Originally Posted by
sfozrhfco
Plus you can always use your points as there are no blackouts and capacity controls. The amount of points you spend is in direct correlation to the price of the ticket. If there is a sale for paid tickets, award tickets are in effect on sale too which gives a big advantage over the legacy carriers where you may or may not be able to redeem an award on any given flight. In addition, you have to pay fees for baggage, close in bookings, etc. on the legacies so your "free" ticket is not so free.
Just in case you didn't know each and every feature you mention is true for AA if you have any kind of elite status. If you fly more than a few times a year the only advantages non legacy carriers have over the legacies are route and fare related.
However legacy carriers can have substantial advantages over non legacies, often while maintaining comparable fares. On AA the miles I earn buying discount coach fares (which are then upgraded for free to first class) are often more than would be required to book award tickets on the same set of flights in coach. However, since award tickets don't get upgraded this is rarely done. While I have not bothered with the TrueBlue system for years, I would be astonished if the value of the award flights was even 1/3 that of the paid flights.