Thanks for the replies.

We live in Phx, so US, SW/ATA and Hawaiian have the most flights. She already has about 12 RR on SW, and about 50K on US, but both are hard to get award tickets to HI. (Maybe they all are!)

As for her ticket out (and 2 for us...2 day parent/child orientation) we looked at US first and they were 900 and change. ATA/SW was around 500 and Delta had RT for 417 all in. Thats my dilema...do I take the cheaper fares w/o miles or seek miles for potential future use and spend more of our seemingly dwindling resources.

I'm starting to wonder about that AMX travelers check to points scheme. If I were to buy AMX travelers checks to use for tuition (assuming they would accept them), then pay off the AMX. Would it be easier to book awards via AMX? I've never accumulated enough points to doing anything with, so am unfamiliar with the program.

As she is our first to go to school, this is all new. I assume she would return for Christmas, Spring break and summer, so 3 RT per year.