I'm pretty happy with our Delta AMEX certs.
My wife and I went to Houston a few weeks ago with a Delta AMEX cert from my business card that was otherwise close to expiration. Saved $350.
We just booked another trip to Missouri, wife and one child using her cert and me and the other child using my personal card cert. Saved over $400 per kid, with total savings close to $900.
As for the $1K fare for each ticket to a funeral, you are actually getting the most valuable use of a cert possible. You have to go no matter what the price, the fares are what they are, and you're able to slice in half an otherwise huge price for two tickets.