I've been off the road for 18 or so months while working through graduate school. The travel pressure has returned and I've got ~225k BIS to do through November this year, mostly in J with some Y thrown in.

Traditionally, I've been an AA EXP. However, thanks to some corporate policy changes, I'll hit 1K on UA late June or early July. I hadn't flown UA in 5 years before my trip fall to PVG and PEK.

As of right now, I think that splitting is the best strategy for me. I think my spend may qualify for GS, but I think I purchase too few full-fare J fares to qualify; as such, holding AA EXP and UA 1K at the same time offer greater flexibility when traveling, plus a larger deck of upgrades to deal from.

So: given the acrimony around the UA/CO merger, the systems issues, and the new policies -- what are you doing? Scramming for another airline, splitting your allegiance, or sticking with it?

Cheers.