I need just a one-way ticket to LGW from PHL, and was thinking about using up a whole bunch of US miles.
Now, I don't really travel with US much, so am not up to speed with how they work, but is this possible at all? And what about a reward flight on a partner airline. I did see that one-way journeys are the same cost (in miles) as a return, and I really rather not waste a ticket.

Any ideas?

I need just a one-way ticket to LGW from PHL, and was thinking about using up a whole bunch of US miles.
Now, I don't really travel with US much, so am not up to speed with how they work, but is this possible at all? And what about a reward flight on a partner airline. I did see that one-way journeys are the same cost (in miles) as a return, and I really rather not waste a ticket.

Any ideas?

Unfortunately, one way = full ticket price in miles. I feel your pain.

The website is pretty clear on that when it comes to reward tickets, and it is a shame. Lack of flexibility further degrades the value of the award program.

There are a lot of rigid rules that make it highly unflexible.

I wanted to fly myself and a friend from DUB - AMS - BCN. No matter how much I begged, it was going to be 80,000 miles. They could not count it as a round trip, and it essentially had to be four 1 way tickets.

I ended up just using 40,000 miles for AMS - BCN (almost zero low fare carriers on that route) and I bought a cheap BMI ticket for DUB - AMS.

On partner rewards are the rules as rigid though? i.e. If I book on Virgin will I be able to buy a essentially 1/2 price (miles) ticket?

I don't think so, b/c when you book through Virgin you are still calling a U.S. Airways rep, not a Virgin rep. Virgin has far less flight availability as well.

As everyone points out, the rules are rigid.