My take: Far too complex for the average traveler, and perpetuates the chronic perception (true IMO) that the airlines are always scheming and conniving ways for anyone to redeem awards.

It is crystal clear to me that airlines don't mind "selling" tickets for cash for $250-$350, but they somehow seem to loathe to admit that they, in effect, DID sell these "virtual" tickets, sometimes years in advance, for hard cash, to their affinity partners instead of and in advance of we flyers buying them direct. If the airlines sell them for 1.5 cents/mi, they they are literally bringing in hard cash of as much as $375 for a 25K award...yet they then play games, scheme, and connive (some would argue defraud) us all when we try to redeem those same 25K miles...preferring to shake us down for 50K *EVEN AS* they may still have "cheap seats"" at $375 or less available. IOE - the airlines themselves seem to not have any respect for the fact that these affinity miles and points DID have a true hard cash positive benefit for the airline, and they seem resentful when we travelers try to redeem same. To their discredit and loss.

Talk about having your cake and eating it also.

But your proposed "maverick award" is just too complex for the average traveler to figure out; after all, I knew where you were headed and still had to read it a couple of times.

Bottom line - the airlines are very comfy issuing and spewing out zillions of miles to their affinity partners (Delta shook down AMEX royally last year (in their infamous pre-sale of affinity miles to AMEX) and then playing games w/ capacity controls, blackout dates, and such, to really make the game tough. Add in that the dynamic (I've seen it written) that as many as 30% of all award points and miles issued never get redeemed (forgotten, orphaned, death of the member, never get to the threshold to redeem, etc)...and we consumers should be enraged. Instead we are collectively meek and mild sheep, and these airlines will NEVER give back the takebacks they have scammed from us all much less subscribe to a complex "game" on their simple scheme already thats working so beautifully on their behalf.

Moral of the story: For me and mine, we have now bandoned credit card affinity mile accumulation strategies. We determined what we feel is the bext FLEXIBLE currency (starwood's starpoints IMO), and we focus on accumulating them. If you can't *beat* these scummbag airlines at the "REDEMPTION" game, then beat them at the "EARNINGs GAME". Your efforts are aimed at somehow convincing the airlines to modify their REDEMPTION strategy, and I think the effort, while commendable, is probably a waste of time.