What Frequent-Flier Miles
Really Get You
Our Test of Six Major Airlines
Found Significant Differences
In Seat Cost and Availability
March 6, 2007

Are some airlines more miserly than others when making discounted frequent-flier award seats available? It would appear so.

I recently checked available award seats on 24 routes for various summer and fall 2007 travel dates found that Delta Air Lines Inc. and US Airways Group Inc. often required more miles than other major carriers.

AMR Corp.'s American and UAL Corp.'s United were the most generous, with coach seats available at their lowest award levels on 14 of 24 trips checked. Continental Airlines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. fell in the middle. US Airways, however, offered its lowest-priced award on only two of 24 itineraries; Delta on zero.