To back up Chris, I'm in the middle of planning my latest escapade over to Nth America for a whole month in November. As I'm going over with a mate this time, I'm not going to play the nonrev lotto, but am finding bargains almost everywhere I look. So far I've got my SYD-HNL-SYD confirmed for just over AUD500.00 (wholesale consolidator fare), last night found a HNL-YVR for USD150.00 online, DEN-ORD for USD70.00 etc etc. While not "free", they're darn good value and certainly cheap for the distances I'm travelling - not to mention I can plan other things like rental cars and hotels with confidence as I'm pos space.
I admit I do have the luxury of being able to use a Visit Nth America airpass which are USD100.00 per coupon/flight number once you are past the 3 coupon lead-in price. The airpass allows me to take those longer haul transcontinental busy routes flights at around USD120.00 when you divide the number of segments against the coupon costs. All I need now is for HA to reapply the often seen USD99 one way from LAX-HNL and I'm set !!
At this stage it looks like I'll be able to get SYD-HNL-YVR-YYC-DEN-ORD-WAS//BOS-YHZ-YUL-ORD-OKC-SFO-HNL-SYD for around AUD1500.00 all up. Costs more than a ZED, way more than FOC but almost the same as if I had back-up ZED's/ID's (vital considering HNL and USA Thanksgiving dates are part of the trip).

Being a nonrev (or as we call ours, "Cons" !) really isn't as good as it used to be.
One place where it is still good value is for cheaper hotel rates - have been locking in USD79's and the suchlike for Sheraton/Westin/Marriott type places in prime areas of the cities we are visiting. But that's another thread.