Don't forget Etihad. They fly ORD-AUH-BKK. Quick connections both ways. Great service too. And AUH has US pre clearance. You clear us customs And immigration in Abu Dhabi so on arrival at ORD you arrive just as if you're coming in as a domestic passenger. Worth a try
Like I said I am probably a one off, and there are lots of considerations. But nonetheless I fly 100,000+ a year and will spend more than my $10 K PQD but obviously not a HVF in UA's eyes.
First, it's not because of the flamers, but a decision based on my own disgusted position with UA, but I am willing to put my money where my mouth is rather than simply making idle complaints. But I really hate the snarky comments about moving if you don't like UA.
I fly totally on my own dime and yes I fly mainly Y but play the UA lottery by buying a W, H or Q tickets in hopes of getting a GPU upgrade--sometimes win and sometimes lose.
So in the long run I am always prepared to tough it out in E+. With EK or QR the pitch on their 772' and 773's from ORD are the same pitch as E+, and after a few long hauls I should have enough miles to get a few upgrades--probably much like UA.
In addition right now I fly ORD-->NRT-->SIN with an overnight and use award miles on TG to BKK. So I have the hotel overnights R/T and spend 35,000 miles on the award (vs about $400 cash for the 2 hour flight), and it takes an extra day each way. Now with award miles based on ticket price even with a Q fare I will get only about 22,000 miles--a net deficit on my 35,000 mile award to BKK of 13,000 miles.
Last flight UA could not make interlining my bags work at SIN, so I had to go through immigration and baby sit them all night because I could not get back airside to the hotel or lounge w/o a boarding pass which I had to get from TG when they opened a 0600.
DL is a terrible option from ORD and that was the first one I looked at. There is no direct flight from ORD--SEA, so it involves a whole bunch of connections MSP or JFK or DTW etc to SEA and forward. About 28 hours
EK or QR fly directly to BKK via their hubs so I have a short connection in DXB or DOH or a stopover if I chose and I suspect that their soft product is far superior to UA's.
In the long run, it simply may not work the way I expect and I won't leave UA, but at least I'm going to give it a try.