Originally Posted by
xLuther
And there is the rub, I don't want to do 20,30, 40 what "if's" in order to use miles with low enough surcharge that I don't feel I'm being screwed.
lol, I agree, which is why Aeroplan has joined SkyPesos as the worst ffp currency in North America.
Are there good awards with DL SkyPesos? Sure! But, like with Aeroplan, you have to jump thru multiple hoops.
If you value award travel, there is no comparison between AE and United MP.
Another point that was made earlier was about inventory - well, technically the inventory is the same.
There is IKK - 100k flyers have expanded access to AC inventory - which of course comes at a scamchargeable cost.
United has XN for ALL elites, and IN for 75k+ flyer, and the extra inventory far exceeds IKK.
Add the restrictive MPM5 rule on AE, and no MPM rules on UA, for example, its impossible to go to Australia via Asia from YYZ with AE points, as all routes exceed MPM - you have to use the published fare rule - which is an agent lottery.