MAD seems to be one of the international routes where DL usually has more availability. Sometimes on those types of routes it is the domestic leg that inflates the mileage level for the international award ticket. Thus, not sure if you will be flying out of JFK or ATL to MAD, but some strategies that I might double check with them: (1) what if you fly out of SMF, is there availability at lower award levels?; (2) Rather than take the early flight out of SFO around 6AM that is often booked with people connecting internationally in JFK or ATL, what if you took a flight the previous afternoon or evening and overnighted at the airport. Sometimes that's a nice way to break up the trip and the flight the day before because it does not connect to Europe may have lower-end award availability.