Not sure how you arrived at that, as AA has effectively just stooped to UA's level of stinginess on upgrades. The difference is that you'll get 8 one-way systemwide certs on AA vs. 6 one-way systemwide certs on UA.


AA's strong points if you're a top tier:

33% more systemwide (VIP2) upgrade certificates than UA.

Ability to upgrade any discount fare using miles (UA restricts this to M/H fares only). Available to all AAdvantage members.

Ability to upgrade domestic webfares (and maybe NetSaaver fares?) using stickers. UA forbids any upgrading of any type on its E-fares, even for 1Ks. Available to all AAdvantage members.

A very, very seasoned staff dedicated to working with EPs and their itineraries. The 1K "desk" is not accessible to passengers, only to airline staff. Passengers have to settle for 1K reservations, which probably means they get to wear wings on their lapel. Otherwise, they are as ill-informed and impotent as regular reservations, but more brusque, which is why many, many 1Ks use only the Premier, PE, or the no-status reservations numbers.


UA's strong points if you're a top tier:

Exclusive 1K business centers in most major airports (whereas EPs share these with Plats).

HK49s -- UA lets 1Ks earn up between 2 and 10 of these one-way, confirmed North American upgrades per year. But still not usable on E-fares or web special fares.

On-board recognition: at the discretion of the purser, but on most international flights, you'll be greeted at your seat by name, thanked, and offered first choice of meal.

(Effectively unlimited) drink and movie vouchers by mail for those times you have to fly coach. The movie thing is moot now that all films on all UA flights are free.

1K luggage tags made up with your business card at your local 1K room. These are new designs each year.


That's about it. Aside from the route differences, there are few quantifiable differences at the top tier traveler level.


I'm leaning this year to doing the opposite of what you propose, namely going EP on AA and dropping down to Premier Executive on UA. In the Star Alliance scheme of things, both 1P and 1K are Star Gold, so the distinctions have really been blurred.