I'm one of those people who typically only flies a few times a year, so I always figured I didn't have much hope of ever getting elite status on any carrier, nor did I much care about it. But thanks to the fact that my company sent me to India last year plus one more domestic flight I actually have Premier status on United now. Of course, being an "a few times a year" flier, I won't actually get to take advantage of that status until this summer, when I'll be taking a vacation in Alaska. I have to admit I have this slight fear in the back of my head that I'm going to commit some sort of newbie faux pas, like trying to ask for something my status level doesn't actually entitle me to. So I'm trying to make sure I'm clear on what my Premier status gets me and what it doesn't.

From the looks of it, I get to use the priority check-in line at the ticket counter, but not the priority boarding line at the gate, correct? I take it that's only for the higher elite levels? Is that the same on both United and Continental flights?

Since my flights to and from ANC are operated by Continental, I'm a little dissapointed that I won't get Economy Plus, and it looks like all the exit row and bulkhead seats are already taken. Do they save those seats for people with higher elite levels until a ceartian number of days before the flights? That is, if I keep checking is there a chance those seats will open up later? I know I probably shouldn't hold my breath expecting an upgrade to first (particularly on the SEA-SFO leg of my return).