Hi,
I have seen this topic complained about so much.
I never wait more than 10 minutes to get into an arena of choice unless it is the Scenario arena and it is locked.
Just go to another arena; go in; immediately exit out back to the arena index. Still cannot get in? Try another arena; go in; immediately exit out. Can't get in? Repeat ad nauseum! Eventually, much like waiting in line for chow, somebody is going to leave and a space open up.
That is probably why "host connection lost" is so popular to force guys to leave. (Just kidding about the host lost thing.)
That's what I do. I play wee hours NY time midnight to dawn, sometimes. I just wake-up sometimes, can't sleep. Either watch a movie or play this game.
Other thing you could do, though a bit expensive, is once in the game, end of the night, go park in a hanger and leave the game on. Don't turn off you pc or put it in sleep mode. Just turn monitor off.
I had a friend from Berlin. He said English was his second language after WWII. Bet you know English better than most Americans know Spanish.
I have a few free hours after work. From 20:00 to 23:00 CET, but there is a limit of players on the Orange Arena.
Another arena is about 100 players. Where I have to fly 30 minutes to see any fight... 
My apologies for bad English
I used Translator