>>>>iAside from the 50% to 100% bonus miles, what else is there to look forward to as a Gold Elite??

If you're going to still pretty much only due trips to Asia--particularly if they do not include domestic connections--then you may not find much benefit except for 100% bonus miles instead of 50% (edited with embarassed apologies and thanks to MikeMpls).

If you do a fair amount of domestic U.S. travel, then the earlier upgrades, the possibly more frequent upgrades, the direct gold/plat phone line, the policy that gives you a free hotel if stuck even due to weather, the access to gold/plat security lines, and the prettier luggage tag will be worth it.