What’s the easiest way to book flights with miles?
33% God Save the Points
17% Points with a Crew
17% Point Me to the Plane
33% Other
Booking flights with miles is simplest when you use a program that lets you transfer points instantly, search and reserve seats online, and even book for other travelers without extra fees.
Programs that make online award booking easy
- Air Canada Aeroplan – points transfer instantly from major credit‑card partners, you can search and book online without logging in, and you can add a 5,000‑mile stopover directly in the booking flow. It also lets you book tickets for anyone, not just the account holder FrequentMiler .
- American Airlines, Alaska, and other U.S. carriers – these programs allow quick online searches and bookings, with the same straightforward steps (search, select dates, choose flight, pay taxes/fees) God Save the Points God Save the Points .
- Many airlines (e.g., Air France, KLM, Delta, United, etc.) let you place another person’s name on the ticket at no extra cost, giving you flexibility to use your miles for friends or family Miles to Memories .
Quick step‑by‑step method
- Transfer points to the chosen frequent‑flyer program (e.g., from Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One, or Marriott to Aeroplan) – the transfer is instantaneous FrequentMiler .
- Search for award availability online using the airline’s website or a partner search tool; most of the programs above let you do this without logging in first FrequentMiler God Save the Points .
- Select your desired flight and add any stopovers (Aeroplan allows a 5,000‑mile stopover when booking online) FrequentMiler .
- Enter the traveler’s details – you can book for anyone if the program supports it Miles to Memories .
- Pay the required taxes and fees to finalize the reservation God Save the Points God Save the Points .
Tips for maximizing ease
- Stick to direct online bookings rather than phone calls, as the online tools are usually faster and avoid long hold times God Save the Points Point Me to the Plane .
- Avoid converting miles to cash, gift cards, or merchandise, since redeeming for actual flights gives the best value Points with a Crew .
- Choose programs with instant point transfers and online booking for others to minimize hassle and make the whole process as smooth as possible FrequentMiler Miles to Memories .
By picking a program like Air Canada Aeroplan—or any of the U.S. carriers that support straightforward online award reservations—and following the simple steps above, you can book flights with miles quickly and with minimal effort.
The easy foreign airline frequent flyer programs you should be using
On Monday, I published a post arguing that a popular transferable currency is relying too much on a single domestic hotel transfer partner. In the spirited response in the comments, a few people mentioned valuing familiar domestic frequent flyer miles over foreign programs. It was implied by some that domestic programs like United MileagePlus are easy to use and that foreign programs involve difficult hoops to jump through. While there certainly are some foreign carriers that make redemptions particularly challenging (which I’d argue isn’t always a bad thing as the sweet spots that require more effort are often more available!),
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