Originally Posted by
Travelergcp
How much the airlines pay to each other for partner awards is the 64,000 question. I doubt it is very much, as it is for space that would otherwise go unsold. Probably closer to the ID90 prices they give to interline nonrev airline employees rather than multiple cents per mile. And of course they would only pay on the net difference between AA and QF redemptions.
You're right. The precise answer to that question remains a mystery, but clues (bank/airline annual reports, cash+miles schemes, etc) have emerged over the years that have presumably gotten us closer to the answer.
.5 cpm is my guess.