I've been lucky enough to be 1K for many years and the rough AA equivalent, Executive Platinum, for four out of the past past five. I'll continue to be both in 2009. I know there's no correct answer for my question, but I'm posting this to ask for fellow FTers' persectives on whether to continue in this vein. And if not, what directions you'd advise.

By way of background, I get over 100k miles/points per year for UA and AA in different ways. For UA, it's 2-4 international business trips/year in business class on UA or LH, usually to or via Europe, sometimes in Z and sometimes D, with maybe one or two international trips per year using my SWUs to upgrade from economy to business. Plus I take a few domestic trips to the East Coast (mainly NYC and DC) per year, using CR-1s to upgrade from economy to business, and a few along or near the West Coast, upgrading when possible using 500-milers. I also occasionally use SWUs to upgrade from business to first and CR-1s to upgrade my wife (who's UA 1P) domestically.

For AA, I accrue most of my miles on flying CX in business 2-4times/year, connecting in Hong Kong to other places in SE Asia. I also occasionally fly AA to Europe and BA onward to Africa, both of them in business, and occasionally AA in economy domestically (mainly non-stop to Miami) or to Mexico, usually upgrading using AA's SWU equivalents for me and my wife.

The above patterns generally get me slightly above 100K miles/points each year with a bit of work to balance the two accruals along the way. We use our miles almost exclusively for C or F award trips abroad. We have a pretty good record of scoring the tix because we're usually able to plan 330 days or at least many months in advance. We also occacionally help out friends or relatives with domestic award tix. Right now, after cashing in miles for upcoming international vacations, one through UA and one through AA, I the following miles in the bank: 650K with UA, 350K with AA, and 60K with BA, with which I have no status beside general membership. Plus my wife has about 200K with UA (1P) and 50K with AA, where she's just a general member. Her main accruals are for domestic flights in economy, though sometimes upgraded.

Our travel patterns are likely to stay the same in coming years, except mine might involve (as just a very rough guess) maybe a 50 percent increase in domestic travel (mostly to NYC and DC) and maybe a slight decrease in international travel. So I think I can continue to maintain 1K and Executive Platinum if I want.

The main things I like about UA are the CR-1 upgrades domestically (expecially since I can usually plan far enought in advance to get them); the big fact that SFO is a big hub for it; and the Star Alliance advantages for accruing miles and (despite all the shortcomings) cashing in awards, due to its huge network.

For AA, the main thing I like is CX for accruing miles its great business class; the occasional itinerary advantages it offers from SF (though UA is generally better), such as to Miami nonstop; the occasional access to first class lounges abroad because of Exec Plat status, which is nice; the better mileage accruals for business class travel with its One World partners, with the big exception of BA; and the great Executive Plat customer service (especially for phone staff for making reservations, seeking award trips, etc.), which is better than UA's for 1K.

So...to make this very long story not very short short, any advice out there for my future affiliations and status? Here are my thoughts:

1. I'm inclined to definitely stick with UA for the reasons stated, including the fact that the new co-pays won't affect me very much since I almost never use miles to upgrade. (Though like others in this forum I am definitely concerned about whether the chages for international markets and the smaller new business class sections on most UA planes may make SWU upgrades and mileage awards harder to get.) But I'm certainly open to other considerations re whether to nevertheless downplay UA, including the fact that (unless UA changes its rules) I have minimum of lifetime 1P status as a fallback.
2. Even assuming I stick with UA 1K, I'm wondering whether instead of trying to maintain status on AA I'm just better off taking whatever other airlines suit me for a given trip and using miles I've accrued or will accrue on AA and those others in the future for upgrades where necessary (though I realize in some cases this may involve a co-pay). This would involve much less juggling of UA/AA, since I'd only be looking to (pretty easily) maintain status on UA. It also offers cost savings by virtue of finding the cheaper business class options, which could prove important for some future trips.
3. Instead of AA (and perhaps even instead of UA), maybe seeking to accrue miles and/or status on LH, British Midland, Asia Miles or Delta, for the advantages that I don't sufficiently understand because I'm just not familiar enough with their respective programs (despite reading some posts and threads about them along the way; I guess I do understand that for international business class travel BMI and LH offer better accruals and better opportunities to cash in miles for awards). I guess I'd be especially interested in any thoughts out there on the advantages or disadvantages of these other programs.

Again, any advice on these or other options would be really appreciated.

I'll move this to the MilesBuzz! Forum so that non-United travellers can add their insights.

FlyinHawaiian, Co-Moderator
United Mileage Plus Forum

How close are you to lifetime status with either carrier (AA Platinum, UA Premier Exec)? Would you miss first class international lounge access on any fare class as an EXP?

Tom in a wet Killarney

I've got lifetime status with UA, and am something like 1.2 million away from AA with no likelihood of getting there unless I fly 100K per year for the next 12 years. The first class lounge access through EXP is nice, but I don't use it all that much, the regular CX and BA lounges are fine, and it's low down on my list of FF priorities.

on aa, 100k bis mi should get 200k or so/year toward life status.....plus the j/f bonus....but perhaps you are qualing on points....

you might consider putting misc ua mi's on your wife's account if theres a chance she might get life status.....

i goofed by not doing this when i went over 2mm on aa....now, she needs about 350k to get to 2mm....probably won't because we are tired of traveling...

Thanks, but I don't think I've ever done 100K bis/year on AA. It's on points, so I'd have a long way to go to two million and getting Plat status.