Thanks for the info and for making me feel not as dumb! One more, then...EUA. I get the Elite Upgrade part, but A?

I believe it's for 'automation' (as in the computer does it); I'm sure someone will post a correction if needed.

Lotalota, I will give this a try. As we know, being Gold and not Platinum, we need all the help we can get with these upgrades. I have no problem OLCIing twice!

Seems to be a variety of different usages of the A in EUA. Automation, Automatic. Also known as EAU to some...

Thank you Slippahs, it makes sense to me now. Much appreciated!

>>>>>>One thing to keep in mind is that there is clearly an EUA that is run in the early morning day of depature.
>>Just curious - is this an established fact or speculation?

I've been upgraded in the early AM prior to flying numerous times in the past year--it is very predictable--like clockwork for those flights that are actually half empty in F where they will be upgrading a handful of elites in any case.

It generally happens 6am or 7am. Oddly, as opposed to normal days-out EUA's that pop me into a seat, these early morning day-of-travel EUA's always wind up saying "seat unassigned", and I have to select a seat. This suggests that this is a 'different' kind of upgrade--it may in fact be a processing of the waitlist--it's hard to know (I always abort check-in at 23:59 after being told that I have been put on the waitlist). It is also completely possible, maybe even likely, that people who DID check in already, and who are also in good shape on the waitlist, are ALSO being upgraded within the system, but will receive their F boarding passes at the gate--nobody knows. Even if this turns out to be the case though, I still prefer getting the upgrade in the morning so that I can select my own seat.

I did OLCI Saturday for a Sunday flight, about 22 hours out. The flight was showing P1F1. Answered Yes to the "do you want to upgrade" question, but did not get it, so I aborted check in. Tried again Sunday about seven hours out and this time got the upgrade.

I did not think to look at my reservation to see if EUA had moved me before the second OLCI, or if it happend when I hit the Yes button.

I recall a previous trip where I did look at my reservation after an aborted OLCI. My seat assignment was gone (lost exit row ) so I clicked through to change my seat and up popped a map of the F cabin . In this case the computer moved me sometime between the aborted OLCI and my look the next day.

I have been told this on several occasions by NW representatives at the Elite desk. My practice is to check in on line in the morning of departure, not @23:59.

Well, I'm still kinda confused. Based on what I thought was right, I did OLCI @ 23:59 out & got on the waitlist for a flight tomorrow morning. While there are no R seats on the flight right now, there are 3 P seats which are not likely to be sold. Should I now cancel my OLCI (& how do I do that?) and then try OLCI early tomorrow in case there are EAU seat available then?

FWIW I look at the load at 23:59. If it's, say, P2 F0 I figure they're holding the seats for last minute sale, EUA won't clear, and I'm best off checking in.

If it's something like P5 F2 it's a more difficult decision.

This is consistent with some of my previous experiences.

Is this 6:00 or 7:00 Central Standard Time?

>>>>Is this 6:00 or 7:00 Central Standard Time?

Yes. I think my last DEN trip was closer to 7am Mountain, but still in the same range (rockies?).

Thanks. So best guess is day of flight EUA runs 7-8 AM EST, 6-7 AM CST, 5-6 AM MST, or 4-5 AM PST?

Thinking about it, though, wouldn't it run earlier so as to account for pre-7 AM flights out of the east coast? Are there early morning red-eyes from the east flying westbound?

Did the same thing for today's 6:30am CT flight. 23:59 hours did OLCI but exited after "do you want to upgrade" question. Checked seat assignment over next 22 hours and never saw myself and the wife upgraded. Just before leaving the house this morning, checked again at 4:15am. Still in coach. Fare class was showing P8F8. Decided to try OLCI again. Got the "do you want to upgrade" question and then saw the seating chart had us upgraded for MSP-SLC leg, but not MKE-MSP. Completed OLCI and then checked fare class; now showing P8F6 for the MSP-SLC leg.

Based on the above it appears OLCI released the first class seats, not EUA. We probably would have been upgraded earlier in the week via EUA if these had been paid tickets, but traveling on award tickets we fell into the 1 day prior window for upgrades. Not sure why EUA didn't process the upgrade. If EUA runs only once a day between 6 - 7 CT, maybe our flight fell into the gap of processing 1 day out?