If you have been reading past posts comparing FD to WP, you may not be aware of the recent and general erosion in benefits with FD, such as the reduced availability of transatlantic upgrades, restriction of day-of-departure upgrades to Y/S/B fares on those routes, introduction of non-mileage earning fares tomorrow, etc.

FD Gold members are NOT officially entitled to automatic US domestic upgrades on NW.

Also, the AF F+ program with which FD is slated to be merged sometime in 2005 currently does not allow upgrades from anything but full fare coach tickets. Nor does it provide automatic US domestic upgrades for any elite level.

In short, for a flyer with your profile, the current FD PE status would be of interest; GE, a little less so (better international benefits vs. lesser US domestic ones).

However, the uncertainty over the future AF/KL FFP (few of us here expect expanded benefits...) may make WP a safer choice for the time being.