Maximize Your Miles: The Top Flight Award Search Tools

For frequent travelers and points enthusiasts, the ability to find the best flight award deals can make all the difference in maximizing your points and miles. Whether you're new to award travel or a seasoned expert, having the right tools at your disposal can significantly enhance your ability to locate the perfect award flight.

In this guide, we will explore the best flight award search tools available, helping you to get the best value from your hard-earned points and miles.

What Are Flight Award Search Tools?

Flight award search tools are online platforms and resources designed to assist travelers in searching for and booking award flights using their frequent flyer miles, credit card points, or other loyalty program rewards.

These tools provide users with the ability to explore a wide range of airlines, destinations, and routes, making it easier to redeem their accrued points and miles for travel. They offer various functionalities, such as flight award availability searches, points calculations, fare comparisons, and flight award search notification features that help travelers find the best award flight options.

Award flight search tools are particularly valuable for frequent flyers looking to maximize the value of their loyalty program rewards and enhance their travel experiences.

What are the Best Award Flight Search Tools?

If you're new to the world of award travel, getting started with the right tools is essential. Here are some of the best award flight search tools for beginners and more advanced users:

Point.Me

Point.me is an award points search tool that efficiently scans over 30 airline loyalty programs in real-time with just one search. It simplifies the process of finding and booking flights, providing step-by-step booking and flight award availability instructions.

Pros:

• Simultaneously searches over 30 airline loyalty programs.
• User-friendly interface similar to typical flight search tools.
• Offers step-by-step booking instructions.

Cons:

• Limited to searching specific dates; no flexible date search.
• Some programs, like Qatar, Singapore, and Turkish, have limited support.

While it's incredibly user-friendly, the absence of a flexible date search may require you to look elsewhere to find the cheapest dates before using Point.me for comparisons.

For ongoing access, standard plans start at $12 per month, or an annual plan is available for $129 per year. These plans offer unlimited searches and allow you to filter results based on your points and miles balances.

Points Yeah

PointsYeah is a new and entirely free award search tool that quickly scans up to 18 airline loyalty programs, offering valuable features.

Pros:

• Rapidly searches 18 airline loyalty programs.
• Provides change/cancellation policy information for select programs.
• Considers transfer bonuses with direct links for transferring points and booking.

Cons:

• The multi-day search is limited to a three-day range and can be sluggish at times.
• Lacks support for certain valuable programs like British Airways and Turkish.

PointsYeah offers a robust search experience, though users may occasionally need to refresh searches, especially when using the multi-date search feature.

While you must create an account to search, the tool is free to use. You can apply various filters to refine your flight choices and see available points. Plus, it allows you to compare cash fares on Kayak with just one click.

Roame

Roame is a relatively new award search tool available at no cost, offering a user experience similar to many others. Additionally, Roame offers advanced paid options, including a flexible date search feature.

Pros:

• Scans up to 13 airline loyalty programs concurrently.
• The paid version supports flexible-date searches within a seven-day range.

Cons:

• The free version only supports exact date searches and has limited filtering options.
• Lacks support for certain valuable programs, such as British Airways and Turkish.
• Offers no guidance on booking flights, and some links to airline websites may be broken.

Similar to other flight award availability tools, you'll need to create an account and log in to conduct searches. The free version exclusively supports exact date searches and offers limited filtering capabilities.

Expert Flyer

Expert Flyer is an advanced tool tailored for seasoned travelers. This platform is primarily designed for flight award search experts who are comfortable with a more detailed and involved search.

Pros:

• Scans inventory for over 60 airlines.
• Enables week-long date searches.
• Offers various additional features like seat maps and open seat alerts.

Cons:

• Not beginner-friendly; requires knowledge of specific airlines and booking procedures.
• Alerts need to be set up for particular flights, and you must be familiar with flight codes.

To harness the full potential of Expert Flyer, you should have a solid understanding of fare codes, fare classes, and related concepts. It may appear overwhelming for beginners, but there are tutorials available to assist.

Seats.Aero

Seats.aero is a recent and highly specialized award search tool designed for points and miles enthusiasts with advanced knowledge in the field.

Pros:

• Supports up to 12 airline loyalty programs with continuous expansion.
• Offers exceptional speed for searches.
• Provides unique tools to locate coveted seats like Delta One, Lufthansa First Class, and Qatar Qsuites.
• The paid version includes powerful filters and searches up to a year in advance.

Cons:

• Primarily tracks popular nonstop routes; not all routes are covered.
• Some results may not reflect real-time information.
• Alert functionality may be inconsistent and subject to auto-deletion.
• The free version only works for flights within a 60-day timeframe.

Seats.aero is a highly potent tool that has grown significantly in capability since its launch a year ago. It has become a favorite among points and miles enthusiasts, but it's best suited for those who already possess specific knowledge about what they're searching for and how to book it.

Top 5 Tips for Using Award Flight Search Tools

1. Be Flexible: Flexibility with your travel dates, destinations, and even airlines can significantly increase your chances of finding flight award availability.

2. Set Fare Alerts: Many search tools allow you to set fare alerts for specific routes. This can help you monitor and book award flights as soon as they become available.

3. Leverage Transfer Partners: Make the most of transferable points by exploring the partner airlines and alliances. This widens your options for award flights.

4. Use Multiple Tools: Different award search tools have varying databases and features. It's often beneficial to use multiple tools to cross-reference results.

5. Book in Advance: Award availability tends to be more generous when booking well in advance, especially for peak travel times.

Takeaway: The Best Flight Award Search Tools to Use Your Points & Miles

In the world of points and miles, flight award search tools are invaluable resources that can unlock the full potential of your rewards. Whether you're just starting or you're an experienced award traveler, having the right tools can make the difference between a good deal and a great one.

By understanding the best award flight search tools and implementing the tips provided, you'll be well on your way to making the most of your hard-earned points and miles for your future travel adventures.