great suggestions! i will see if I can make the FT meetup.

there are in my experience certain routes that always have availability if you can wait till a few days before purchase. so those are the ones where i can reliably use miles that i travel frequently-- and why they're worth purchasing for me.

in a slightly off-topic note, has anyone found a way to change the return date on a *A partner ticket once travel has been commenced through Aeroplan or USAIR Dividend Miles? I've had trouble doing that and after call backs to 5 agents been unable to find one who could process it. Not exactly sure how to interpret their T&C's, and I've had agents say it was possible at time of purchase only to have later agents say it wasn't.

best,
nick