Thanks for all the feedback. It's great to know I'm not alone with my assessments of Denver and COS.
I too do my best to avoid the RJ200 for any distance. I don't mind the 15min flight COS-DEN, but that it about it. I am really not an Airbus fan either. Or at least the United Airbii I seem to get as they dont have AVOD and I prefer the older Boeing seats in F. I haven't flown in coach for a while until last week on a DEN-SNA flight. Man those new slimline seats suck for us tall guys! My favorite so far is the 757-200 when we board through the second doors and don't have a million people shuffling past the F cabin.
As a new FF, without status in another airline, I think I will stick with UA this year and gain 1K. I dont think I will make GS as I project only around $40K in ticket spend unless I end up booking a few more last minute -MAD trips. Maybe next year I will status match with AA or Delta if I feel the grass is greener over there.
I had no idea they were putting a lounge in at COS. Either I am out of the loop, or they have done a really poor job promoting it. I guess that is cool, but i usually show up just before a flight when at COS. COS valet parking sounds interesting, but I hate leaving my car outside with the potential for hail damage in COS. Do they have indoor parking there as well? If I have an early flight out of DEN, I usually go up the night before and stay at the Springhill by the airport then park at the covered lot.
Zeug