Trying to redeem airline miles

The airlines want you to be a loyal customer, so if you fly over and over with the same airline, they give you miles in their frequent flier program. That's supposed to be a reward for being a loyal customer. But try to redeem the miles, and a reward can turn into a headache.

My wife and I are flying to Vegas in November, so in July I'm trying to make plans to pay for coach and upgrade to first class for some extra room and maybe a snack I don't have to pay for (sort of).

Let's take Delta first. I called and spoke to Betty. Betty was Betty like I'm Sameer. But no matter... I tried to upgrade to first class. Everything went okay until she told me the price for 2 coach tickets from Hartford to Vegas: $1400. "Wait a minute," I said, "online it says something like $400 per person, not $700 per person". "Oh," she said, "upgradeable coach costs more than non-upgradeable coach". "So I have to pay lots more in order to redeem the miles I earned for being a loyal customer?" "Yes". NO THANKS!!!

Now for America West/US Air. I called them and asked to upgrade, but they had no seats available. I was told that there are plenty of seats in first class right now, and as it gets closer to departure if they don't sell out I can try to upgrade again. So you want me to book in coach now, with no guarantee of being able to upgrade later? And you are holding a bunch of seats in first class open but you won't give me a couple because you hope someone else will come along and pay big bucks for them? And you want me to keep flying with America West and you'll reward me with more upgrades you won't actually give me? GREAT!!!

That really burns my ass!