a good value is what you make of it. given your situation (discount code available, desire to access the lounge and get free drinks en route, need to check bags) i'd agree that an F ticket at $218 is a better decision than a coach ticket at $179. for others, the calculus is different.

fact is AS F pricing is not always (or even often) competitive, especially once you start throwing in connections, and their pricing on transcon flights between CA and JFK is off the charts. fortunately with powerful search tools like Matrix ITA and google flights it is usually fairly easy to identify the best values for travel with limited effort.