Efrem, as always a balanced and sensible post. It was so intersting to read that your ticket purchasing criteria and mine are identical. For I think 50,000 (bear with me if I am wrong with this)miles I can get a round trip ticket to the USA from London. I can buy one from American off the shelf for £250 low season . Should I use those miles to upgrade the ticket is "worth" £3000 or more. Last winter we flew to LAX for £202 each inc of tax. We upgraded the tickets (this was done well in advance), rounbd trip Business Class to LAX is £5000. I think that we got superlative value for money. By the way, we are delighted that you have a round trip to London, as you well know!!!