What they didn't look at and maybe should've is availability on US via another *A carrier.

When I do a search on USAir I rarely, if ever, get saver level awards. As soon as I use the ANA tool or the CO website, BAM!, availability everywhere at the saver level. So they sell cheap to other, non-"loyal" customers and sell dear to those who are "loyal".

Normally I would cringe at using other *A miles for US redemptions, but for a multiple cents/mile return on some caribbean routes it ends up being worth it.

Then we still have the US miles for international *A redemptions, so it all works out in the end I guess.

Too bad they won't let their own members reasonably redeem on their own metal.