Introduction: While you can spend a lifetime traveling the world by taking advantage of points and miles, diving into the complicated universe of airline alliances, loyalty programs, and reward charts can be daunting. Store this process to make use of your travel rewards to the utmost, all thanks to tools such as AwardHacker. In this detailed guide, we’ll explain how AwardHacker works, its features, and strategies you can use to get the best flights possible with your points and miles.
What is AwardHacker?
AwardHacker is a new, free website that allows travelers to find the best way to book award flights based on points and miles. It pulls data from different airline loyalty programs and their alliance partners, which allows users to compare flight options across several carriers. No matter how seasoned or novice a points collector you are, it makes it easy to also save both time and money by checking the best redemptions.
Why Use AwardHacker?
Just a few of the reasons why AwardHacker should be a part of every frequent traveler’s toolkit. Here are some key advantages:
- Saves Time and Effort
AwardHacker saves you from having to manually scout through dozens of airline sites. It instead gives a quick look at the available/ award flight options on multiple airlines.
- Make the Most of Your Points and Miles
AwardHacker helps you find the cheapest award flights, giving you more bang for your hard-earned points and miles. It also calls out flights with low taxes and fees, something that can often surprise travelers when booking awards.
- User-Friendly Interface
Its interface is intuitive to use and thus makes even the super novices feel comfortable working with it. And you don’t need to be an expert; just a few clicks will get you on your way to booking an amazing award flight.
- All Airlines: Data Coverage and Alliances
With data from the major airline alliances (Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and Oneworld) aggregated into one app, you never have to wonder what you’re able to book.
- Completely Free
With other tools charging for premium features, AwardHacker is free — accessible to any traveler.
How Does AwardHacker Work?
Using AwardHacker is easy. The site aggregates data from various airline loyalty programs and presents it in a concise, user-friendly format. Here’s a quick how-to on which to use it:
Step 1: Fill In Your Travel Information
Enter your starting city and destination, as well as your airline or alliance of choice. Approach if you’re willing to consider multiple carriers: You’ll likely have a wider range of options.
Step 2: Filter Your Results
You can also narrow your search by selecting individual cabin classes (economy, business, or first class) and loyalty programs. This allows you to consider the best choices according to your preferences.
Step 3: Compare Options
Each search will show how many points or miles it takes to book each flight as well as any taxes or fees involved. It’ll also tell you if that flight is a saver award or a more expensive version.
Step 4: Book Your Flight
Once you find the best deal, just click through to the airline’s site from that link to book it.
Key Features of AwardHacker
Here are just a few of the features that make AwardHacker an invaluable tool for any miles collector. Some highlights include:
- Multi-Alliance Search
- AwardHacker lets you search across airline alliances:
- Star Alliance (United Airlines, Lufthansa, etc.)
- SkyTeam (e.g., Delta Air Lines, Air France)
- Oneworld (e.g., British Airways, American Airlines)
This is particularly helpful for travelers with points in other programs who may want to check several carriers’ options in one shot.
2. Filters that are Flexible for Customization
AwardHacker has several filters you can apply to limit your flight search:
- Class of Service: Economy, business, or first class.
- Loyalty Program: Choose particular programs such as Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
- Layovers: Choose direct flights or flights with layovers.
A Closer Look at Each Option
AwardHacker doesn’t simply churn out a list of flights — it gives you the details you need, including:
- Points/Miles Required: The total points or miles required for each flight.
- Taxes and Fees: Additional expenses that can impact the total value of the redemption.
- Booking Class: If it’s a saver award or takes more points.
How to Get the Most Out of AwardHacker?
To get the most value out of AwardHacker, remember these key insights from the experts:
- Plan Your Trip in Advance
Award flight availability can be scarce, particularly during peak seasons or for premium cabins. If you’re looking for a high-demand trip (i.e. Europe in the summer), begin your search 6-12 months out.
- Be Flexible With Dates
If you can have flexibility with your travel dates, you will have a greater chance to discover less expensive awards. You may also search day by day or out of peak seasons with AwardHacker as these flights normally cost fewer points during those times.
- Pair Programs to Create Compounding Benefits
Pick up points from multiple airlines (some airlines allow you to combine points from different loyalty programs). You can use it for this task. If you have Chase Ultimate Rewards, for example, you can transfer those points to partners like United Airlines or British Airways to redeem for award flights.
- Monitor for Changes
Airline reward charts and policies are changing all the time. At AwardHacker you will be able to keep a tab of the latest changes. Some airlines will devalue their points, which will make cozying up to book premium cabins on certain routes more difficult, for example.
AwardHacker vs. Other Tools
When comparing AwardHacker to other flight search tools, it consistently stands out in key areas:
| Feature | AwardHacker | Competitor A | Competitor B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free to Use | Yes | No | Yes |
| Multi-Alliance Search | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| User-Friendly | Yes | Moderate | Yes |
| Detailed Breakdown | Yes | No | Yes |
AwardHacker’s comprehensive, free, and user-friendly features make it an essential tool for award flight searches.
Tips for Using AwardHacker Effectively
Here are a few intermediate tips to maximize the use of AwardHacker:
- Book Award Seats Early
There are a limited number of award seats, particularly on popular routes. Once you spot a good deal be quick — book it before prices go up to lock in the lower redemption rates.
- Check for Regular Updates
Airline award charts and rules change frequently. Keep an eye out for updates and new partnerships with AwardHacker. That way, you’ll avoid being caught behind the curve and be able to book at the right times.
- Utilize the Power of Transfer Partners
Many credit card rewards programs (Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, etc.) let you transfer to several different airline partners. This is a great resource for figuring out which transfers to book your points for the most value.
- Leverage Stopovers
Certain airlines offer free stopovers on award tickets. One might as well have a wonderful trip to many different places on the same ticket and not need to pay for extra miles.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some common errors travelers make when booking award flights:
- Ignoring Taxes and Fees
Even award flights can carry a lot of tax and fees, eroding the value of your points. Always check the final price before you book to save surprises.
2. Forgetting To Check If Awards Are Available
While it is a great resource for theoretical options (it uses a variety of airline reward charts), availability is another story. But always check the airline for availability before you book.
3. Not Exploring All Options
AwardHacker will show the various options available to you for your flight, but sometimes the simplest flight isn’t the best deal. Consider alternative routes or connecting flights to maximize point savings.
4. Not Comparing Loyalty Programs Against Each Other
Loyalty programs have different redemption rates. Use it to compare programs and see which program gives you the best value for your points.
Advanced Strategies for Maximizing AwardHacker
Getting the Most Out of Premium Cabin Redemptions
It is especially useful in tracking down the best deals if you prefer to fly in business or first class. Other airlines have discounted premium cabin rates during off-peak travel periods.
- Combining Points and Cash
Certain programs let you pay for flights with a mix of points and cash. It can assist you with discovering these changes, which will mean you can make your focus go considerably further.
- Exploring Alternative Routes
If your preferred route is not available, check out it for other possible routes. Flying into a neighboring city and then taking a short connection could save you points and cash, for example.
Conclusion:
Whether you are a frequent traveler or just looking to maximize your travel points, AwardHacker is a valuable tool. It streamlines the complex process of booking award flights so you can unlock amazing travel experiences without spending a fortune. So whether you are a seasoned points hoarder or are just getting started, use it to help you make a smarter travel purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is AwardHacker free to use?
Yes, AwardHacker is 100% free to use.
Q2: Does AwardHacker guarantee the availability of awards?
No, AwardHacker displays hypothetical options based on awards charts. (Note: Always consult the airline directly to confirm availability.)
Q3: When was the last time AwardHacker was updated?
AwardHacker is up-to-date and built to help with airline reward charts and associated changes.
Q4: How do I use AwardHacker for flights outside the United States?
With that said, AwardHacker is one of the best tools for searching for award flights, both for travel within the U.S. and internationally.
