AA has a better reputation regarding the ease of redeeming miles. CO is less predictable....I have not had a whole lot of problems but I have a lot of flexibility with my dates. Some believe that redeeming on CO is very tough. Living at a CO hub might be why I find it easier....

The EQM thing is a big bother and unless you fly 100% CO and are able to always buy on the website....you better be a big spender if you want to make elite on CO. Their definition of a CO 'best customer' is big spender ... not big flyer. If you don't fit their definition, I'd think twice about CO. If you fly skyteam partners on cheapie fares, you'll only get 50 percent EQM regardless of how you buy it. Again big spender is the key with CO.

I'm surprised you'd be interested in CO living in SNA...they are hardly big out west. If you're looking to fly anywhere west of TX, you could have difficulties. flying CO metal.

Have you considered NWA? Some consider it to be superior to CO OP,

The CO Pres club is great....NW clubs are good too... DL clubs are okay...but you'll only have access if you pony up the big money or become a plat and are flying international. As a Prem Exec you currently have that benefit when flying Int on a star alliance flight. Equivalent CO status...Gold...does not give that benefit...you must be plat with CO.

If you are Premier Exec with UA and don't fly 75K EQM per year, then you won't have Plat on CO and that will make upgrades tough. But since you seem to fly a bit already on CO and transfering your biz from UA to CO might put you over the top to make plat....that will probably make you a plat.

CO is reducing the size of the FC cabins at a pretty quick rate...so that will reduce the number of seats available for upgrade. There is no E+ on CO or AA ..... at least as a Prem Exec you are always going to have that. That is great if you are flying international economy....remember that is it very tough and very expensive to be upgraded from Y to bizfirst on CO international.... each year it gets tougher and more expensive.

I think that if your only reason for wanting to leave United is the bankruptcy... well I'd wouldn't use that as a reason....but I just switched from CO to UA last year. I'm not worried...but I might be a fool