How to Be Smarter With Airline Miles and Hotel Points in the Year Ahead

Long the domain of points geeks, the often opaque world of frequent-flier programs is finally getting easier to navigate. These days every major airline displays so-called award availability on its website or app — even if unprecedented demand means scoring that dream trip requires more strategy than ever.

“Today, there are fewer unsold seats on the flights that people want to take,” explains Gary Leff,
a points expert who’s authored the blog View from the Wing since 2002.

Even so, airlines remain deeply invested in these programs, which are not only hugely profitable but also a boon for travelers, who can trade points for business- and first-class seats. Here’s what to know about making the most of your points stash.

Focus on Flexible Points

With credit cards like the American Express Platinum Card, Capital One Venture X, and Chase Sapphire Reserve, you earn points that can transfer to multiple airline programs, giving you far more options than you would have with an airline-specific card. “The same exact flight can cost 66 percent less, points-wise, through Virgin Atlantic than Delta Air Lines,” Leff says, citing one example. Free tools like AwardTool and Pointhound can help you compare options across programs.

Know When to Search

Travelers who have less experience booking with points often get discouraged when they can’t find a flight that’s just right, Leff says. A tool like ExpertFlyer, which has free and paid versions, can help: it monitors award-travel availability — that is, seats that can be booked with points — and sends an alert when seats open up.

Look Beyond the Airline Website

Travelers often transfer points to U.S. carriers out of familiarity, missing better deals through partner airlines, Leff says. Seats.aero has a free tool that can help, while AwardTool and Roame, which has free and paid versions, let users search dozens of programs simultaneously.

Check Back Often

Keep searching for a better deal, Leff says. “I book what’s available, but when something better comes along, I cancel and do something else.” (Most airlines waive fees for award-ticket changes.) ExpertFlyer and AwardFares, which has free and paid versions, can email you when new seats open up on your preferred flights.

Consider Your Timing

Peak travel periods mean big competition for seats. “It’s hard to get an award, say, to Australia for Christmas,” Leff says. To improve your chances, consider Roame’s SkyView feature, which scans up to 60 days out, while the Daydream Explorer tool from PointsYeah, which has free and paid options, identifies the dates with better availability.

Pick Another Route

“Places that have lots of ways to get there are going to give you the best opportunity to find an award seat,” Leff says. Both AwardFares and PointsYeah let users search multiple airports at once, showing availability that might otherwise go unnoticed.

A version of this story first appeared in the February 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "You, Too, Can Be a Points Guy."

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