Burn

5️⃣ Award Travel Hacks That Airlines Don’t Want You to Know

Airlines make billions of dollars off travelers who don’t know how to maximize their points and miles. But savvy travelers can turn the tables and unlock luxury travel for a fraction of the cost. Here are 5 insider award travel hacks that airlines would rather keep secret.

5️⃣ Award Travel Hacks That Airlines Don’t Want You to Know
Award Travel can get you to the Grand Canyon (Horseshoe bend) for $5.6 and less than 10,000 miles, if not less. Read below 👇🏻 | 📸 By Thomas Wolf
audio-thumbnail
Always Turn Left: Award Travel Hacks Maximize Your Airline Miles
0:00
/798.48

1. Hidden City Ticketing: The Loophole Airlines Hate

Most airline pricing is based on demand, not distance. This means that a ticket from City A → City B → City C can sometimes be cheaper than a direct ticket from City A → City B. If you only need to get to City B, you can book the longer route and simply skip the second leg.

Websites like Skiplagged make it easy to find these hidden city fares. Travelers have saved hundreds of dollars using this method, sometimes booking flights for nearly half the price of a direct ticket.

🚨
Warning: Airlines don’t like this and may cancel your return ticket if they detect hidden city ticketing. To minimize risk, book one-way tickets separately and avoid linking them to your frequent flyer account.

Why Airlines Dislike It

Airlines rely on maximizing revenue per seat, and hidden city ticketing disrupts their pricing models. While not illegal, violating an airline's terms of service could result in penalties like losing frequent flyer miles or being banned from future flights.

2. The “Sweet Spot” Award Redemptions for Maximum Value

Not all miles are created equal. Some airline programs offer better redemption rates than others, especially on partner airlines. If you know where to look, you can book luxury travel at a fraction of the cost.

Best Sweet Spot Redemptions:

  • ANA (Japan) Mileage Club: Book round-trip business class to Europe for just 88,000 miles (vs. 120K+ with U.S. airlines).
  • Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: Fly U.S. to Hawaii for just 7,500 miles one-way on United.
  • Avianca LifeMiles: Often offers cheaper redemptions on Star Alliance partners than United’s own program.
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: Sometimes releases first-class and business-class seats exclusively to their own members rather than partner programs.
💡
Tip: Check foreign airline programs before booking through U.S. carriers—you might save thousands of miles.

How to Find These Deals

  • Use tools like AwardHacker or Point.Me to compare redemption rates across multiple programs.
  • Keep an eye on mileage promotions where airlines offer discounted award tickets for limited periods.
  • Or just retain UpNonStop to do it all for you 🙌🏻

3. Stopovers = Two Trips for the Price of One

Many airline programs offer free stopovers, meaning you can visit an extra city at no extra cost. This is one of the best ways to stretch your miles further.

Best Airlines for Free Stopovers:

  • Icelandair: Stop in Reykjavik for up to 7 days before continuing to Europe.
  • Turkish Airlines: Offers free stopovers in Istanbul, plus a complimentary hotel stay.
  • Singapore Airlines: Allows long layovers in Singapore, an ideal gateway to Asia.
  • Emirates: Offers extended stopovers in Dubai, often with discounted hotel rates.
💡
Strategy: If your itinerary allows, take advantage of these stopovers to explore an extra destination for free. Sometimes, booking a longer itinerary with a stopover is cheaper than a direct flight!

4. Award Seats Don’t Show Up? Use This Trick

One of the biggest frustrations with award travel is finding availability. Airlines don’t always display all available award seats on their websites, but there are ways around this.

How to Find Hidden Award Seats:

  • ExpertFlyer (paid): Sends alerts when award seats open up.
  • Point.Me and Seats.Aero: Scan multiple airline sites for hidden availability.
  • Use Partner Airlines: If you can’t find seats on American Airlines, check British Airways. If Delta isn’t showing flights, search Virgin Atlantic.
〰️
Pro Tip: Airlines release award seats in waves, often at midnight in their hub city’s time zone. Set alerts and check frequently to grab them before others do.

5. Earn Points Faster with Transfer Bonuses

Most people think earning miles is all about flying, but credit card rewards are actually the fastest way to accumulate points. Even better, transfer bonuses can multiply your miles instantly.

Best Ways to Supercharge Your Points:

  • Credit Card Welcome Bonuses: Many business owners qualify for multiple high-bonus cards.
  • Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One Miles: These points can be transferred to airline partners, often with a 20-50% bonus.
  • Strategic Spending Categories: Use the right cards for business expenses, dining, and travel to maximize earnings.
  • Buying Miles on Sale: Some programs offer discounted miles, making it cheaper to buy miles than pay for a ticket.
🧠
Example: If American Express offers a 30% transfer bonus to British Airways, you can book business class from the U.S. to Europe for as little as 50,000 Amex points instead of 65,000.

Final Thoughts

Airlines design loyalty programs to benefit themselves, but by using these five award travel hacks, you can flip the script and unlock first-class flights, luxury hotels, and free stopovers without spending a fortune.

Whether you're a frequent flyer, a business owner looking to maximize rewards, or just someone who loves to travel smart, these strategies will help you get maximum value from your points and miles.

Have any travel hacks of your own? Share them in the comments below! #HappyTravels! ✈️

Read more