Originally Posted by
RK23
I will add if you are not experienced at redeeming miles at good rates and understand how to find the cheap rates like 60k business class flights to Japan, along with understanding how hard it is to find those flights, then buying those miles is NOT for you.
I agree with you, though JL awards are particularly easy to find... perhaps the easiest that don't require large surcharges.
There is also the question of how long it's safe to hang onto these miles for. I'm not usually pessimistic about devaluations but the AA partner award chart has not changed in ages and with AS' big devaluation coming, AA is the last airline standing when it comes to trans-ocean J awards for 60k (which used to be fairly standard). With the number of miles AA is printing since moving to LP I just don't see how they can resist the urge to match everyone else. Right now AA miles are by far the most valuable of those of any US airline.