Originally Posted by
zvzzt
If you’re flying J/F, status is almost meaningless and certainly not worth chasing. It’s only when flying Y (and particularly short-haul Y) that you actually see value, so the answer is “whatever airline you frequently fly Y on”. If that answer is none, don’t consider it.
I was a UA 1K when I flew a lot in Y domestically and got good value out of CPUs, better treatment in Y, and PPs. Now I’m a CX DM but I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to maintain it as I don’t fly enough short-haul Y to see the benefit. CX gets a lot of my business on value and schedule, but I continue to fly UA/NH/others when they’re a better fit.
Not sure when you had 1K, but the ability of the United (and other US carriers) to price/upsell the F cabin on domestic routes, have made premier upgrades pretty scarce. So I certainly wouldn’t go for status if that is what you are looking for. Adding to the diminishing benefits was the ability to get access to IN fare buckets for awards, but now that has been opened up to anyone with a Chase credit card, that also does not mean as much.
For some programs like OneWorld, going for Emerald means you get access to First Class Lounges regardless of cabin flown (US carriers international itineraries only) so that can be worthwhile even if you are in J cabin. Another perk of Emerald is being able to select a J seat or the better J seats without paying fees which is becoming increasingly common.