Thanks for your response.

I understand that capacity controls could be problematic, however, it seems to me that the more options(airlines) you have to work with the better. When I booked a trip for my husband using a miles LAX-LHR business class upgrade in March of 06 I called American first. They had zip. I called United and they had a workable reservation. Two years ago I got 4 mileage business class upgrades for the family in Sept to Glasgow on American.

A regular program of buying miles along with some BIS and credit card miles in each of my husbands and my account should get us enough miles for a business upgrade on each of the airlines (American, United and maybe Delta)each year. I can't imagine we would go that often but who knows.

I'm thinking having flexability to go whereever the seats are would be more useful than marrying ourselves to one airline and at best getting only the lowest level elite status.

Short