Oh yeah. DL is a mileage partner with AS and we only have access to DL's lowest tier awards which means next to none, especially on Intl BE. I'm also aware of the once in a lifetime status match, so I tried to do it at the time it would go for the longest.

The issue for me is ...my home base is ANC, and AS and DL are the only consistent options out of here. I'm a real fan of AS, but our only nonstops east of the Rockies from here are ORD year round and DEN during the Summer. DL has nonstops to MSP and SLC year round, and DTW in Summer, which offer easy connections to a lot of places. Because of the distance from ANC to everywhere else, you tend earn a lot of miles with relatively few legs. A couple of years ago I made silver based on a paid BE ANC-TLV and a new AMEX (there may have been one Domestic flight I forgot, not sure). The major allure for me is Domestic upgrading. Once in a blue moon I might buy a M fare for International and use miles to upgrade if and only if the Z space is available right then and there.

I do like the DL hard and soft product better than most of the other legacies .