You've got a totally oversimplified look at the airline industry and your comparison of UA vs WN and for your travelling habits that's fine. It seems like your destinations meet the WN footprint, so I would recommend you stick with them because there are definitely things they do well, especially for the leisure traveller.
I would like to point out though that you "saved" UA nothing by taking the flight versus the hotel room, as UA booked the hotel for you and had to pay it just like any "no show" does when they make a hotel reservation and don't appear.