Good analysis and interesting post. There are other good alternatives for us STL FT'ers though...happily giving >90% of my biz to UA since 2000. E+ and 100% success on international upgrades, plus the ability to redeem award/upgrade travel anywhere I want to go more than offsets the fact one must connect through ORD/DEN. Plus, UA operates from the relatively uncrowded Concourse A in the main Lambert terminal; don't have to worry about the peak-hour madness that can sometimes occur at AA's or WN's much busier check-in and security points.