Here’s an unfortunate truth: you very likely could pay 40,000 more points than you need to on a flight — and not even realize it.
One of the biggest mistakes people often make is booking directly through the airline they’re flying. Most travelers assume that if they’re flying United Airways, they should book through United. Flying Delta? Use SkyMiles. Simple, right?
But the exact same seat on the exact same flight can sometimes cost way fewer points when you go through a booking partner. We’re talking about differences like 7,500 points versus 40,000-plus points for the same plane, same departure time and same seat.
Most people don’t think to check these, but here are the go-to award booking partners for the “Big Three.”
Flying United?This partner used to reliably have lower award rates. These days, it’s hit or miss, but you can still find better rates for international business class.
Delta Air Lines? Award rates may be cheaper with this partner. (Or even this one).
American Airlines? You can uncover surprising sweet spots through this partner — a rare case where it’s a fellow U.S. airline.
Here’s the big thing: you don’t need to be a points expert to take advantage of these deals. Many of these programs are transfer partners with major credit card rewards programs, which means you may already have access to these cheaper flights with points you have now.
And while award pricing may have become a bit more complicated over the years, the tools for finding good deals have improved, too.
Want to know more about finding the best award rates? Check out these articles.
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