Originally Posted by
cjblair
It is possible to get upgraded to plus for free still if you have status - but not until you're at the gate. I've done that a pile of times.
One differentiator in favor of AC, is the AC lounges are significantly nicer - and you have unlimited access once you have 50k status. WJ lounges are shitty, and you never have unlimited access. I can use up my 10 lounge passes in the first couple months of the year, then I'm sitting out on the concourse like some pleb.
In my experience, the WJ employees are much more pleasant to deal with still. AC employees are all old and miserable, WJ are a bit younger and less miserable. Another small positive aspect of flying WJ, IMO, is they let you keep your headphones on pretty much the entire time. AC are nazis about removing headphones during ascent/descent and it drives me crazy.