No "right" answer to the following choice, and I'm grateful to even have it, but I'd welcome any perspectives on what any fellow Ftalkers would do:

Option #1: I was lucky enough to land F award tix to fly SFO-Cape Town-SFO with my wife for a vacation later this year. On the way out, the routing is through LHR on UA (with more than 12 hours between arriving and departing, so we'll bop into London to see friends and avoid having to directly transit through the mess that is LHR). Then nonstop to CPT on SA.

On the way back, it's SA to Joburg, then LH all the way with about a 4-hour layover in the very nice Frankfurt first class terminal. Cost is 320K miles.

Option #2: Buying two SFO-LHR RT econ tix for about $800 each and upgrade to C using my SWUs, then fly SA on an award in F (no award C available) between LHR and CPT for 200K miles.

We could still pop into London on the way out, but on the way back would probably opt for the three-hour connection (which means transiting directly through LHR) rather than about a six-hour connection.

The main reason I'm thinking about changing is the EQMs I'd accrue via a revenue ticket might help me retain my 1K status. (Paying the money for the tickets is of course a negative factor, but not a crucial one.) My business trips that are the main basis for my miles and status usually only crop up a couple of months in advance, so I'm not certain I'll make 1K otherwise.

Plus if I go the revenue ticket route my chances would increase even more if UA again offers the same 2X EQM deal for late 2007 as it did in late 2006. (I'd pay the $500 for the status, though not certain I'd pay more if UA ups the charge yet again, as it did from 2005 to 2006.) I'm vaguely aware of the offer that UA had this year to allow customers who dropped a notch in status for 2007 to re-obtain it if they fly enough miles and pay a fee, though I don't know whether that or the 2X EQM deal will be offered again.

Other reasons to consider switching to Option #2:

1. It could help in getting my wife 1P or 2P status for 2008, depending on her own business travel this year.
2. There's a chance I'll be cutting down on international travel in the next year or so, so 120K more miles in the bank for vacations and greater chance of SWUs for at least 2008 could come in handy down the line.
3. I might save 50K more miles if SA C class award tix open up for LHR-CPT, though I'm not counting on that happening.
4. Avoid the time and connecting flight from CPT through Joburg on the way back; but I don't see that as a major hassle.

Why stick with Option #1?

1. Hey, it's in F all the way.
2. Avoid transiting through LHR on the way back.
3. Instead transit through FRA and what I hear is the very nice First Class Terminal (and car ride to the plane) there, though our four-hour layover will be early morning so I'm not sure we'll fully appreciate it.
4. Save some money--but again, not a crucial consideration.
5. Like me, my wife would like F all the way better, but right now all she knows is that we're going someplace special--not where we're going or how we're getting there. Even more significantly, the difference between international C and F to her is pretty marginal--she considers both luxuries.
6. Save my SWUs for possible upgrades for other purposes. OTOH, I'll still have two left and (again, I'm grateful) also have eight as an AA EXP, though those AA upgrade coupons usually don't prove as useful for my destinations. (I know I could just opt to concentrate on 1K or EXP in my travel, but having both comes in very handy in all sorts of ways.)

Again, no right answer and an indulgence to have such a choice, but I'm curious about other folks' perspectives.

Thanks for any thoughts.