Originally Posted by
tom911
I'd focus 100K of that flying on whoever gives you the best perks at that level, including award travel. Are you looking at leaving EXP behind, then, and just falling back on Platinum?
For instance, UA at 100K requires you buy up to an upgradable fare to use systemwides on international travel, while AA does not. If you want to fly places AA does not go, and have a chance at upgrades, you should look at 1K at UA. Just keep in mind that some of those upgradable fares can run $700 higher (like SFO-SIN), and there's no guarantee, or refund, if you don't clear. Not everything is grand over at UA.
I'm leaving UA this year (did my last paid flight with them last weekend to IAD) because I don't like the changes to mid-tier and lifetime status there.
How about award redemptions at DL? I've seen occasional complaints that reasonably priced award travel can be a challenge there? Have you checked the Delta forum to see if that is still the case? No sense in building up miles you can't use.
I agree with much of this, particularly looking to accumulate 100K on an airline. The perks, including treatment in the event of irregular operations, are much better if you have such status rather than spreading your mileage accrual around.
AA is definitely the best FF program, with UA deteriorating in ways that even go beyond the problems tom911 has identified. AA upgrades with SWUs at time of booking are much better than at UA, and it is generally better in terms of many mileage redemption options than UA is---and much much better than DL is, AFAIK.
Still, if it's routes and going through LHR are problems for you, then I'd suggest UA over DL.