Regarding the US Airways ticketing, I followed a tip from another thread. I made Dividend award reservations with US airways to make sure there was availability on the specific flights I wanted. Then I faxed the LP award request form and a cover letter to LP telling them what I did. I asked LP to change my US award reservation into a LP award. All this said, I don't know if any of this made any real difference to getting my LP award flights. But on the phone the LP rep said it would help.