American Airlines has been stingy with award availability specifically since the merger with US Airways management. They say things have gotten better, but how do they explain wide open flights, 300 days in advance with no premium saver seats?...
Securing Saver Awards From Europe During Peak Travel Periods
The best way to secure saver award space during busy travel periods is to be patient and wait. I spent New Year’s in Germany with my family. We planned to return to Los Angeles sometime during the first week...
Big Brother American Airlines Is Watching
American Airlines is keeping a closer eye on its reservation agents, warning them that their screens and calls are being monitored. Why? To discourage creativity in award bookings. I’ve written about married segment fare logic in the past, including...
Great United Airlines Sale: Save Up To 50% On European Awards
United Airlines has discounted economy class awards by up to 50% for Cyber Monday. Savings range from 20-50% based upon whether you hold a Chase co-branded United credit card and your MileagePlus elite status. Saver Award eligibility Members Premier...
British Airways Releases 50,000 Extra Business Class Award Seats
British Airways has released thousands of additional business class award seats available for a limited time across a limited, but wide, date range. Through December 2nd, British Airways has made 50,000 extra Club World business class seats available for...
Buying Sports Tickets Is Just Like Buying Airline Award Tickets
Buying sports ticket is just like buying an airline award ticket. It pays to be patient. I planned on attending Game Three of the World Series last night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, an emergency in the office...
Affordable: A Year In Bali On Points
Hotel and airline loyalty programs offer beautiful destinations for little to nothing out of pocket. They also offer some destinations for very few points, but rarely do the two converge. In the case of Bali, however, they do. Here’s...
An Award Ticket Horror Story On SWISS
Let’s call this Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Award Ticket. Perhaps, with our collective deductive reasoning, we can get to the bottom of this. An Award Expert client was traveling from San Francisco to Milan with...
Help Me Get Home From Dubai!
I’ve now got a one-way ticket to Dubai, but nothing back. It’s time to get creative. My first thought was to fly Kuwait Airways in first class back to New York. This was a flight option that Ben and...
Award Space Availability on World’s Longest Flight
Singapore Airlines announced it would resume nonstop service between Newark and Singapore this October. The 9,534 miles, 19-hour, polar route will be operated by an A350 with only business class and premium economy onboard. The Airbus A350-900ULR will have 161...
How the East Coast Storm Ruined My Weekend in Sunny LA
A horrific storm pummeled the East Coast last week, bringing commercial aviation to a standstill. As airlines continue to dig themselves out of the backlog, let me tell you about my weekend. At Award Expert, we don’t just book...
Hurry! Aeroplan Allowing SWISS First Class Bookings!
Several years ago, SWISS stopped releasing first class awards to partners on a regular basis, generally reserving that award space only for elite members of its own Miles & More loyalty program. But sometimes the door is temporarily opened…and...
One Brilliant Star Alliance Award to Book Before Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Devaluation
Singapore Airlines is devaluing its Star Alliance redemption chart on December 07, 2017. The award chart was never very attractive in the first place, but every program has its sweet spots. The good news is that Star Alliance redemptions...
I’m Assembling the Trip of a Lifetime
Although there will be plenty of business travel, with the exception of my upcoming final 747 and Qatar QSuite trips, I am voluntarily suspending new “review” trips until next August. That doesn’t mean I will not be traveling on...
Co-Terminal Standby on Award Travel
Co-terminal standby travel is possible on award travel. Recently I booked an ANA first class award from Chicago to Tokyo Narita with a connection on Thai Airways from Narita to Bangkok in business class the following afternoon. I was...
The Five Best British Airways Avios Redemptions
With news that American Express points once again transfer at a 1:1 ratio to British Airways, I want to highlight my five favorite redemption options. Hint: It’s all about shorthaul. For years, I talked up the amazing rate between Boston and Dublin...
How to Use Your Miles for Qatar’s New QSuite Business Class
Qatar Airways unveiled its next generation business class product today, dubbed QSuite. It is set to premiere on 777-300ER flights between Doha and London this June, but will expand to all 777s and A350s. Here’s your guide to using...
Top 10 American Airlines Award Redemptions
After a substantial devaluation last March, American Airlines AAdvantage miles are not worth what they once were. Nevertheless, there are still sweet spots on the award chart (mostly premium cabin) that are worth taking advantage of. Here are my...
Star Alliance Iceland Stopover Now Much Easier
Iceland fascinates me. Not only does it contain immense natural beauty, it offers Northern Lights in the winter and midnight sun in the summer. I’ve been before and had a great time — now I want to take the family....
Flying Blue Now Lets You Book Award Travel One Year in Advance!
Traditionally, Air France/KLM Flying Blue only allowed award bookings 10 months in advance. Now you can book up to 12 months in advance! I was working on an award to Tel Aviv this morning for an Award Expert client...
