The tool that found me multiple surprise flight credits worth $173 this week
Multiple times this past week, I received a very exciting notification in my inbox: I'd earned a future flight credit ... with almost no work on my part.
Here's why that happened and how you can get in on it, too.
First, some background on why this matters now more than ever. It's no secret that airfare prices are up in large part due to higher fuel costs.
Because of that, my usual advice on when to book flights has shifted a bit. These days, if I know I'm taking a trip and the fare is even remotely reasonable, I usually go ahead and book it — even if it's too far in advance or a little more expensive than I'd prefer.
The upside of doing this is peace of mind. If prices keep climbing, at least my trip is secured. But traditionally, the downside to booking early is obvious: You risk overpaying if fares later drop.
This is becoming less of a risk, though, thanks to a growing number of fare-tracking tools that automatically monitor bookings after purchase. These tools track flights you've already booked and secure a future flight credit if the price drops.
I've been using a service called Junova to monitor the prices of several of my upcoming summer flights for a little while now. However, thanks to the general upward trend in airfare, none of the trips I had booked and forwarded to Junova had dropped in price ... until this week.
Recently, I started receiving some exciting notices about future flight credits.
At first, I was honestly confused because the credit notification from United arrived before the notification from Junova did.
But in the background, Junova had been monitoring the fare the whole time. Every time the price dipped below what I originally paid, I automatically received another future flight credit.
After I received the flight credits, my seat selections were still there, and nothing discernible had changed about the flights at all — except for the fact that I received future flight credits to put toward my next booking.
There's no fee to try Junova as it only charges you if it finds savings for your flight. If it finds savings, then it charges a fee to your credit card equal to 20% of your savings. However, new users can get a $25 credit, meaning your first $125 in savings shouldn't cost you anything thanks to that referral credit.
In a world where airfare feels increasingly unpredictable, tools like this can help take some of the sting out of booking early.
If prices rise, you're protected because you already locked in your fare. And if prices fall? You may end up with a future flight credit without lifting a finger.
Frequently asked questions about using Junova to track your booked flights
Junova currently works with the major U.S. airlines: United, Delta, American, Alaska and Southwest.
It does not work with basic economy fares due to restrictions with those fares and it does not currently work with fares booked with miles, though the website says it may in the future.
If you booked a non-refundable fare, you'll get a future flight credit if the price drops. However, if you booked a refundable fare, you should be able to get a cash refund on the price drop.
Your confirmation number, seat assignments, etc. should all stay exactly the same.