Yes, I'd say that's a little steep! There have been several reports around here about some of the miles and money glitches.

Have you checked to see if there's any AC award availability for your wife's flight? You can use UA miles to book an award on AC. Also, occasionally when you can't find a saver economy award on UA, you might be able to book a first class award for the same miles as the standard economy flight. It's always worth it to have a look at XF availability.