All of the above are true from my recent experience too -- even though the Delta agents are very inconsistent, some excellent and others far from infallible... However there is another tool I found useful, not for far-out plans but if your travel date is near: EF doesn't show award availability on DL, but it does show seat availability. As your travel date nears, if plenty of open seats remain in the DL top cabins of your choice, it MAY indicate that they will make one available at your "Low" target. At least that did happen to me, a few days before travel I had a couple of options offered, although on somewhat less direct routings; so it is at least indication of what you MIGHT get, helpful if you have some flexibility etc...