If I didn't have what I have in status and RDM (it that abbreviation still in use?), most of the time I would often times chose to fly with carriers other than UA. Only infrequently is UA the cheapest or most convenient carrier for me ex-PHL And all the craziness that my questions and your helpful answers reflex is not an appealing feature (and we didn't even get into the arcana of how status and award tickets work, because I am much less interested in those than I once was).

Do the other majors have as many quirky details to their pricing, seating, status and other benefits as UA does?

Thanks again for your help.