Does "oodles of air miles" refer to mileage in the only program in your profile, Alaska? And thus you're looking for award flights that are available through Alaska partners by redeeming Alaska miles?

Or does it mean "miles from some air miles credit card scheme" which means you'll be calling the credit card company's mandatory-use travel agent to "buy" a ticket with miles?

Finally - are you talking about:
Economy Class?
Premium Economy or similar (only a few airlines offer)?
Business Class?
International First Class? (many oodles required)

Advice would depend largely on your answers. As well as "where in Europe?" and "where are you flying from?"

Especially if flying Economy, I'd avoid any of the flights on airlines that use 757 single-aisle planes on some of their routes. Those include Alaska partners Delta (DL), Continental (CO), and Northwest (NW), though DL, CO, and NW all have two-aisle widebodies on other routes. You also can use British Airways with Alaska miles. I don't know if you can redeem awards on their Premium Economy product World Traveler Plus, but if you can get BA WT+ that might be worth it. If you're in economy on a widebody, I'd look for flights on planes that have 2-3-2 seating (most 767s), 2-4-2 seating (most Airbus 330/340), or 2-5-2 (some airlines' 777s), so that you and your companion can get seats in the 2-section with your own control over aisle access for whomever's in the window, and nobody on either side of you. That means no Continental 777s, which are 3-3-3.


If you're "buying" a ticket with some credit card scheme air-miles, in economy, and have choice of carrier purchased, United offers Economy Plus (E+). Which gives more legroom than most regular economy seats. UA 777s in E+ are pretty nice in terms of space: large aisles, roomy enough cabin, large lavs, 2-5-2 seating layout. The only way to confirm E+ in advance is if you purchase E+ Access from UA for $349/year covering all UA flights for a year, and allowing you to bring one guest into E+ with you, so that would be your cost. They offer buy-ups at check-in if available, but those are likely to be scattered middle E+ seats. Of course if you have at least lowest-level Premier status with UA, you get E+ for free.

likewise if purchasing an economy ticket via a card miles scheme, avoid Lufthansa coach. I personally like LH's service on their flights, but the seats are very crowded with minimal pitch. Somehow they feel even closer together than most other airline's supposedly equal 31" seat pitch.

If you're in Business or higher, I'm not sure you'll have anything to worry about. Especially if you don't particularly care about lie-flat or not.