In terms of upgrades, you'd only make the 50K tier at UA, and would have the 75K and 100K tier above you, as well as the high revenue Global Services tier. There is a minimum spend that comes along with that 50K level that you would also need to meet ($6,000). Would you have met that this year on cheap fares? If not, you'd drop to the 25K tier which requires a minimum $3,000 spend.

If you're looking for upgrades, you risk that your elite status will not be high enough, even though all elites are added to the upgrade list at no cost. I'd pop into the UA forum and ask how those based in RDU at the Gold/50K level are doing on upgrades. You're probably not going to get that level of input in the Information Desk forum.

Just this week there was a 100,000 mile flyer that posted he cleared upgrades on only 4 UA domestic flights this year. If they're not clearing at that level, I'd be concerned about how you'd do at the 50K level as a UA flyer.

Does UA have much of a Southeast presence? I always thought they relied on US for that, and then when US realigned with AA those flights were lost.