I can't compare because I've never had status long enough to use it on UA or DL, but another advantage to AA gold is irops. With 200+ other passengers out of LHR desperate to get to east coast US during a superstorm (? Uberstorm? Snowmageddon? What do the media call these things over there? Snowpocalypse?) the Saturday before Christmas, 10 of us got out. 3 were my family, all gold. And I never asked for anything special, they just sorted it.