All a matter of perspective. Booked economy class award tickets for the neice and husband from to ORD over Christmas for 40,000 miles each ticket so not a bargain as the tickets were $400 tickets and so the miles are valued at 1 cent per mile. Booked economy class award tickets for the brother and his wife from to ANC in July for 40,000 miles each ticket so a bargain as the tickets were $1400 tickets and so the miles are valued at 3.5 cents per mile. Booked business class award ticket for myself to LHR / BUD in June for 100,000 miles so a bargain as the tickets were $7000 and so the miles are valued at 7 cents per mile.

So in perspective, the tickets to Chicago were a nice gift & the tickets to Anchorage saved $2000 & the tickets to Europe are business class seats for less than the price of economy class seats.