Regarding AA, the program with which I am the most famliar, one can also earn EXP on "points" with as little as 66,667 miles if one always pays full Y or higher, or even 50,000 miles by flying 100 short segments. The article says this, but it's important for a side-by-side comparison.

Also, some of the information in the referenced article is out of date. For example, it says "All elite members get four upgrades for every 10,000 qualifying base miles earned. One upgrade is required for every 500 miles." Executive Platinum members stopped getting these well before the October 2006 date of the review. Instead, they receive space-available upgrades from any fare, ahead of other elites who have to use these credits. (The downside is that they no longer earn credits they can use to upgrade a travel companion.)