Using points and wanting to get upgraded? Call the reservations line and ask if the agent if Revenue Management has "released first-class seats for miles upgrades". Usually they will say no so ask them to either check with Revenue Management or for you to be passed through to them. If they tell you how many seats are available, and it is more than 10, act surprised and ask why they have not been released yet. 90% of the time they will release the seats that you need. Why? Because "Revenue Management" is meant to determine if a flight will be profitable. If it will be, they will hold seats for people upgrading using points so ask and get use of these seats earlier than the general public.