Guides

When I was younger, airline loyalty programs were more fun. There were all sorts of secret rules and loopholes one could exploit to earn a ton of miles, qualify for elite status, and enjoy exclusive attention at the airport and in the air. Sure, every major program has changed drastically compared to 20 years ago, and they still do every year. However, most of those changes for some reason feel a bit boring. But then, in late 2024, an airline named SAS did something that shook things up. They launched their “Who Wants to be a EuroBonus Millionaire?” challenge, and it was a huge deal that kicked off what you might call a ‘gold rush’ for airline miles.

If you’re into points and miles, you can feel it: the ground is moving. The rules we learned, the strategies we had, and the value we came to expect are all being rewritten in real-time. For frequent flyers, 2025 isn’t just another year of travel, it’s a pivotal moment that will redefine what “loyalty” means for the next decade.

If you’re chasing elite status in the SkyTeam alliance but don’t qualify for a direct status match, Vietnam Airlines has just launched a new option: the Lotusmiles Status Booster. This new program isn’t an instant match. Instead, it’s a paid accelerator that allows you to earn double or triple qualifying miles on Vietnam Airlines flights for a 90-day period. It’s designed for travelers who are close to a tier or have a few big trips planned and want to fast-track their way to the perks of Lotusmiles and SkyTeam elite status. The Booster is offered in partnership with StatusMatch.com

Finding that perfect award flight can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Dates, availability, and programs all need to align. At AwardFares, we’re dedicated to simplifying this hunt. One of our most powerful, yet sometimes misunderstood, features is the Timeline View.

Looking to improve your travel experience within SkyTeam? The Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Status Match program provides a direct path to SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus status. And now in 2025, the offer is better than ever: you can match from major hotel loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, and more.

Royal Jordanian is offering a status match opportunity through StatusMatch.com for elite members of selected airline and hotel loyalty programs. This promotion allows eligible participants to fast-track their way to Silver Jay (oneworld Ruby) or Gold Sparrow (oneworld Sapphire) status in Royal Jordanian’s Royal Club program.

Choosing the best frequent flyer program within Star Alliance can unlock tremendous value, from complimentary stopovers to lie-flat seats at economy-ticket prices. As the world’s largest airline alliance, the options can be overwhelming, but a smart choice can supercharge your travel rewards.

Choosing the right SkyTeam frequent flyer program can be tricky, but also a game-changer for your travel strategy. SkyTeam is a group of 18 airlines (as of 2025) that work together. This group includes big names like Delta with its many U.S. flights, Aeroméxico and Aerolíneas Argentinas covering Latin America, Air France known for fancy cabins, SAS for its Nordic service, and Virgin Atlantic with its unique style. In this guide, we’ll look at the top programs to help you see which ones offer the best deals, easiest ways to book tickets with points, top perks for loyal flyers, and the best value for your points.

Choosing the right frequent flyer program within the oneworld alliance is a critical decision for any savvy traveler. In 2025, the landscape is shifting with significant updates: Fiji Airways has become a full member, expanding the network, while major players like British Airways and Iberia are overhauling their programs to be more spend-based. These changes make it essential to reassess your loyalty strategy.

Every year, cities around the world explode in color and celebration as they host Pride festivals to honor the LGBTQ+ community. But traveling to these destinations during peak Pride season often means sky-high prices. That’s why smart travelers turn to airline miles and points.

Flying First Class inside SkyTeam isn’t easy, but when you manage to lock in a seat, the experience can rival (and sometimes outshine) the Middle-East big three. Below we rank the six full First Class products still flying in 2025, highlight what has changed since our 2023 guide, and include sample award routes you can search instantly in AwardFares. Let’s start!

Ever wondered what’s being poured at 35,000 feet? Now you don’t have to. With our onboard menu feature, you can now preview onboard wine lists from select airlines before booking or boarding your flight. We’ve rolled it out for four carriers to start: Emirates, Delta Air Lines, Singapore Airlines, and Iberia. And this is just the beginning — full menus and additional airlines are already in the pipeline.

Lufthansa’s new Allegris Business Class is the carrier’s latest premium cabin, featuring upgraded seats and enhanced privacy that finally bring Lufthansa’s business class into the modern era. Debuting on Munich-based Airbus A350-900s, Allegris offers direct aisle access for all passengers and even select “Business Suites” with extra space and privacy. Cash fares for this product are steep (often $5,000–$7,000+ round-trip in business), but you can book it with frequent flyer miles or points at a fraction of the cost.

Are you looking to maximize your travel perks without starting from scratch? Airline status matching allows you to leverage your existing elite status from one loyalty program to gain similar benefits with another.

Lufthansa’s latest changes to Miles & More including dynamic pricing, the elimination of Mileage Bargains, and premium cabin devaluations, have left many travelers searching for better ways to redeem their hard-earned miles. Fortunately, the Star Alliance network offers several robust alternatives that deliver superior value, fixed award charts, and unique sweet spots. No matter what type of award your are after, these seven programs deserve your attention in 2025.

Searching for Star Alliance award availability can be difficult, given the alliance’s 25 member airlines (plus one joining in 2025) and different loyalty programs. Each airline operates its own website and frequent flyer system, making it challenging to compare redemption options across partners. Fortunately, AwardFares simplifies this process by aggregating results from multiple Star Alliance airlines into one platform. This guide will walk you through the steps to efficiently find and book award flights, helping you maximize both your time and miles. Let’s dive in!

Searching for SkyTeam award availability can feel like a daunting task, especially with over 18 member airlines and no unified loyalty program. Each airline has its own website, frequent flyer program, and search system, making it time-consuming to find the best redemption options. Thankfully, AwardFares simplifies the entire process by consolidating results from multiple SkyTeam partners in one easy-to-use platform. This guide will walk you through a step-by-step process to quickly find and book award flights, saving you both time and miles. Let’s get started!

Searching for oneworld award availability can be complex, especially with over 15 member airlines (plus two joining in 2025) and multiple loyalty programs to navigate. Each airline offers its own booking interface and frequent flyer program, making it a challenge to find optimal redemptions. AwardFares streamlines this process by aggregating search results from various oneworld partners, enabling you to quickly locate and book award flights. This guide will take you through the entire process, saving you both time and miles. Let’s get started!

When searching for award travel, choosing the right tool can make a significant difference in how many points you spend and whether you can secure the flights you want. Tools like AwardFares and PointsYeah aim to simplify this process, but not all tools are created equal. AwardFares stands out as a top alternative to PointsYeah by offering advanced features designed to help you maximize your miles, search more effectively, and plan complex itineraries. In this comparison guide, we’ll dive into the key differences between these two platforms to help you decide which one better meets your travel needs.

Award travel can be a headache without the right tools to search for award availability across multiple airlines and loyalty programs. AwardFares and Points Path are both popular options for frequent flyers. But how do they stack up against each other?

Looking to find the perfect award flight without spending hours searching? AwardFares is the go-to tool for points-savvy travelers, offering fast, accurate, and feature-rich searches. But how does it compare to AwardTool, another tool for award travel searches? Let’s break down the key differences to help you choose the best solution for maximizing your travel points.

2025 is a strong year in aviation and air travel, and it’s also impacting loyalty programs and frequent flyer miles faster than ever. Airlines are profiting more than ever from their frequent flyer programs, almost turning into banks with very special, unpredictable, and hard-to-understand miles. With plenty of recent changes announced, it’s always good to reassess your strategy every year. Choosing the best frequent flyer program can be daunting, but this curated list of favorites for 2025 provides a great starting point.

It’s real: airlines are implementing monthly subscriptions on their frequent flyer programs, where you pay per month at different packages and get a fixed number of miles per month. With the rise of subscription services in many industries, it was only a matter of time before airlines jumped on the train. Now, the key question is, are those any good? Should you join? While the concept is still in its early stages, it can be very lucrative in the long run (from our experience), although there are many things to watch out for!

The trend of traveling in premium cabins, such as Business Class, has never been stronger. For frequent flyers, choosing the right airline is crucial, especially within alliances like SkyTeam. In this article, we explore some of the best Business Class offerings among SkyTeam members, focusing on cabin comfort, amenities, and service quality. We ranked the cabin based on a mix of our own experience, plus customer reviews, expert opinions, and won awards, as published in SKYTRAX. Let’s get started!

Looking to travel the world without spending a fortune? Round-the-World (RTW) award tickets are a solution that is often underutilized. Even though booking a single RTW fare isn’t always easy, we’ve got you covered with this handy guide. We’ll show you how to plan the perfect trip, whether it’s by piecing together individual award segments or grabbing one of those elusive RTW fares. You’ll learn all about RTW awards, get tips for planning, and discover how AwardFares can help you find and book the best flights across multiple programs. Let’s turn your travel dreams into reality!

When redeeming points or miles for flights, it’s common to think about round trips. Most frequent flyer programs prioritize round-trip bookings, and some (like ANA Mileage Club used to) even restrict one-way redemptions.

If you lack inspiration for your next travel destination and wonder what other popular places our users consider burning their points at, don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. AwardFares saves the results from recent searches across different users and lets you easily explore what’s hot.

Premium economy cabins continue to grow in popularity: cabins are getting better every year, and prices are becoming more attractive than Business and First Class. This year, several airlines launched or will launch new offerings, introducing new seats and elevating the premium economy experience. Here’s a look at our favorites, some of them picked from Skytrax. Plus, we share some tips on how to book them using points or miles. Let’s get started!

If you’re using AwardFares to stay updated on award travel deals and seat availability, enabling push notifications on both your desktop and mobile devices can greatly enhance your experience, letting you know as soon as your dream award seat becomes available. In this guide, we’ll show you how to set them up step-by-step.

Traveling on points and miles is a fantastic way to experience the world, but finding award availability can feel like deciphering ancient scrolls. That’s where award search tools come in. AwardFares is one of the easiest ways to search for your next free flight using points or miles. With a few clicks, you can search and gather helpful information without logging in to your frequent flyer account or dealing with slow award search portals. AwardFares’s modern user interface allows search availability across multiple frequent flyer programs, set up alerts, look at seat maps, and plan journeys in a few minutes.

Easter is a time of renewal and exploration, and what better way to celebrate than by using those hard-earned miles for a springtime getaway? If you haven’t booked or planned anything yet, there’s still plenty of opportunities out there, as we see in AwardFares.

Are you concerned about maybe flying on a Boeing 737 MAX on your next trip? The 737 MAX’s journey has been marred by tragedy, controversy, and ongoing concerns. After serious issues in 2018 and 2019, technical fixes and regulatory approvals have allowed its return to service. However, a recent flying-door episode with Alaska Airlines is again causing struggles for Boeing.

The skies are changing! Alongside established giants like Airbus and Boeing, new players are joining the game, and none are bigger than China’s COMAC. Their C919 and ARJ21-700 jets are poised to make waves in the aviation industry, and yes, you can be among the first to experience them. But how do you snag an award seat on these cutting-edge birds? This post is a roadmap to surfing on China’s rising stars, and how to redeem miles for flights on these planes.

Traveling with kids can be magical, but when it comes to booking flights, the magic can quickly fade into a stressful scramble. Flying with little ones throws a unique curveball. From age-specific policies to luggage logistics, navigating award flights with children requires a different kind of packing list (and time in front of your member dashboard).

As the world of air travel continues to evolve, 2024 positions ahead as yet-another year full of rapid changes. It might be a great time to re-think your strategy and consider venturing into new programs to get more value out of your miles. As it can be overwhelming to choose the one that best suits your travel needs and preferences, in this blog post we cover some of our favorite frequent flyer programs and why you should consider them for 2024.

AwardFares’ Metro Area Searches are one of the most powerful features we’ve ever released: it lets you search for award flights between entire regions or areas simultaneously, which is a huge time saver. Interestingly, it’s also one of the most underutilized ones.

Winter is a magical time of year, transforming landscapes into winter wonderlands and inviting adventurers to explore the season’s beauty. It’s also ideal for a snow-filled getaway: embrace the magic of the mountains and indulge in exhilarating ski and snowboard adventures.

As we approach the busy Christmas and New Year holiday season, with visions of flights to snowy destinations or tropical getaways dancing in our heads, it’s also time for the annual battle with award seat availability. But there’s a silver lining over the holiday travel horizon: the shift to dynamic award pricing models by airlines and frequent flyer programs.

Roame.Travel is a relatively new award travel search tool that has quickly gained popularity, as it provides a bird’s-eye view of opportunities across various airline alliances. But when it comes to the nitty-gritty of securing a seat, AwardFares emerges as the perfect co-pilot. While Roame.Travel can help you identify round trips and guide you through credit card points transfers, AwardFares goes a step further by showing real-time availability, and showing exact prices including taxes and fees.

Nonstop air travel between the United States and China is rebounding steadily in early 2025 after the drastic pandemic-induced reductions. At its pre-pandemic peak, there were over 300 direct flights per week between the two nations, but during the pandemic, that number plummeted. As bilateral restrictions ease, airlines are restoring and launching new nonstop routes. Although the current frequency remains below pre-pandemic levels, the upward trend is clear, and both U.S. and Chinese authorities are committed to expanding connectivity. Below is an updated overview of nonstop flights and detailed information on each airline’s service.

When it comes to Halloween, some cities go above and beyond in their celebrations. If you’re looking for a not-so-mainstream experience, or considering using your miles on a spooky getaway, here are ten of the top cities known for their Halloween festivities.

Airline Alliances, which are essentially partnerships between airlines, have been a cornerstone of the industry since the 1990s. They offer mutual benefits for airlines, from marketing to operational cooperation, which translates into more seamless travel experiences for passengers.

AwardHacker is a popular online tool that helps travelers find out how many miles they need for award flights. It is a great starting point for finding award flights, but it doesn’t show you real-time availability.

We hear you; the world of award flights sometimes feels like trying to crack a secret code. Our team members at AwardFares have over 15 years of experience redeeming “free” flights with miles and points across different frequent flyer programs and airlines, and it still is a challenging game. That’s why we crafted our tool AwardFares with love, to help fellow travelers like us with some of the issues we struggle with.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has unveiled the specifics of its latest Airbus A350-1000 aircraft and cabin design. This plane is set to be JAL’s premier international service, after two decades. Passengers can look forward to unparalleled comfort inside the plane and a journey tailored to each individual. While the aircraft’s initial launch on the Tokyo (Haneda) to New York (JFK) route was slated for late November 2023, supply chain setbacks have prompted a rescheduled debut expected by the end of 2023.

For frequent travelers and points maximizers, AwardFares is a feature-rich tool for finding award availability. However, our Seat Maps feature is an often-overlooked gem that can transform your travel experience.

AwardFares is the easiest way to search and find your next free flight using points or miles. In just a few clicks and with a modern user interface, you can search award availability across multiple frequent flyer programs, setup alerts, lookup seat maps and flight schedules.

EVA Air, a member of the Star Alliance, offers world-renowned service and has a stellar reputation in the aviation industry. Whether you’re traveling for leisure or business, there are some routes that stand out for the exceptional in-flight experience they offer.

EVA Air is renowned for its world-class service, exceptional cabin amenities, and fantastic award flight opportunities. However, like most airlines, searching for award availability can be a maze that even the most seasoned travelers get lost in. More often than not, travelers make mistakes that can cost them both time and valuable points.

Booking flights with points or miles is fun, but finding the perfect trip to your desired destination can be tricky, especially when the journey involves multiple segments, or across different airlines.

The hunt for award seats can be a full-time job. Constantly checking, re-checking, and hoping to stumble upon that perfect flight before someone else snags it. What if you could stop searching and let the seats find you?

As a frequent flyer, scoring a flight on the A380 might be one of the most rewarding achievements.

Ever looked at a flight ticket and wondered what the single letter like ‘Y’, ‘W’, or ‘J’ means? You’re not alone. The world of airline booking class codes, also known as fare classes, can feel like a cryptic language. These codes are the backbone of airline pricing, determining everything from your ticket’s cost and flexibility to how many miles you earn.

For frequent travelers, airline loyalty programs offer a myriad of benefits that not only enhance the travel experience but make it more cost-effective. Since American Airlines introduced the very first frequent flyer program in the 80s, it became clear that staying loyal to one airline could reward customers a long way.

If you’re dreaming of your next adventure in 2025 and looking to maximize your frequent flyer miles, you’ve come to the right place.

AwardFares lets you search flights to find available award seats in a quick way with modern user interface. In just a few clicks, you can search award availability across multiple frequent flyer programs, setup alerts, lookup seat maps and flight schedules.

In airline travel, married segments are two or more flights between city pairs that airlines sell together as a single bundled unit, rather than as two or more individual segments. This means that the flights must be booked together and cannot be changed or canceled independently.

AwardFares looks great on mobile, and it doesn’t sacrifice any of the features compared its the desktop version. You can use AwardFares on-the-go to easily set up alerts, perform broad searches and check seat maps.

Every year, cities around the world celebrate Pride Month with a variety of events to honor and uplift the LGBTQ+ community. These celebrations vary from parades and parties to concerts and exhibitions. Pride events have become vibrant expressions of acceptance, unity, and love for everyone.

AwardFares is a modern and fast platform to search award availability across multiple frequent flyer programs. Among other things, it lets you search flights to find available award seats, setup alerts to monitor award availability, and lookup seat maps and flight schedules.

Singapore Airlines (SQ) is a great airline and serves as a major hub in Asia, serving North America, Europe, and Oceania. Finding award redemptions has always been tricky, but since the start of the COVID pandemic, redeeming award flights on Singapore Airlines through partner programs has become even more difficult and with many restrictions.

After a long break during the COVID-19 pandemic, THAI First Class redemptions are finally back to an increasing number of routes. The first route to receive First Class was the London route, back in April of 2022. Now, Tokyo is also available, and Osaka is coming in September 2022.

EVA Air’s Infinity MileageLands program offers fantastic value, but its award redemptions can be quirky. I recently made my first award redemption using their frequent flyer program, and the process was not straightforward, especially since I was booking a flight for two people, myself and a travel companion.

On April 1, 2022 Malaysia completely opened their border to foreign travelers, without any quarantine for those who are fully vaccinated. The process was however much easier said than done. The main requirements are:

The recent 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak (SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19) is definitely having a large impact on the travel and airlines. Whether you’re currently travelling or planning to travel there are many different aspects that may affect you, including suspended flight services and country travel restrictions.

Welcome to AwardFares! Traveling on a lie-flat business class seat, champagne in hand, on your way to a dream destination is much closer than you think – all booked using points and miles. AwardFares is your expert co-pilot, designed to make finding and booking those valuable award flights easier and more efficient than ever before.

Lufthansa currently offers First Class with 3 different aircraft types on 30 routes (20 from Frankfurt and 10 from Munich). Most routes are quite consistent, but some changes do occur so it can be difficult to keep track them. Here’s an updated list of all routes as of December, 2019.

With the opening of the new Beijing Daxing airport (PKX) we will start to see some airlines add and move operations to the new airport. Here is a summary of all confirmed operational updates so far, grouped by alliance.