FlyerTalk Forums - EXP Newbie Question

I'm a longtime FT lurker, posting a (hopefully not stupid) question. Here goes...

I _finally_ made EXP for the first time on 12/18/03. Today I called the EXP desk and was told that since I qualified so late in the year, I would NOT receive a welcome kit for 2003. After reading some of the articles here, I'm led to believe that since I qualified in 2003 for the first time, I'm entitled to 8 VIP03 and 8 VIP04 certificates. The EXP desk says NO.

So here is my question. I made EXP after a year's worth of weekly MIA-SJU trips, and I don't usually fly transcons or long-haul international. I use upgrade stickers a lot for SJU (2 each way for 1,045 miles, which isn't a bad deal I guess), and now I have a trip planned to SFO, which I want to do by upgrading an economy coach ticket.

First part of the question -- am I better off holding on to the VIPs for an upgrade on a more expensive route? Is a mileage upgrade worth it? To me, it seems the 12 stickers it would take to upgrade my economy ticket is better spent on shorter hops.

And the second part of the question -- since my SFO trip is in February, do I have a case for calling the EXP desk and insisting (or begging) for my 2003 certificates? I understand they would expire just after that, right?

Thanks!