I must admit that I have always wondered the value of this benefit, especially as I used to choose it. In the last number of years of being SE, the value of the additional AE miles/points is not insignificant (selecting the bonus). It would seem to make sense to do a mileage run to make up the miles or segments rather than selecting the lower level to requalify. I guess that comes down to personal preference, but I would be curious as to what others think.