Of the legacy six, I prefer AA by a longshot over the others. That said, out of DC, with PremEx already in-hand, I'd probably go UA. For one, it has the strongest schedule out of DC, whether you use UA or US. Transcon nonstop? No problem, and you'll probably have multiple flights to pick from. Plenty of short-hops throughout the northeast? Again, no problem and lots of choices. Second, with PremEx in-hand, it's a no-brainer. Flying that diverse of a route map, you're also bound to hit a lot of the one-off promos that UA always seems to have going. You are going to pile up the miles in a major way!

If AA really intrigues you, your idea of a Plat Challenge with a couple of transcons is fine. But unless I was really thinking of switching to AA, I'd probably just continue to enjoy my double miles on UA, E+, upgrades, etc.


One other thing...if costs are an issue, fly to MCI and drive to Salina. It's only about a 2:20 drive...a straight shot out I-70. Unless your connection is perfect, you won't be leaving much time on the table at all. I wouldn't want to do that drive vs. sitting back and collecting an extra 1000 miles, but it's an option...