I just crossed the 75K threshold with CO and expect to reach 100K by the end of the year. I'm curious to know if there are any significant differences in tangible benefits and the travel experience as a Plat (and likely as a 100K Plat in the near future). I know that I'll be getting a couple of regional upgrade certificates at 75K and some SWUs at 100K, but how easy are these to use in practice? Is there much a difference regarding the frequency of complimentary upgrades as a Plat (versus as a Gold)?

I used to have Gold status with BA (similar to Plat status with CO) for about 5 years, and I did find that there were some significant benefits associated with Gold versus Silver. (For example, the frequency of op-ups as a Gold was much higher. Also, I had access to the First Lounge at Heathrow, not just the Club Lounge. And I found that Customer Service tended to go out of its way to assist me when there were travel problems, like cancelled flights etc.)