Just curious... did you have the choice to fly UA on flights you chose *A carriers? If so, I would recommend shifting that business to UA metal. If you could have shifted even $5K of those PQD, you may have made it. I had a similar year in 2014 to you where I landed on around $43K PQD on UA metal with several thousand dollars spend on LH and TK, and I also didn't make it. If I would be in your shoes and had the option to fly more UA metal in exchange for making GS, I would do it, but that's just me.