Rewards miles

There seems to be nothing easy about redeeming rewards miles. A couple of years ago I/we started using one credit card for most purchases to ear miles. Everyone was doing it and seemed to be loving it so we jumped on the band wagon. Three times I've tried to use those miles for flights and it was such a complicated endeavor and the amount of miles needed for a relatively short flight so high that I just bought the ticket. Once I did have success though I used United Miles and not my pesky CapitalOne miles.
In the past few months while trying to arrange for flights for my relatives to come to town for the celebration of my uncle's life in March; for the celebration of my father's life in June; for my trip with my mother to South Dakota to visit Anne Rogers and run a 1/2 marathon; and for our family trip to Florida in July I have had to try and fiddle around with miles.
I'm talking about different people's accounts. Accounts with not enough miles. Companies with blackout dates. Trying to redeem for car rental. You name it.

What we've (I include my mother in the first fact)

1. Rewards miles now have to be counted as part of someone's estate -- so use them up before you cancel a card.
2. Be creative in looking at the miles if you are working with different accounts and different travel needs. You don't have to use the rewards miles of the person who owns them for the travel of that person if they don't have enough for a specific trip.
3. Dates are really important. One day can make the difference between a trip that needs 35,000 miles or one that needs 70,000.
4. CapitalOne miles blow!
5. If you only have a few miles remaining on an accounts pool them together with other people who have just a few miles. Together you might be able to get at least one of you somewhere.
6. Plan and reserve early.

I only have one last detail to put together for thee trips and then I think I'll be done. I emphasize think.

I now add travel agent to my list of skills.