>>>>>Gold is better. The list of reasons is long. If you can make it happen, it is worth your while. I have been S/G/P on NW and each has significant advantages over lower tiers.

I don't know about flying SEA to hubs, but if you are connecting BEYOND hubs, I have to say that I have not realized just HOW much better gold is till some recent flights. My virtually golden upgrade success (mostly evening/weekend) over the last couple years made me oblivious to what was happening outside of the F-Seats/BoardingDrinks spectrum. A couple of recent late arrivals and hanging back for bumps revealed that peals of silvers were approaching the gate agents only to be rebuffed, and then lining up in lines stretching limbo-ready-like after Elite boarding is called. Even when on flights p0f0 WEEKS out I was getting the upgrade early that morning and then later waltzing through check-in and boarding with the confirmed upgrade while other elites (who could easily have been far more virtuous and deserving than me) were approaching the agents humbly or hanging sullen. I would NEVER go back to silver barring major catastrophe (is there gold insurance?).