The Best Points & Miles Tools In 2024
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Points and miles programs are a game-changer for many travelers, offering a way to enjoy incredible experiences at a fraction of the cost. Especially the ability to quickly gain points through credit cards, it feels like everyone is in on figuring out how to find the best redemptions possible.
However, there’s one challenge that avid award travelers often face: finding the best ways to redeem their hard-earned rewards.
It’s a common frustration shared by many. Navigating the complex landscape of rewards programs and maximizing their value can feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded.
Whether its not understanding credit card transfer partners, airline alliances, or even just how to find airline availability, it’s not an easy process for many.
In the ever-evolving world of travel redemptions, there are tools specifically designed to simplify this process. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned points collector, these tools will arm you with the knowledge, insights, and shortcuts you need to navigate the complex world of rewards travel with confidence.
Finding award availability is one of the hardest parts of using points and miles. Even if you find availability – the amount of points for a given flight can vary dramatically with “saver awards” often being the lowest amount an airline will offer or “standard awards” that can be 2 to 3 times the amount.
Seats.aero
A simple interfaced search engine for award flights with a generous free tier available. What we like most about it is the ability to search in bulk for last minute flight deals. Many airlines change their availability of award search frequently so seats.aero makes it easier to find or set an alert for.
Cowtool
Another bare bones user interface but incredibly powerful tool to search for Air Canada Aeroplan award flights. The amount of options provided make it extremely easy to do very detailed searches for award rates and then be linked directly to Air Canada website. If you are flexible when you travel and are trying to find a flight with Air Canada, Cowtool is one of the best ways to do so.
Point.me
The closest tool to a full points search engine, Point.me is similar to a Google Flights for Points bookings. The tool allows you to search by airport for a given date and sort by how many points a flight will cost. It will also provide you with info on how you can transfer the points as well as connect to Award Wallet to see what you are able to afford. Note, it is a paid service but you can sign up for a free 24 hour trial with the code: TRAVELSEASON.
Roame
Roame is very similar to Point.me however it has a free tier that lets you do some searching before signing up. Roame is also good at showing transfer bonuses that are usually limited time offerings that allow you to boost your points for a given booking.
Expert Flyer
Expert flyer allows you to do many different things but Awards and Upgrades are a huge portion of it. One of the best features of Expert Flyer is the ability to set alerts for awards as well as Seat Maps. Sometimes there are seats that are blocked off in a cabin but Expert Flyer lets you set an alert to let you know when it opens. Most of the features come with the premium version of the product but there are many features to the free one as well.
Summary & Takeaways
The points and miles game is ever evolving and it takes keeping up with the program rules to maximize your value out of it. To get a jump start on it the tools mentioned above will give you a leg up whether you are booking for yourself or for others.
If you know of other tools that are helpful let us know in the comments and we will add it to the list.
