As posters noted, I was too quick to price out the seat and it would cost more for an upgradeable flight. Stoopid .bomb not saving my profile as "expert!"
So, I hadn't thought about going wild and going F class but ooooooh, am I piqued now - here is my issue: I'm a workaholic. Even when I'm heading up to the Sierras to do some climbing, or flying to Hawaii to do some surfing, I'm in work mode. I worry that the entire time I would either spend sleeping or working. I'd hate to waste F because I was so busy not enjoying F. Or is it such a different world that I will be relaxed and think of nothing but the game?
Flying UA metal on an award ticket, I believe I am stuck with the same class both ways, right? But, and I'm only going on by how I saw the Star Alliance mileage rates being displayed on .bomb, it seems that maybe I can get award travel in different classes each way? Could I do C to/from LHR and F the other way?
Which should I do each way? Can I split airlines?
And here is a money question: where is the ANA tool?!? I've been reading about it forever, but I've always been unable to unearth a link to it...
Regarding 1K - Yes, I don't know whether I will hit 1K for the 4th year running next year without doing a few mileage runs (one this year 'cuz I was bored but it turned out not to be necessary at all) so the 10k would be nice, but I feel confident about reaching status so I won't let it affect my decision.
My 700k miles - I'm only 32, bachelor, and my thinking was to save it for the future or at least random upgrades over the next few years. But I'm feeling more and more of that "they don't earn interest and actually deflate in value as time goes bye" attitude. Let's burn them.
To address the Gunners ticket question: my godfather has had season tickets for some 40 odd years I believe. I'll be joining him at the game. Hate to rub it in gentlemen, but the seats are at the dead center of the pitch, 6 rows back.
He and I actually both prefer his former seats at Highbury (6 rows back is a little close), but I'm not complaining...I'm rubbing it in! I can't post any old photos yet as they are at home and I'm at the office, but they are phenomenal seats. ^^^
(plus, everyone around used to groan whenever I came - the godfather's English, but I am 100% French (albeit raised here in the States since I was 8). Arsenal's my team, but there's been nothing like taunting the English over the years that their team was pretty much French (for the past half-dozen years). It was even a shade funner than taunting the Spurs.