Wow, you’re doing TATL J redemptions using AirAsia (AK)? Impressive.

Meanwhile, I count redemptions on Alaska (AS) using Finnair (AY), Condor (DE), American (AA) and British Airways (BA) in TATL J/F in the past 12 months (some of them redeposited so I could avoid YQ, refund miles or position better for my trip). I’ll have done 3 award trips to Europe in 12 months when this is all said and done.

I dispute the premise without knowing how you’re booking, where you’re looking, when you’re looking. I’d also point out that 2022 is literally the first summer anyone from Europe’s been able to enter the US for tourism since 2019. It’s pretty foreseeable that this has created a run on award seats.