You sound like me, I maybe wrong, but AA's SWU are great for people like me that fly over 100K per year, all domestic for business, and take a couple international flights a year, with my wife, and sit in BC for the price of coach. Made for a great perk.

I also agree with you and RDU; I remember when RDU was a hub for AA and it was a great airport, similar to Nashville, even more so. But those were different years and different times.

As far as coach, I am lucky and being PLT for life with AA I get to use stickers for my flights. I do pick and choose by looking at the seat map and upgrade when flights are real full. I have had to buy a set once but all in all not bad until back at EXP again. I had some stickers in the bank before and every 10,000 flown I get 4 - 500 mile ones put in my bank.