![]() ![]() Saver awards: The best and cheapest award availability, which can be booked by partner airlines.Fixed-price award charts: A cheat sheet that tells you how many miles you’ll need.Taking it a step further, some airlines that use fixed-price award charts offer tickets at two (or more) different rates: Saver-level awards and standard awards. Let’s dive in together.Īirlines each set their award pricing individually when a customer is using their miles, but there are two basic ways of setting how many miles you’ll need to book a ticket: An award chart with fixed-price awards … and dynamic award pricing. When you’re trying to find that precious award availability so that you can put your miles to use, you need to get into the weeds. If the airline you’re looking to fly isn’t releasing seats that can be booked with miles, you won’t be able to use your points and miles to book the flight. That’s why it doesn’t matter how many points and miles you have. That’s why your search for the same flights using miles may come up empty. But is there the award space to book it? You can only book this flight with American Airlines miles if Qatar itself releases those seats (typically dubbed “saver-level awards”) to American Airlines and other partners. That’s why you can always easily book flights on Qatar Airways through American’s website, flying Qsuites business class … if you’re willing to pay thousands of dollars in cash.Īmerican’s award chart says this same flight can be booked for 70,000 AAdvantage miles, plus minimal taxes and fees. Some airlines like British Airways generously release premium cabin seats to travelers using miles. But with business and first class redemptions, it can be much tougher. If an airline hasn’t decided to open up seats to be booked with miles on the flight you’re looking at, the award rate doesn’t matter.įlying economy, that award space is typically quite easy to find except on high-priced fares around holidays or on high-demand routes. That last component is the critical one – and the part that trips up many travelers. Award availability, or if the airline is actually releasing seats to book using miles.The award rate, or how many miles you need to book.They’re completely different transactions. No matter whether you’re flying up front or way in the back, there are essentially two different components to every award booking when using your miles: And that’s especially true when trying to redeem miles for seats in premium cabins.įor starters, just because there are seats available when booking with cash doesn’t necessarily mean you can book those same seats with your points and miles. Here’s what it boils down to: Booking flights with your miles is not as simple as buying a flight. The Easiest First & Business Class Redemptionsīooking with Points and Miles is Different.Use Airline Partnerships for Better Deals.Booking with Points and Miles is Different.Here are some of the basics you’ll need to know if you’re looking to redeem points and miles for seats at the pointy end of the plane. And it can easily be worth every minute you search (and every point you’ll spend) when you’ve finally booked that business or first class seat. So while it might take some extra legwork than paying cash, trust me: It can be done. And while flexibility is always key to any good flight deal, it’s paramount when you’re trying to book premium cabin award tickets. Some of these top redemptions are harder than others. It all comes down to the inner workings of airlines’ frequent flyer programs, which come with extra hoops to jump through than simply whipping out your credit card to pay for a flight – or even booking a standard economy seat using your miles. We regularly hear from frustrated travelers who have banked precious points from top travel cards like the American Express® Gold Card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Card, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, set out to finally book that prized business or first class redemption … only to come up empty handed. For more information check out our Advertising Disclosure.ĭreaming of scoring a fancy seat up front for a big trip abroad? Of course, a big stash of points and miles can help – but even all the points in the world aren’t enough to make it happen. ![]() The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers.
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