1. SWUs: You hardly have to purchase 'very expensive coach tickets' to use SWUs. They are NOT like Delta's which are only good on their three highest coach fares. Exact case-in-point...I just returned from Asia. Flew in and out of Seoul. Cheapest available fare was $900 roundtrip. My upgradable fare was $1025. Last month, I booked another r/t to Asia for April--Into PEK and out of PVG, my fare was $1250.00--upgradable, and the lowest fare available. SWUs are a VERY valuable instrument. Fares to Germany, for example, might be $200 more for an upgradable fare...Sure beats paying a $500 EACH WAY co-pay AND using your miles.

2. CR-1s: No need to play the upgrade lottery when those times come where you definitely want to ride in F. I'm going to LAX in a few weeks, booked on a A320 with 12 F seats. I'm already booked in F. I didn't want to sweat the upgrade.

On another trip, I'm taking a redeye home from LAS...Another upgrade I DEFINITELY want, and I DEFINITELY have already.

My parents are going to Maui in a few weeks, while my dad is a Million Miler, he rarely travels now, so is relatively low on the upgrade pecking order (there were only 10 F seats left, probably assume that there are 10 1Ks plus companions), what I saw was a pretty full ORD-OGG (8 hour flight) in F. There were 2 upgradable seats left, so I blew 2 CR-1s to ensure that he and my mom (both approaching 70) are more comfortable on the long flight.

You CO people don't seem to understand how good we UA 1Ks had it. It was a great program. We are the ones, as expected, that lost today. We gained nothing...I just can't wait to hear how bad they're going to mess up the Million Miler program.