Beltway2A - thanks for the above and you make a fair point. I would say that my concern over agents was initially drawn from comments in August this year rather than a year ago, but, as you and others say, perhaps things have improved since then; of course, too, a la YMMV, then some people's experiences with AA agents may always have been very positive.

Like everyone here, I imagine, I'm just keen, having taken ages to build up a sufficient mileage pool, that I glean the right information from fellow FTers about this particular redemption and how to execute it, no more so as the other ticket is for my elderly mother, whose dementia has recently onset, and, as such, this may be my one and only shot at this.