Using travel points and frequent flyer miles to book flights is one of the most rewarding aspects of travel hacking. Whether you’ve earned them through credit card spending, airline loyalty, or promotions, those points can mean free or deeply discounted airfare. But how do you actually use them efficiently? Here’s a step-by-step guide to booking flights with travel points and miles in 2025.
1. Understand the Types of Points
- Airline Miles: Earned through flying or affiliated programs (e.g., Emirates Skywards, Qatar Privilege Club).
- Credit Card Points: Transferable points from cards like Amex, Chase, or Citi.
- Hotel Points: Sometimes convertible into airline miles (e.g., Marriott Bonvoy to United Airlines).
2. Find Award Availability First
Before transferring your points or planning a trip, check if award seats are available. Use the airline’s official site or partner sites. For example:
- Qatar Airways for OneWorld searches
- FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM) for SkyTeam
- United MileagePlus for Star Alliance
3. Know Transfer Ratios & Timing
If using credit card points, be aware of transfer ratios (e.g., 1:1 or 2:1.5) and transfer times. Some transfers are instant, while others take hours or days—which could cause you to lose the seat.
4. Use Tools to Compare Award Charts
Airlines use either a fixed award chart or dynamic pricing. Use tools like:
- AwardHacker – Find cheapest mileage options by route
- Point.me – Paid tool to compare award flights instantly
5. Avoid Fees & Surcharges
Some redemptions come with high fuel surcharges. For example, using British Airways Avios may cost more than Turkish Miles&Smiles for the same route. Always compare before booking.
6. Mix Points + Cash When Necessary
Don’t have enough points? Many programs let you do a points + cash redemption. You still save a lot and make use of your balance.
7. Book Through Aggregators to Stack Rewards
Use platforms like TravellTrade to compare paid and reward-based flights side-by-side. Some portals even let you earn cashback or additional card points on flight bookings.
Conclusion
Travel points and airline miles are powerful tools for reducing your travel costs—if you use them wisely. Plan ahead, understand the programs, and take advantage of loyalty partnerships. And remember: even when using points, it pays to compare flight prices and routes using aggregators like TravellTrade to get the most value from your journey.
