After six years as Platinum, I’m (almost) giving up with CO. Since upgrades are no longer given for “loyalty,” and most of my domestic flights are non-business so I try to fly as low cost as possible, my upgrade % as Platinum has fallen to about 65% on upgradeable flights. Combined with all my CO segments, I’m now in FC less than 1/3 of flights. My complaint – my international flights are mostly high-cost, and I’m in coach on those. And now that doesn’t help much in qualifying for domestic upgrades.

On United, except for a few flights from CLE (my home base) to places such as ORD and Dulles (CO has RJ to these locations also), I find E+ quite comfortable; I would rather travel most of the time in E+ than 2/3 time in CO coach. Also, the upgrades on UA are actually a bonus to me!

I’ll still be flying on CO, because of all the non-stops, and will make Silver (and possibly Gold). However, the bulk of my travel, including most of those high-cost international flights, will now be on UA.