Yep, the old 500-mile minimums made it much easier for me, an all-leisure traveler, to make 1P back in the day. Shuttle and upstate New York trips alone on US were good for around 12,000 EQMs; now, the same trips would get a whopping 2400 or so. These days I suck it up and drive or Amtrak those trips, mostly because of high fares, but the 80% reduction doesn't help.

I live near Clarendon about 4 miles from DCA, and like it for all the usual reasons, but I'd rather arrive at IAD from an international trip and be "home" than face another connection after processing at JFK or ORD, or if OW, transferring at LHR. And for the West Coast, I take a lot of redeyes, and doubt AA+US(+AS) will offer more long-hauls QLA-WAS than the various UA combinations, unless I skipped the part of the press release announcing AA's new LAX-BWI nonstops.