I actually do check VA award rates, as of recently! With the 15% Delta CC discount it's about the same though, and since I'm prone to changing flights, it's nice to avoid the $50 VA change fee when booking direct. Though with all the VA transfer bonuses right now I'm considering parking some points there for the future since I'm a Delta hub. One thing I'm wondering is if you book through VA on a Delta flight, do you still get Sky Club access with the Amex plat? I'm not sure if you get a Delta or VA boarding pass, which is probably what makes the difference. And I need my free mimosas on the way to runD races, I don't make the rules