The entire FT user base does not seek J/F international awards as its primary objective; much of it does. This subset might find Delta challenging, and in many cases inferior, with such redemptions. This does *not* mean that SkyMiles are of an uncompetitive value to everyone else, including their customers who primarily or exclusively fly within the US - the vast majority. I continue arguing with those who incorrectly generalize that inferior value in one area equates to an overall inferior program, *especially* when SkyMiles offers substantially superior value in many others.

Neither the majority of FTers nor most of Delta's customer base meet your qualifications; many do. The majority that does not benefits by having an accurate perception of their SkyMiles' value.

Your example highlights a case where SkyMiles provide a far superior value for a domestic redemption; something of interest to the vast majority of Delta customers who redeem domestically but not internationally. The fact that you and many others don't find similar value in the international award arena doesn't invalidate the domestic value to others.

What qualifies as "unfair"? Is less inventory than peers at 25K on any domestic route at any time unfair, or is the test the overall average? Are seats available last-minute worth more, the same, or less, than seats available far in advance? Are you considering non-elites only, or comparing elite inventory and benefits as well? What about quality of service - e.g., if 32.5K miles gets first class with a meal and WiFi with one airline versus coach without these services for 25K on another, should that be considered? What about fee waivers and flexibility - should the "unfair" determination weigh these items? Perhaps most notably - what about the cost of accruing the miles currency being used?

There is an oft-cited "study" that completely ignored many of these factors, and used poor methodology to account for the others. This was the "proof" to many that SkyMiles are really SkyPesos, but not to those who saw the major flaws. Most of the blame falls on Delta itself, as their PR team did little to nothing to counter the bogus conclusions by proving information similar to what I have here. Worsening the situation is the fact that the award calendar is horrific and buggy, leading many to presume what they see is what they get (which is not the case - inventory, especially for elites traveling within the 48 states - is much better than is first displayed on the calendar). A few posts above, I cited several routes (that I've recently booked - not cherry-picked nor researched otherwise) that have 50%-90% low/saver availability, most of which would enable 25K to snare first class seats for GM+ members. It represents the tip of the iceberg as to what is typically available under such parameters.

The most instrumental part of what you said is the 32.5K versus 25K disparity (which, again, is not more typical for DL versus peers under most conditions). I'm sure you agree that it's futile to begin a discussion about cost before first adjusting for any currency differences. In other words, it makes no more sense to presume that similar hats tagged for 32.5 dollars in the US and 25 pounds in the UK indicate that that US purchase is the better deal simply because fewer units are required. A savvy shopper would look at what it costs to obtain the required units of each currency, thereby establishing an exchange rate, putting them on equal ground. With mileage currency, the ratio is quite personalized. For example, someone who earns miles exclusively via BIS and never qualifies for bonuses or promotions is not likely to see a need to adjust for acquisition cost, as an AA mile requires just about the same cost an effort to obtain as a DL mile... both require the purchase of a ticket (prices generally competitive) and flying that mile. When it comes time to redeem, if this same person sees they must spend 32.5K DL miles to get the same product/service as they could get with 25K AA miles, they'd be wise to see the AA miles as the better deal, holding more value per mile. On the other hand, what if they typically run tens of thousands of dollars annually through a credit card, plus they partake in the plentiful bonuses and promotions that are made known via FT and various blogs and other websites. They might find that for each $15,000 they spend with Delta-associated products and tickets, they earn 40,000 SkyMiles, while for each $15,000 they spend associated with American, they earn only 25,000. In this case, if DL is asking 32.5K miles while AA is asking 25K miles for similar service, DL would actually be far *cheaper* for this person after adjusting for the cost of acquiring the miles.

Not everyone is in the same boat. We have wildly differing earning and spending patterns, as well as preferences. However, the fact remains that it is imperative that you consider *all* of these factors before drawing a conclusion about overall value, as failure to do so can lead to missed opportunities.