Thanks @
DrAlex and @
tom911 for the upgrade reports. They sounds promising, as do FF redemptions.
@
j2simpso: I didn't know that about UA lifetime Gold. But I only have 275K lifetime miles on UA, and butt-in-seat qual will take me 15 yrs at 50K mi./yr, during which time they might move the goal posts. If I considered lifetime qual and butt-in-seat miles, AA would show up back on my radar b/c I'm at 1.6M miles and could reach 2M in ~8 yrs. Though companion status would be nice to try and get the kids on the upgrade list, too.
The latest piece of the puzzle this w/e was reading about credit card acceleration. With AA's Citi Exec and Barclays Aviator Silver cards, I can add 20K EQMs, but I don't have a similar route with United (b/c their cards that earn EQMs are closed to new applicants) or Alaska. I'm feeling uncomfortably like I'm leading myself back to AA and a lifetime of 1-stops to the East Coast.