Posting this to MilesBuzz because the specific airline is not really material to the discussion, but feel free to move to UA if that seems appropriate.

I got a "customer appreciation" gift from UA just now (appreciating the fact that I have now been waiting nearly 3 months for mileage credit to appear from BD, despite all documentation being provided and approved, several reminders pinged to BD, and multiple phone calls from me).

The gift allows me to choose between 7000 FF miles (non-status) or a $150 flight credit. To get that credit, the flight must be UA metal only, used within one year, and straight OW or RT only with no multi-city routings; it is valid for a single passenger's ticket only.

UA does not have a lot of service to my home airport, PHL--only 5 nonstop destinations. I have taken it on my own dime now and then, to SFO and ORD, but I doubt I've been on more than one UA vacation flight a year in the last 7 years. I do bank all of my *A miles to my UA account, though. (US would probably be a wiser choice, given their huge presence at PHL, but I so hate US that I can't bear to think of having my miles sitting in that account.)

Clearly, $150 is worth more than 7000 miles in most cases. Or is it? I never fly internationally on UA, and never in a premium cabin. The only way I would use these miles is for a domestic vacation flight, and I rarely take UA for those flights because of their limited nonstops from PHL to anywhere I want to go. (I know it is heresy from a mileage running perspective, but I prefer not to change planes.)

What to choose? I am leaning towards the 7000 miles. If I took the $150 credit, I think I'd end up having to use it for a trip that I would not otherwise take. I guess I am not one of those people that uses a windfall for an impulse splurge...I put it in the bank.