Seriously, go AA. The convenience of a hub close by really, really can't be beat. The only other hubs anywhere near here are what, DEN and MEM? If CO is so insufferable that you can live with a connect on all your future flights, go for AA.

Don't forget that many small routes on AA are run on MD-80s, not RJs. You can challenge platinum on AA, and if you build your way to EXP, suddenly you can use the MD-80 first class section everywhere you go.

I'm still too angry at them for killing TWA (and far too lazy to take a connection when there's a nonstop) to jump ship from CO, but not everyone holds a grudge like I do.