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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
The best points and miles to use for last-minute award flights
Nick Ewen is TPG's editor-in-chief and helps readers leverage credit cards (he has more than 25 of them) and loyalty programs to travel more for less. He's been at TPG for over 11 years.
Ben Smithson is a senior writer for TPG and is based in London. Originally from Australia and a qualified lawyer with a financial services background, he has almost a decade of experience writing about a broad range of travel and loyalty topics.
also contributed to this story
September 16, 2024 • 7 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
Booking last-minute flights can be stressful due to high prices and limited availability, but using points and miles strategically may help offset costs.
Travelers can redeem points through travel portals or transfer them to airline loyalty programs for greater flexibility and potentially better value.
Some loyalty programs, such as those from Air Canada, British Airways and Delta, offer instant point transfers and do not impose close-in booking fees, making them ideal for urgent bookings.
Tools and websites can simplify the search for last-minute award availability, especially for international flights.
What to consider
Transfer times for points vary by program, so instant transfers are especially valuable in urgent situations.
Certain airlines may charge additional fees for last-minute award bookings, and redemption rates can increase closer to departure.
Not all loyalty programs or transfer partners allow online bookings for every airline, which can be inconvenient during emergencies.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of top loyalty programs and step-by-step guidance for booking last-minute award flights efficiently.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Whether you’re faced with unexpected travel plans or prefer the flexibility of booking closer to departure, booking last-minute flights can be challenging, especially when coping with high flight prices and limited availability.
In an emergency, the last thing you want is to have to jump through hoops to secure the flights you need to take urgently.
However, you can maximize your points and miles with the right strategy and perhaps even dodge overinflated prices. Here’s what you need to know.
Book last-minute flights through a credit card travel portal
MASKOT/GETTY IMAGES
You may be stressed and hurried if you book last-minute award flights due to an emergency or other urgent need. Here, speed is of the essence. You may want to redeem miles from one of your go-to airline loyalty programs, even if doing so won’t provide the best redemption rate.
For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth up to 2 cents apiece redeemed for flights through Chase Travel℠ for Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) cardholders and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees), depending on the card and the specific redemption (see your rewards program agreement for full details).
Alternatively, Capital One miles can be a great option if prices for paid flights are affordable and you’re looking for a simple redemption. If you have the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you redeem miles for eligible travel purchases at a fixed value of 1 cent per mile through the Capital One Travel portal. Additionally, you can just use your Venture or Venture X when booking through an airline or hotel website and then request a statement credit from Capital One within 90 days to offset the travel expense.
Six major credit card programs offer great flexibility when redeeming rewards, as their points can be transferred to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
This is why we recommend travelers earn transferable points. Here are the most popular transferable point programs:
You can choose from numerous airline loyalty programs when transferring your points among these transferable currencies. This means you won’t be restricted to only booking through a single airline, allowing you the flexibility to transfer your points to a program with available flights and reasonable award rates.
Additionally, some airlines charge added fees for last-minute bookings, making them less attractive when redeeming award tickets days or hours before a flight.
Best loyalty programs for booking last-minute award flights
If booking a last-minute domestic award, here are some of our favorite loyalty programs for last-minute award flights within the U.S.
Air Canada Aeroplan
KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Air Canada Aeroplan can be an excellent choice if you want to redeem for a United-operated flight.
Aeroplan provides good value, particularly for last-minute bookings, and does not impose close-in booking fees on award tickets.
You can book economy flights on United Airlines within the continental U.S. and Canada from just 6,000 Aeroplan points for flights up to 500 miles in length, such as from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to many Northeastern destinations.
Transfers from American Express, Bilt, Capital One and Chase to Aeroplan are generally processed instantly.
British Airways Executive Club
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
British Airways is a solid choice for redeeming awards thanks to its distance-based award chart. Booking through British Airways Executive Club may lead to lower rates for flights operated by American and Alaska than booking directly with American or Alaska. Though BA increased the cost for American and Alaska domestic award redemptions in July, it's still worth checking availability to compare prices.
British Airways is especially appealing for speedy last-minute redemptions because point transfers from American Express, Bilt, Capital One, Chase and Wells Fargo generally process instantly, and redemptions can be booked online.
While Finnair Plus has lower rates, especially for shorter domestic flights (and you can transfer Avios from BA to Finnair at a 1:1 rate), Finnair Plus only partners with one credit card currency (Capital One miles), and American and Alaska flights cannot be booked online. Therefore, needing to call to book these flights is unlikely to be convenient in an emergency.
However, if you do have the time for these extra steps, you can save Avios through Finnair Plus.
Delta SkyMiles is a reliable option for booking last-minute award tickets. It’s easy to earn Delta miles by transferring American Express Membership Rewards points to Delta. You must pay an excise tax to transfer Membership Rewards points to Delta, but the transfer usually occurs instantly. This means you don’t have to worry about award availability disappearing as you wait for miles to arrive in your account.
Another significant advantage of booking award tickets with Delta is the absence of last-minute ticketing fees. Even if you redeem Delta SkyMiles for a flight on the day of departure, you only need to pay the regular taxes and fees associated with award tickets.
However, Delta often increases award rates closer to departure, which can be like a de facto close-in fee. Unfortunately, domestic Delta flights booked with Air France-KLM's Flying Blue miles or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points are rarely available.
Southwest and JetBlue
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Southwest and JetBlue don’t impose close-in fees for award bookings. However, both airlines have redemption rates linked to ticket prices at a somewhat fixed rate. In some cases, booking a paid fare with a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card might be more beneficial, as you can redeem Capital One miles to offset recent travel expenses.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred instantly to Southwest and JetBlue at a 1:1 ratio if you prefer to pay with points. JetBlue is also an instant transfer partner of Chase, Citi and American Express. However, Amex points transfer to JetBlue at a 1.25:1 ratio compared to Chase and Citi, which transfer 1:1.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
