Feb 3, 2014, 1:11 pm
Last edit by: PointsNmiles
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Members with 90 posts and 90 days on FlyerTalk can edit this Wikipost to update.
This list is not an endorsement of any particular award booking service.
Please do your research and read this thread.
Members with 90 posts and 90 days on FlyerTalk can edit this Wikipost to update.
This list is not an endorsement of any particular award booking service.
Please do your research and read this thread.
Please refer to the FT Disclaimers for disclaimer of responsibility for use of these services, etc.
Please feel free add other services and options you are aware of to this wiki.
Also, please post any personal experiences you may have with any of these services in this thread.
Reviews which appear to have been solicited by the service providers based upon content and posting history will be deleted. If you are a brand new or a member with a low post count and wish that your post not be deleted, please be sure to include the following details in your review: program(s), number of miles or points and the desired destinations and hotels. Please also include the itinerary booked by the service including the airlines, routing and hotels, the number of points needed to book that trip and the fee charged.
Award booking services (alphabetical):
- Award Advocate - Domestic $100 p/p International $125 p/p, no additional charge for last minute. Changes $50. Also 10% discount for families traveling with children and active military
- Award Booking Service - $25 up front search fee plus $150/ticket & $49 per 30-minute skype consultations (ask anything!)
- Award Butler - Award Search: $79 for up to two passengers; flight info provided but does not include booking. Booking starting at $149 for first two passengers.
- Award Chaser - Search fee starting at $79. Itinerary only - no booking provided
- Award Expert - (MatthewLAX on FT, Live and Let's Fly blog) $150 first passenger, $100 each additional passenger; $250 per person for RTW; $50/ticket booking fee.
- Award Flight Assist - Specialising in Australian frequent flyer programs; from AU$199 for the first passenger, additional charges for complex itineraries and more passengers
- Award Planners - One way $129, additional person $99; Round trip $199, additional person $99; Multi City $249 additional person $149
- Award Travel Consulting - Award Search: $125/person; Booking ticket: $75/itinerary; changes: new trip
- Awardmagic - $179 per person OW/RT plus one stop or $279 per person for three or more destinations
- BoundlessMiles - (Dominik Żmuda/Travelling the World): Booking: starting at $50 per passenger; Changes: half of award flight service fee paid
- CabinChief - Bookings are $49 per pax
- CatchUsFlying - $125 CAD/person for round-trip, $225 CAD/person for complex round-the-world. Consulting available at $75CAD/hour. (loganre17) on FT
- Chatflights - Use app to chat in real time with real travel hackers to book travel for points or cash. Booking fee $295 pp coach and business, $395 pp first class.
- Cranky Concierge - $75 per person each way domestic; $95 per person each way international
- First Class and Beyond - "Concierge-style" bookings. Fee is based on the value of the retail ticket, $250/person minimum.
- Flightfox - Consultative flight searching; fees start at $100 (requires credit card authorization up front)
- Flyermiles - (Graham / YOWgary) $150 + 50 per additional person, $250 for RTW awards. Offers detailed information on how to book your own award.
- iflywithmiles.com - (Mike/Melissa): 150 USD first person, 85 for additional person on same itin. Change fees vary.
- JJ Award Travel - FT Member since 2012 - No upfront fees. Basic one-way or round-trip air award travel consisting of a total of 8 legs or less for the entire itinerary: $250 for the first person and $125 for each additional person. Complex one-way or round-trip air award travel consisting of a total of 9 or more legs per direction is additional. FT members get a 10% discount.
- Loophole Travel - Award Travel Coaching $150 for first passenger and $100 for each additional passenger. Points Earning and MS Coaching also available.
- Luxury Travel Consulting - (Jasper2009 on Flyertalk): $150 per person per ticket
- Miles Help - Domestic: $100 OW; $140 RT/complex. International: $150 OW; $200 RT/complex. $50 each additional person
- Miles Momma Booking Services - Airline Booking: $200 up to 2 passengers. $75 additional passengers. $50 non-refundable up front. Changes $50
- MileValue Award Booking Service - (Scott Grimmer): Booking: $125 per person per award; $15 up front. Full payment required for successful search even if not booked. Change fee not currently listed; previously $79
- PMM Travel Consulting - (Miguel R. Quinones/AwardWallet Blog): Booking: $125 per passenger for the first two, $99 for each additional. Additional charges for complex itineraries. Credit card advice and travel planning services.
- Point.me - merger of services formerly provided by PointsPro (Ben Schlappig/One Mile At a Time) and Juice Miles
- Reward Flyer - Domestic: $50 first person; $25 each additional person. International: $100 first person; $50 each additional person
- SFO777.com - (SFO777 on FT) Booking: $200 first passenger, $100 each additional passenger; change fees vary
- Travel Codex - Per person pricing: $50 for North America award / $100 for International award.
- The Flying Mustache - $100 per ticket; additional fees for more than eight segments. Change fees vary
- The Short Final - $100 per person. $100 upfront deposit that is fully refundable if no itinerary found.
- Travel Is The Point - USA, Canada/Mexico & the Caribbean – starting at $50 per person. All Other International Destinations – starting at $100 per person.
- zainman - FT member since 2009. Booking: $200 first passenger, $100 each additional passenger; change fees vary, consultant services for $ as well
- Zero Hassle Rewards - $100 per person. Discounts for domestic and one-way
Award booking services - a list and some reviews
Sep 3, 2014, 1:23 pm
#286
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
Hi All,
Myself and belfordrocks have just launched a travel concierge site, which include an award booking service. You can check it out at http://flighthacks.com.
Myself and belfordrocks have just launched a travel concierge site, which include an award booking service. You can check it out at http://flighthacks.com.
Last edited by yerffej201; Sep 3, 2014 at 8:49 pm
Sep 3, 2014, 9:26 pm
#287
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,809
False. US-India routings via Middle East (even on EY) have been pricing as one ticket.
Sep 3, 2014, 10:07 pm
#288
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 36
In any event we weren't questioning that part of the routing but rather the transpacific routing where AAdvantage requires two awards.
Sep 5, 2014, 12:37 pm
#289
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: AA Plat, UA Gold, AS MVP Gold, HH Diamond, SPG Gold, Club Carlson Gold, US
Posts: 956
Folks,
My website is up and running for Award Bookings (http://www.awardsandtravel.com)
My website is up and running for Award Bookings (http://www.awardsandtravel.com)
Sep 13, 2014, 8:37 am
#290
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 5
Hi! I have just joined FT have over 1 million miles and would like to start planning my next trip to Asia for next year for my family. Does anyone have any recommendations for award booking services specialized in Aeroplan or Canadian awards? People who have used any of the above who can provide some good feedback for someone in my situation
Mike
Mike
Sep 14, 2014, 11:43 am
#292
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PacNW (SEA)
Programs: AS, IHG and post-loyal
Posts: 523
Normally I do all this myself and nice to see some of these services here. Certainly looks pricing is fair for how much time I've put into this for past trips.
Question: I'm seeing that most posters use the services to find seats for families well in advance. Any experience / recos with building more complex routings for a solo traveler in near-term (1-3 months out)? I'm planning Dec-Jan travel and this time I'd like to outsource my mileage usage & optimization.
Question: I'm seeing that most posters use the services to find seats for families well in advance. Any experience / recos with building more complex routings for a solo traveler in near-term (1-3 months out)? I'm planning Dec-Jan travel and this time I'd like to outsource my mileage usage & optimization.
Sep 14, 2014, 12:46 pm
#293
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,098
Normally I do all this myself and nice to see some of these services here. Certainly looks pricing is fair for how much time I've put into this for past trips.
Question: I'm seeing that most posters use the services to find seats for families well in advance. Any experience / recos with building more complex routings for a solo traveler in near-term (1-3 months out)? I'm planning Dec-Jan travel and this time I'd like to outsource my mileage usage & optimization.
Question: I'm seeing that most posters use the services to find seats for families well in advance. Any experience / recos with building more complex routings for a solo traveler in near-term (1-3 months out)? I'm planning Dec-Jan travel and this time I'd like to outsource my mileage usage & optimization.
Sep 15, 2014, 9:17 am
#294
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Posts: 3,780
Normally I do all this myself and nice to see some of these services here. Certainly looks pricing is fair for how much time I've put into this for past trips.
Question: I'm seeing that most posters use the services to find seats for families well in advance. Any experience / recos with building more complex routings for a solo traveler in near-term (1-3 months out)? I'm planning Dec-Jan travel and this time I'd like to outsource my mileage usage & optimization.
Question: I'm seeing that most posters use the services to find seats for families well in advance. Any experience / recos with building more complex routings for a solo traveler in near-term (1-3 months out)? I'm planning Dec-Jan travel and this time I'd like to outsource my mileage usage & optimization.
Sep 25, 2014, 7:49 am
#295
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SW Colorado
Programs: UAL Silver Hilton Diamond Hyatt Plat
Posts: 164
Am I a good candidate?
I'm trying to consider if I should use an award booking service or not, perhaps someone could give me some advice.
I have always booked award travel myself. My husband, once having flown TATL in business/first claims he will never go back to Economy. Puts more pressure on me to build miles but I have the time & inclination.
I'm planning a trip for myself & my mom next October, a cruise from Venice to Athens. I begin my travels in GJT (Colorado) and mom begins hers in Chicago. I've begun looking at United Award availability to get a general idea of what's been out there as far as routing & pricing. This is my first experience of not finding United Business availability virtually at all, just First and Star Alliance Business, all at considerably more miles.
So my real need for assistance is obtaining TATL in United Business and coordinating she and I's maximum traveling together.
Am I a good candidate for an award traveling service or is my request easy enough to do myself, probably not in Business but in First?
I appreciate any insight given!
I have always booked award travel myself. My husband, once having flown TATL in business/first claims he will never go back to Economy. Puts more pressure on me to build miles but I have the time & inclination.
I'm planning a trip for myself & my mom next October, a cruise from Venice to Athens. I begin my travels in GJT (Colorado) and mom begins hers in Chicago. I've begun looking at United Award availability to get a general idea of what's been out there as far as routing & pricing. This is my first experience of not finding United Business availability virtually at all, just First and Star Alliance Business, all at considerably more miles.
So my real need for assistance is obtaining TATL in United Business and coordinating she and I's maximum traveling together.
Am I a good candidate for an award traveling service or is my request easy enough to do myself, probably not in Business but in First?
I appreciate any insight given!
Oct 10, 2014, 3:10 pm
#296
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 5
Review of Easy Award Booking
So I just finished two bookings with Alex from www.easyawardbooking.com. I will be honest I decided to go with him since he was one of the cheapest and I could not justify paying more $$$.
This was by far the best money I think I have ever spent on a travel service. Alex helped me from A-Z. From the moment I sent him the email he was able to not just offer his advice however really help with different destinations for my family to travel to Asia. He was also able to help me with hotels and everything in-between including seat selection, getting to and from the airport as well as must sees in each city we are going to. I think what really stood out was the how fast he responded to email and calls. I did not have to wait days for a response. He was also professional as well. However many questions I asked him he always answered. Finally he was able to suggest multiple hotels for each city and was able to book Virtuoso hotels which I know can sometimes be difficult to find a good agent. He is clearly one of the best and could not recommend his services more!
Finally I had to make a quick trip to Europe for some Business and took my wife along with me. I looked on Air Canada and found the prices quite high. There was some AC availability however Alex suggested to take Swiss (which I know is difficult to come by) and stoped off in Paris for a couple of days. The Swiss flight was out of this world and I am so happy I went for that option over AC. Since he helped us book two one ways he was able to book us on LH F on the way back.
Anyway I am more than happy to recommend him
Mike
This was by far the best money I think I have ever spent on a travel service. Alex helped me from A-Z. From the moment I sent him the email he was able to not just offer his advice however really help with different destinations for my family to travel to Asia. He was also able to help me with hotels and everything in-between including seat selection, getting to and from the airport as well as must sees in each city we are going to. I think what really stood out was the how fast he responded to email and calls. I did not have to wait days for a response. He was also professional as well. However many questions I asked him he always answered. Finally he was able to suggest multiple hotels for each city and was able to book Virtuoso hotels which I know can sometimes be difficult to find a good agent. He is clearly one of the best and could not recommend his services more!
Finally I had to make a quick trip to Europe for some Business and took my wife along with me. I looked on Air Canada and found the prices quite high. There was some AC availability however Alex suggested to take Swiss (which I know is difficult to come by) and stoped off in Paris for a couple of days. The Swiss flight was out of this world and I am so happy I went for that option over AC. Since he helped us book two one ways he was able to book us on LH F on the way back.
Anyway I am more than happy to recommend him
Mike
Oct 20, 2014, 10:58 am
#298
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 8
Reviews of Award Booking Sites
My wife and I are planning a trip to England from Seattle next summer and are looking for an organization that can help us book 2 round trip award tickets in business or first class. It looks like there are many different possibilities (Book Your Award, Milevalue, Easy Award Booking, etc etc). Can you recommend a site that offers reviews of these services so we can better make a decision of the ones offering best services and value?
Thanks,
Bob Herrington
Thanks,
Bob Herrington
Oct 20, 2014, 10:51 pm
#299
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
My wife and I are planning a trip to England from Seattle next summer and are looking for an organization that can help us book 2 round trip award tickets in business or first class. It looks like there are many different possibilities (Book Your Award, Milevalue, Easy Award Booking, etc etc). Can you recommend a site that offers reviews of these services so we can better make a decision of the ones offering best services and value?
Thanks,
Bob Herrington
Thanks,
Bob Herrington
Your request doesn't sound especially complicated unless you desire stopovers and open jaws or if you need to transfer credit card and hotel points to some airline program. Have you tried to read some of the help threads/stickies/wikis for the airline(s) whose miles you ahve for the trip? Have you tried either to find award inventory yourself or to call your airline to ask about award space? You may find that no outside service for a fee is necessary in your situation.
Oct 26, 2014, 8:04 pm
#300
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SXSW
Programs: DL Plat; HH Diamond; SPG & Hyatt Plat
Posts: 996
___
Three posts recommending a service, two by posters with only these posts and registered this month and last with and another August with 12 (filler) posts. Hmmm...
Last edited by TWA884; Feb 26, 2015 at 8:23 am Reason: Removed name of booking service. Posts in question were deleted.