Welcome to flyer talk. I agree with the previous post that you should look into Alaska Airlines since you are Seattle based. Also, depending on what type of personal travel you are looking to do, JetBlue is a consideration (if you plan on traveling domestically)
I am changing loyalties this year from JetBlue to united because we want to use our points and miles for more international travel. However, JetBlue was great for us domestically
As far as hotel strategies, again it is personal preference. I am hyatt diamond and Marriott platinum. I personally prefer Hyatt and it is much easier to hit top tier status (25 stays annually) vs marriott at 75 nights. However marriott has far more properties. I used to have Hilton status, but I did not find their program as rewarding for my needs (but again, personal preference)
I will say Marriotts promotions are easy to get quicker free nights right now, so investigate that aspect of the program when making your decision
Also, check out Kimpton hotels loyalty program. I am now a huge Kimpton fan. However, it depends on where you are traveling to as they are in very few cities ( but well worth a try if you happen to frequent the cities they are in)
Good luck!