Kaner,

I fly lots of inexpensive short segments (over 80 per year) and east/west flights that require 4 segments.

My experience is that the 30 segments in your example with, for example, Alaska will get you 15,000 miles and just barely MVP (their 1st level elite).

On the other hand, 5 United trips from Seattle to New York, Atlanta, D.C., Boston, and Orlando, gets only 20 segments, but amasses 25,000 status miles which would also qualify for Premier (UAL's 1st level elite status).

So the big difference is that flying 30 commuter flights takes a whole lot more effort. (May God shorten purgatory stays for frequent commuters, they have already been there.)

Usually exorbitant last minute fares are about as bad on one airline as on another, just like plan-ahead-fares are just about as good on one airline as another. As an employer, I am not going to quibble over a slight difference in fares ($100 or less) and will encourage my employees to select the airline of their choice. Happy employees are long-term employees.

If, however, the difference is HUGE say $450 for a last minute ticket to ORD on Southwest and $1,400 for the same ticket on United, then they will fly Southwest. They know I will find a way to make it up to them with by sharing my upgrades from time to time.