I’ve often found that agents are unwilling to search across multiple dates, simply telling me there was no availability and ending the call. Plenty of them don’t understand routing rules or don’t know how to search for award inventory on partner airlines. Just as an airline’s website may not be completely accurate, don’t assume that its phone agents are always on point. Related: TPG beginner’s guide: Everything you need to know about points, miles, airlines and credit cards Relying solely on a phone agent Doing so can help you track hard-to-find award space to redeem your miles more efficiently. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with tools like ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures). With some awards, your best bet may be to call. Just remember that partner airlines don't always appear online. Explore the airlines that operate flights on your desired dates and filter by alliance or individual carrier. carriers' websites (American, Delta and United), but you can also start with a more general website like Google Flights or Flight Connections. If you're just getting started, it's worth taking some time to explore the major U.S. Some allow calendar searches if you're flexible on your dates, while others have really effective filtering options. You can search for award availability across the three major alliances in various ways, but no airline offers a perfect user experience. A program also may allow for stopovers or other flexible redemption options - but they're not always apparent. Even when they do, the site you’re using may not show all of the available routings. While there have been major improvements over the last few years, you may still not see all possible options for using your hard-earned miles.įor example, partner airlines don’t always appear. To beginners, it may seem strange to be told that an airline's website isn't always reliable when it comes to searching for award tickets. Today we’ll take you through these errors and explain how to make sure your future award redemptions go as planned. Even the most seasoned award traveler can slip up, resulting in a less comfortable flight, extra fees or even an inability to travel.įortunately, the most common mistakes when booking airline award travel are easy to avoid. As the saying goes, “Everyone makes mistakes.” This pervades many aspects of life, but it’s especially applicable to using your airline miles.
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