When my angel at CO can't upgrade me and I am flying transcon I use miles to upgrade. I usually travel with my wife and two children (4 and 1) and it is not worth upgrading on the 2 or 3 hour flight. However, transcons or flights like EWR-LAS are long enough to use miles to upgrade and the service on those flights is usally pretty good.

I am saving my UA miles for a long international first suite trip for my wife and I to celebrate an anniversary or something when the kids are older and can stay with relatives. By then the economy will hopefully be better and UA will have restored all the goodies they have taken away.