I thought I'd better start using my accumulated AAdvantage miles and I asked for a round trip ticket DFW-Narita-DFW. To upgrade from coach to business, it was $1106.75 for the coach class ticket, plus 50,000 AA miles PLUS $500 for using the award. I didn't know the airlines charged for claiming an award. Anyhow, I skipped the coach class ticket and I ended up using 90,000 AA miles in exchange for the business class ticket. But that $500 just doesn't seem right.