The one area you may be forgetting is the check-in line. In SAN, the line can be a mile long sometimes but the 1k or 1/2P line is very short.

I went through SAN to BWI last Saturday. It seemed the whole US Military were flying that day. The normal lines were VERY, VERY long but the status line was great.

I count this more than the upgrades. I can show up at the airport an hour before flight and never have a problem. I wouldn't try that with no status.