Well, I don't know the whole picture, but just came back from an award trip: JFK-KBP-CDG-DTW-JFK, all in First/Business (over the water, BE on DL / Espace Affaires on AF), for 95K + $87.56. (No way the Award Calendar would give me anything close to this, but who needs the Award Calendar? I booked it initially as a JFK-KBP-JFK with the return trip in Y, then did my own research and changed the dates and routing twice to get it just the way I wanted it.) Don't know if the money part would've been $20 a year ago, but I guess not: AFAIU, this is just taxes plus the $25 partner fee. Anyway, I wouldn't exactly call this particular deal a ripoff!..