The March 6, 2007, Wall Street Journal had an article about trying to obtain award travel at the lowest award levels on the various airlines. In checking 24 routes for summer and fall travel, American and United were the most generous, with coach seats available at their lowest award levels on 14 of 24 trips checked. Continental and Northwest fell in the middle. US Airways offered its lowest-priced award on only two of the 24 itineraries; Delta on zero.

I saw the chart and glanced through the article. But I don't recall the author explaining to people that you can claim US and UA miles with either airlines FF miles; and the same with CO/NW/DL.

That makes a huge difference in overall availability.

I find summertime to be the hardest time to redeem miles. Airlines often want double miles. One really needs to search hard--especially with Continental/Delta/Northwest.

I had never been able to use my FF miles with NWA . However, once I reached Gold level a whole world of opportunities opened up.

On United I have always, always had good luck however on Lufthansa it's worse than NWA.

I've never quite figure why they give you points if they don't let you use them.

I write about some of my experiences at http://www.bombasticlife.com/t-things-airlines.html if you are interested.

I really don't understand why some have such a hard time redeeming their miles. My lifetime total with American Airlines is 1,420,000 miles yet my balance at the moment is only 207,000 miles.

I have traveled all over the world with some of the best airlines thanks to my miles.

I like to keep at least 100,000 miles in the bank for emergencies.

Next "free" trip is with my girlfriend to Las Vegas in late April on AA in first class for 45,000 miles each. No problem at all booking it just few days ago and favorable flights to boot.

Reporting from another "free" trip to Warsaw, Krakow, Prague, Budapest, Warsaw and Manchester.....

I have found southwest to be really good, delta hard to use to popular places and got lucky with AA to HI using First Class last fall.

AA availability is pretty good but the extra award fees only make them a really good value for premium seats. If i have to pay $160 in taxes and fees to get to Paris in coach, I'd rather pay a few more hundred bucks and get the miles instead.

Last year on United, I redeemed coach awards to Paris for just the taxes, less than $65. Worked out great since my boyfriend only had a little over 100,000 miles.

The fees are only applied if the award is booked within 21 days.

UA just announced the same deal.

AA you are in the elite-elite category; your experience is always going to be better than mere mortals without elite status.

By which I mean that awards seats may well open up for you that aren't necessarily universally available. Also you have enough miles for first or business award, outright. For people who only travel moderate distances a couple of times a month, getting up to the 100K mark takes a while.

I've not had a lot of trouble using miles. Most of my reward trips have been with Alaska Airlines miles, but on a partner airline.

Gave miles to a friend last year, for summer travel with NWA and had no issues whatsoever.

I myself just booked a business class to Africa for peak season travel and had no issues with that either. One phone call, done deal, and using three different airlines for the return trip. Now that might be an adventure all by itself. ;-)

I have seen the most trouble using Delta miles. Never any saver tix available until you are at least gold level, if not platinum. But I have a bad taste in my mouth for Delta anyway, and would walk on bloody stumps before I gave them another dollar of mine. That story also relates to FF miles, but not pertaining to ease of use, so won't hijack this thread.

<i>By which I mean that awards seats may well open up for you that aren't necessarily universally available.</i>

Upgrade seats, maybe. Award seats, seldom if ever. Allocation of award/upgrade seats is subject to the same YM processes as everything else.