You can also combine partner airlines if you make the call.
Last year I used NW mileage on Air France. This year, I used UA mileage partly on ANA. Both Air France and ANA provide much better services/food/wine and much better looking and friendlier flight crew than their US counterparts. The $15 service charge is worth every penny. Take your pick, would you rather be serviced by grandmas/grandpas with pot bellies than by handsome young shuai ge/MM? :-)))