1. I have an award ticket to Frankfurt booked for the end of January as follows - Pittsburgh to Boston on US Airways then Boston to Frankfurt on Lufthansa. Assume that USAirways isn't operating as of my departure date, and assume further that Lufthansa will honor the award ticket. Even if I can get myself to Boston on another airline, I'm concerned that because I will not have been (and could not have been) on the first scheduled leg of the trip, the rest of my itinerary will be canceled. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

2. I'm thinking of canceling my USAirways Visa in favor of a card that will allow me to use accrued points on any airline. My research has revealed that most of them have restrictions that I don't like - whether its a cap on the number of points that can be earned in a year, or a 21 day advance purchase requirement, etc. I know there are websites that compare travel cards, and I've used them, but I'd like to hear what others have concluded is the best travel rewards credit card out there.

Thanks in advance.

As to your first question I think the answer is that no one really knows. Airlines going defunct are separate events and would be handled differently case by case. Yes, other airlines have honored award tickets in the past, but when have we seen the industry in such as a state before?? I say all bets are off regarding other carriers honoring ANY ticket.

IMHO, the least of your worries would be getting the first leg cancelled out.

1. I have an award ticket to Frankfurt booked for the end of January as follows - Pittsburgh to Boston on US Airways then Boston to Frankfurt on Lufthansa. Assume that USAirways isn't operating as of my departure date, and assume further that Lufthansa will honor the award ticket. Even if I can get myself to Boston on another airline, I'm concerned that because I will not have been (and could not have been) on the first scheduled leg of the trip, the rest of my itinerary will be canceled. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

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I think you are making a bad assumption about Lufthansa--unless you have elite status in M&M. I sincerely doubt they will honor the ticket. They are very, very, very TOUGH--US hates dealing with them. I think you have a better shot at UAL honoring the ticket--or even American--if the ticket had been booked entirely on US. No one knows for sure what will happen.

First, your assumption about LH honoring your ticket is a pipe dream. But let's escape to fantasyland for a second to answer the question - if US is in liquidation, which computer system do you think will cancel the rest of your flight? I would bet the record would still be in the LH system, untouched.