If I were Delta, I would like this article. They are at 55% and are quoted as saying more awards would open up over this year. Promising good things. United? Not so much....

I found this most interesting:

"Airlines have been under intense pressure from customers, accountants and banks to make more seats available for awards so consumers can use their miles. It's the accounting rule changes and pressure from banks that seem to be driving the most change now.

The majority of airline miles and points are sold to banks, which give them out as credit card rewards. When customers have a difficult time cashing in the miles, they may switch to other cards. In addition, accounting rules adopted by many airlines now let carriers record only a portion of revenue when miles are sold to banks and defer the rest until miles are redeemed."


I might add that while they were searching short (10), medium (10) and long (10) flights, its unclear if these are for long international flights, and these were all searches in COACH. There is no doubt that I can find a UAL award Y seat from SFO to SEA, or LAX, and probably to ORD as well. But to PVG? Or HKG? In J? I don't think those type of flights were being looked at, and it is what most of use miles for.