The cash expense of using Avios on BA even to Europe when I have checked is quite high so much so that i usually end up buying an LO or TK 2k J ticket or on this trip a 2k LX J ticket. If you search enough and are extremely flexible DL despite the Skypesos reputation can have somewhat reasonable mileage redemptions with little cash outlay - AA has reasonable mileage redemptions and low cash outlays. In term of cash costs of redemptions, LH isnt much better but then again F is a very premium experience and they give a 50% companion discount for SENs.