If there is one thing I stress to people
searching for award space it is this: «Don't take no for an answer» You have American miles, you check aa.com for award space, they don't show any, so you're screwed — right?
I got the card last month for the sign up bonus worth $ 456 in free travel, the double miles on all purchases, the free subscription to TripIt Pro, and the ability to redeem miles for any flight on any airline without
searching for award space.
This is my attempt at boiling down the very basics of
searching for award space
When
searching for Award space on Delta it seems that Flying Blue is adding fuel surcharges for Delta flights when originating in Europe (example Stuttgart to Atlanta on March, 1st 2016 with surcharges of $ 277.76, where $ 141.00 of that are fuel surcharges).
From finding the best routes, to
searching for award space; from calling the airlines on your behalf to booking the award seats themselves; we take care of it all.
Are there any better options when
searching for award space on LAN, TAM, JAL, or Malaysia Airlines?
You can spend a lot of time
searching for award space.
I do not recommend
searching for award space on the Delta Air Lines website.
Just remember, for a popular destination like Hawaii, travel date flexibility and planning ahead goes a long way when
searching for award space.
Each airline loyalty program has its own little quirks to be aware of when
searching for award space.
Unless you're
searching for award space on Etihad's own flights, their website isn't going to get you anywhere.
When you go back to searching for award flights, begin by
searching for award space on each segment individually and then piece the flights together.
This doesn't present any issues when
searching for award space.
Searching for award space with Air Tahiti Nui is a little tricky.
You can start
searching for award space nearly a year prior to departure; we have seen Aeroplan show award space 355 days before departure and United show award space 336 days before.
For these reasons, I think it is very important that you review the award chart before you begin
searching for award space.
When
searching for award space, it's always best to have as many options as possible.
Start
searching for award space as soon as you have an idea of your travel dates.
Just remember, for a popular destination like Hawaii, travel date flexibility and planning ahead goes a long way when
searching for award space.
Korean Air has recently begun to allow SkyTeam award flight searches online, allowing you to
search for award space yourself rather than calling the airline.
You can
search for award space on Korean Air's website, but make sure you select that you are searching for a SkyTeam Award (otherwise the search will only look for Korean Air flights).
You will be able to
search for award space either Air France or KLM's website and book right from there.
Search for award space using United's site (follow the steps under the United booking instructions above)
You can
search for award space on American Airlines» website and complete the entire booking process online.
Unlike with Delta award flights, you will have to call Korean Air to book as their online search function only allows you to
search for award space on SkyTeam partners.
If you want to
search for award space on flights operated by American Airlines, you can search and book on the British Airways site.
Korean Air has recently begun to allow SkyTeam award flight searches online, allowing you to
search for award space yourself rather than calling the airline.
It's easy to
search for award space on Delta by using Air France's online search.
Don't use Asia Miles to
search for award space on flights operated by Cathay Pacific if you are not using Asia Miles to book.
When
you search for award space, make sure you find flights on United, as other options on Star Alliance carriers will also show in the search results.
Let's take a look at the best places to
search for award space when you want to use your Flying Blue miles.
You can
search for award space on Korean Air's website; make sure you select SkyTeam Award.
To
search for award space on either American Airlines or Qantas, simply visit American's site and choose «Redeem Miles» when you search.
You can
search for award space on Korean Air's website; make sure you select SkyTeam Award.
This post discusses how to use the Aeroplan to
search for award space on Star Alliance carriers, whether you plan to book there or take that information to book through another program.
As you can see, no miles are needed to
search for award space, but you will need some miles to complete the booking process.
When
you search for award space, make sure you find flights on United, as other options on Star Alliance carriers will also show in the search results.
In fact, MileWise won't even
search for their award space nor will it search for normal revenue space offered by American.
Finally, there are several partners that do not make it possible to
search for award space online:
If you need help figuring out where to
search for award space when redeeming with Air France / KLM's partner airlines, make sure you read our simple award search guide.
This is the airline frequent flyer program your miles are in — not the airline you want to fly on, or the alliance members you'll
search for award space.
Search for award space using the American Airlines website (it displays both carriers» awards) and then call Avios over the phone to book.
You won't be able to find award space on American's site; instead, you'll need to call them and ask them to
search for award space, or use our preferred method, ExpertFlyer.
Head over to United.com to
search for the award space since their search engine is fairly good and Lufthansa is a Star Alliance partner.
American Airlines is the only Oneworld airline that operates non-stop flights between the United States and Paris, so you can use their website to
both search for award space and book your award ticket.
Booking your flights with miles and points is a great way to travel, but sometimes it can be tough to figure out where you are supposed to even
search for award space.
To
search for award space on Korean Air's other airline partners, you'll need to use a few other sites.
Once they have added this capability, we'll confirm the best way to
search for award space and add that information.
Alaska Airlines has two other partner airlines but you won't be able to
search for award space on Alaska's site.
To clear things up, we've put together a comprehensive resource that shows you where to
search for award space when using some of the most popular frequent flyer programs.