+1

We typically use our points on Business Class redemptions from the east coast (now NYC area but BWI/IAD before) to Europe. I had the BA card for a while but when they changed several things a couple of years ago I dropped it. Problem was the high surcharges and the fact that every time you tried to use points it routed you on a BA flight and AA was never available. IB does seem to offer some good alternative uses now that their product seems to be competitive. Currently still have some 56k Avios with BA and around 63k with IB and need to figure out how to use those and not incur the ridiculous fuel surcharges.