*shrug* 2013 is the first year I've ever gotten five seats together for peak summer TATL travel and at 50% lower mileage requirements than my traditional U.S. carrier mileage levels. (Thank you, Avios and Aer Lingus.)

Some things get tighter, some get looser. AA is tighter vs. most past years. UA seems a bit looser in some cases. This fall we did a last-minute North Asia J open-jaw award using US miles. No problems getting seats on our dates, albeit with a bit of a quirky routing.

Hotels ebb and flow too. Somebody devalues their points, somebody else rolls out an especially-good promotion or a new award type that is legitimately useful. Hilton's new C&P awards have increased their value to me in 2012 and 2013 by making short stays more compatible with points. (Can't say the same - yet - for Marriott's.)

It's not a new year without some travel "journalist" writing a story about the death of frequent flier miles.