So I'm probably one of the more rare people here who now holds relatively high earned status on two carriers. Some hold multiple high status levels thru corp contracts, etc, I recognize that. That said I'm a long time 1k and for the last several years a Platinum on AA thru mostly OW partner flights- CX, QF, BA. This year, not only have I already requalified for 1k for 2020, but I've made AA Plat Pro and I'm approx ~12000 EQM and $2k EQD from earning EXP for 2020. So, I have to decide if I want to press for EXP with an eventual pivot to AA next year or just carry on with UA and let the AA/OW earnings end up wherever they fall. Looking ahead to 2020 I don't think I will have the travel to sustain both 1K and EXP, but I could shift most all my travel to UA and easily make 1k with the new requirements, or let my UA status drop down to probably gold (or possibly platinum) and target some of my travel toward mid-level AA/OW status again. I do deliberately plan some of my travel on AA/OW now just for sapphire. I find value in holding sapphire- namely the lounge access when I fly Y on OW carriers, MCE on AA...the same ways I find value in *G and holding at least UA gold.. My travel is a mix of Y and J both domestic an overseas, and *A and OW carriers both suit my needs. I'm only approx 50% of the way to MM on both UA and AA so that's still a big hill to climb in both programs.

All that aside I'm not sure if switching to AA will be any better because AA will no doubt be taking an axe to their program in the near future as well. I'm not sure that going completely free-agent is the answer because I do fly enough that I might as well obtain some sort of status out of all that time in the air.

I guess I will wait and see what AA does in the next few months before I go all in on a program pivot.