EveryPointCounts, welcome to FlyerTalk. As your Q. deserved its own thread, and in our more appropriate MilesBuzz forum, I've moved it there. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, United forum.
[With Moderator hat off: To give the Community the chance to help you the most, you'll want to provide the route(s) and the volume you plan to fly. For example, you'll get one set of recommendations if you plan to fly E. Coast to Japan 8 times/yr. and different recommendations if you plan to fly a few times up and down the U.S. West Coast.]