Feb 3, 2014, 1:11 pm
Last edit by: PointsNmiles
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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 21, 2013, 11:53 am
#181
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
Sep 23, 2013, 1:01 pm
#182
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Virtuoso, Marriott Stars/Luminous, Hilton Impresario, IHG Luxury & Lifestyle, Hyatt Prive etc
Posts: 2,004
We offer this for business or first class with Star Alliance. It is difficult to know the ins and outs of all schemes, thus concentrate on *A (US, UA, Avianca Lifemiles mainly). No fee unless you are happy with routing and we continue to keep an eye out in case something better comes up. Can also advise on hotels at destination if required. Fee depends on amount of work - if booked online or advice only, then around €50 per ticket. If miles need to be bought and airlines phoned, goes up to €80-100 per ticket. Reduced if hotels bought.
You should be able to get routes for free from a few people who offer this service and then book with the person who has the route you like best.
You should be able to get routes for free from a few people who offer this service and then book with the person who has the route you like best.
Sep 24, 2013, 4:19 am
#183
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: 100,413
We offer this for business or first class with Star Alliance. It is difficult to know the ins and outs of all schemes, thus concentrate on *A (US, UA, Avianca Lifemiles mainly). No fee unless you are happy with routing and we continue to keep an eye out in case something better comes up. Can also advise on hotels at destination if required. Fee depends on amount of work - if booked online or advice only, then around €50 per ticket. If miles need to be bought and airlines phoned, goes up to €80-100 per ticket. Reduced if hotels bought.
You should be able to get routes for free from a few people who offer this service and then book with the person who has the route you like best.
You should be able to get routes for free from a few people who offer this service and then book with the person who has the route you like best.
Sep 26, 2013, 11:41 am
#185
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 8
Hi award booking services,
I'm planning a multi-segment trip ideally in first or business from SEA to multiple stops in asia for the Nov 15 - Dec 7 2014 time period.
When would be a good time to reach out to you to plan an itinerary? Most of my miles are in United.
I'm planning a multi-segment trip ideally in first or business from SEA to multiple stops in asia for the Nov 15 - Dec 7 2014 time period.
When would be a good time to reach out to you to plan an itinerary? Most of my miles are in United.
Sep 26, 2013, 7:27 pm
#186
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
Probably 9-11 months before your booking period opens, so at the earliest perhaps early january.
Sep 29, 2013, 6:22 am
#187
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BOM, Ex-TX/ CA
Programs: Ex CO/ UA Gold, Hotels.. TBD
Posts: 734
MY only issue with World Class Perks was that he was faster than I thought and almost pushy, as in "Hey I found what you are looking for lets book right now." I expected the process to take longer. I was busy at the time I could not respond as quick as he would have liked?
In the end I got 2 awesome tickets far cheaper than I thought.
In the end I got 2 awesome tickets far cheaper than I thought.
Oct 11, 2013, 5:54 pm
#188
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Sixt Diamond, Hertz PC, Bonvoy Gold, UA G
Posts: 596
I'd like to add my service to the list. I run Shrewd Travel and we have an award booking service. Flat fees, feel free to email or call and I'll be happy to help.
Nov 14, 2013, 9:18 pm
#190
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 1
I'm new to this booking service and have read the last 10 pages - seems like b8b is the only one who has posted over 10 positive reviews for UPRGD -
B8B must be smitten by UPRGDs service?
I'm been reading that for the most part people are unhappy about how long it takes for service providers to get back. How quick is UPRGD?
B8B must be smitten by UPRGDs service?
I'm been reading that for the most part people are unhappy about how long it takes for service providers to get back. How quick is UPRGD?
Nov 14, 2013, 11:48 pm
#191
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SXSW
Programs: DL Plat; HH Diamond; SPG & Hyatt Plat
Posts: 996
I've just booked a lot with him, found him responsive, really knowledgable, innovative, and able to book 4 of us on the same flights in J, which can be tough. Using the IMDB scale, I'd give him an 8.7 - not perfect, but we're all human and I'm not the easiest customer. I think he's booked around 16 tickets for me so far.
I've also tried a lot of others, I tend to stick to a service that works well. His responsiveness depends on if he's traveling, but I think he also has a team, but when I've needed him, he was there and reasonably responsive. I could only suggest you give him a try and see.
Nov 15, 2013, 2:18 pm
#192
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 177
Obviously, there are a lot of factors to come into play....notably how "busy" one is when you contact them. But I used UPGRD for a booking a while back and ultimately just feel "OK" about the service. First of all, we got off to a very slow start (barely one email reply per 24hr period) for the first week or so. It was just over 2 weeks from the time I requested service to the time it was booked, fwiw. Only during the last couple days did I feel that he was really working on the itinerary. Also, he wasn't proactive to inform me about taxes/fees/surcharges despite my specific inquiry along the way. Thus I ended up being a bit surprised with the $600 per ticket surcharge.
In the end, he found an acceptable routing - but not truly optimal. I ran out of segments and needed to come up with a domestic (positioning) segment. It was pointed out by another member here that I probably should have eliminated one of the very short (international) segments of the itinerary and just paid out of pocket for it. That would free up one segment for the domestic portion (which was much more costly). I pointed out this to him, obviously after the booking was made, but he never addressed it. At any rate, he did make the booking for me, which is one of the main reasons why I used a service to begin with.
Oh, some of these services advertise "service after the sale." If that's important to you, be sure and discuss that before hand. UPGRD.com doesn't provide it (and to be fair, they don't advertise that they do). But there was a slight change in flights on the itinerary he booked for me and I wrote with a few questions about my alternatives/options - I got no response. Just keep that in mind if important to you.
I don't doubt that there are folks who have had great experiences with UPGRD. But for whatever reason - maybe it was the itinerary I wanted, maybe the fact that I was using SM - it just wasn't an experience to write home about. I'll either use someone else or do it myself next time.
In the end, he found an acceptable routing - but not truly optimal. I ran out of segments and needed to come up with a domestic (positioning) segment. It was pointed out by another member here that I probably should have eliminated one of the very short (international) segments of the itinerary and just paid out of pocket for it. That would free up one segment for the domestic portion (which was much more costly). I pointed out this to him, obviously after the booking was made, but he never addressed it. At any rate, he did make the booking for me, which is one of the main reasons why I used a service to begin with.
Oh, some of these services advertise "service after the sale." If that's important to you, be sure and discuss that before hand. UPGRD.com doesn't provide it (and to be fair, they don't advertise that they do). But there was a slight change in flights on the itinerary he booked for me and I wrote with a few questions about my alternatives/options - I got no response. Just keep that in mind if important to you.
I don't doubt that there are folks who have had great experiences with UPGRD. But for whatever reason - maybe it was the itinerary I wanted, maybe the fact that I was using SM - it just wasn't an experience to write home about. I'll either use someone else or do it myself next time.
I'm new to this booking service and have read the last 10 pages - seems like b8b is the only one who has posted over 10 positive reviews for UPRGD -
B8B must be smitten by UPRGDs service?
I'm been reading that for the most part people are unhappy about how long it takes for service providers to get back. How quick is UPRGD?
B8B must be smitten by UPRGDs service?
I'm been reading that for the most part people are unhappy about how long it takes for service providers to get back. How quick is UPRGD?
Nov 15, 2013, 3:40 pm
#193
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SXSW
Programs: DL Plat; HH Diamond; SPG & Hyatt Plat
Posts: 996
That said, compared to the others I've used, I've still had the best, most consistent experience with UPGRD, though I would give only four stars out of 5 for timely response (which can vary).
http://awardplanners.com/ seemed to be very responsive as well. Very nice website.
Last edited by b8b; Nov 25, 2013 at 8:16 pm
Nov 15, 2013, 7:35 pm
#194
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 38
I would appreciate if you add my site to the list of award booking services.
I run AwardAssist, an award booking service catering for both english and russian speaking customers.
Similar to the other sites, if we can't find what you are looking for there is no charge.
Thanks a lot.
I run AwardAssist, an award booking service catering for both english and russian speaking customers.
Similar to the other sites, if we can't find what you are looking for there is no charge.
Thanks a lot.