as a silver? I've heard that it can be tough, but how can I make the best of the situation to maximize my chances? I saw a section on CO's website addressing this issue, but what's the real inside story here?

As a silver, your upgrade chances will be better on NW than CO. Your best bet is to try to fly at times that are not as popular, on days that aren't as busy with heavy duty business travelers.

Sorry for my ignorance here, but what are "unpopular" times and days that would increase my chances?

Welcome to OnePass Elite! I have found Sundays to be bad--Fridays too. Mid-week, in the middle of the day, tends to be better.

Welcome. Keep in mind the above information depends on route as well....

Sunday afts and eves are bad. Try 6:00am on Sunday morning. How many plats out there like to get up at 04:00 to catch a flight?

Agreed, tues, wed, thurs are better, but I found morning to offer more "openness"

Agree with early Sunday AM flights. I was on a Sunday AM flight from DTW-YUL on a DC-9 a few months ago. I was alone in FC and there were a total of 4 people in the back. The FA's told all the coach pax they could move up to FC.

Welcome! Here are some thoughts:

(1) Become a CO PLAT
(2) Buy a 'Y' fare
(3) Fly NW

I am 100% U/G on NW this year as a CO PLAT. Good Luck!

In order to get upgraded on NW, I just need to enter my CO number into their reservation system, correct? NW will be able to "see" that I'm CO silver and will upgrade me automatically?

As you can see below, my EUA record is pretty darned good for a lowly Silver (although I generally fly on Tues. or Weds. and things are pretty dead then). If you want to maximize your EUA opportunities, my suggestion would be to avoid "busy time" flights originating from hub cities (which others have covered), take red-eyes coming back east if you're going to the coast, and fly into and out of slightly less popular airports (e.g. SJC instead of OAK or SFO) .

Also, avoid NS transcons (unless your schedule demands it). Also, when booking through CO.com, try using ZFV as your origin. Sometimes you can find better fares than out of PHL (sometimes). BWI can also yield some rather ripe fares.

I would say get KVS to check R bucket availability, but the R bucket is no longer where will EUAs come from come Sept. 20th. As most CO FT'ers know, the R bucket is being displaced with the F bucket which none of the GDS' can display (at least yet [hopefully]). But you can look at data for R bucket availability for flights up to Sept. 20th and still get a general sense of availabilities. Just look when the windows kick in. All that can be found on the CO website. Well, that's about it. Have fun and good luck.

I have a NW program number I set up to be able to log in when booking on NW. Never collect miles in it, but just make reservations through it. Then during the booking (or after) you can add a new program (CO) to the reservation.

After I originally qualified as silver a few years ago it took several weeks for the status change to make it to the NW system though. I don't know if that's changed or not. I ended up having to have OP call NW after a few weeks had gone by.....

How many plats out there like to get up at 04:00 to catch a flight?

On Monday morning, I would say that half the flight from IAH to CLE is plats so I think many like to get up real early if they can spend Sunday home with their families

As a Platinum, I am over 80% on upgrades on the lowest advance purchase price possible IAH to PHL and return. My wife is about 50%. My wife usually takes the first flight Monday morning at 7:30, upgrades on this flight are nearly nonexistent - partially the time and partially there are only 12 seats in first. Yesterday, Friday, on the 7:30, I was a standby and upgraded as a result of 18 first class seats and the day of week. The IAH - PHL route varies the number of FC seats. Friday afternoon PHL to IAH is not a good time. The 6:15 am PHL to IAH has the 18 FC seats and is a good bet for upgrade.

How many? Lots! I've been on Monday morning 7:00am EWR-SFO flights where 90%+ of the passengers were elite.

Monday's would be brutal. I meant Sunday at 04:00.