Are you looking for a better way to search for award flights? You are in luck. Out of all of the tools I’ve used, my number one option for speed and simplicity is SkyRewards. It is easy for a beginner to use, fast and powerful, and has a free version that already provides quite a bit of value.
What is SkyRewards?
SkyRewards is a real-time search engine for award flights. It searches dozens of airlines and loyalty programs and tells you exactly how many miles or points you’ll need to spend, as well as what credit card or loyalty program is best to use to get the most points or miles. SkyRewards even encompasses a hotel awards search, allowing you to plan a complete trip all in one place.
Reasons to Use SkyRewards?
Here is why I believe SkyRewards is the best:
Instant Searches: We show results nearly immediately. You don’t want to wait 30 seconds, let alone minutes to see if there is award availability.
Real Data: No need to guess anything. You see award availability for the vast majority of airlines that you can actually book.
User-Friendly Interface: No messy, confusing jargon. It’s clean, straightforward, and easy to use which is great for anyone new to redeeming points.
Free Option: The free plan is great; there are paid plans if you want a few extra bells and whistles.
Support for Transferable Points: We’re fully compatible with the most popular flexible points programs like Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, and others.
Multiple Cabin Classes: We allow you to search economy, premium economy, business and first with ease.
Excellent Filters: You have many options to filter results, including by alliances, number of stops, desired departure times and more.
Alerts: You have the ability to set up alerts so anytime new award seats open for any program or whenever points drop, you will know.
Explore-First “Dream Trip” Feature: Not sure where you want to go? Put in your home airport and budget, and SkyRewards will show you all of the possibilities for where you can go from your chosen airport with the available points.
Distinguishing Characteristics of SkyRewards Compared to Other Tools
SkyRewards ranks above other award flight search tools because of its speed, capability and ease of use. Here are the differentiators:
Feature Why It Matters
Multi-date window option You can see multiple departure dates at a glance, which can highlight the cheapest or best dates for departure.
Flexible origin/destination airports If you’re willing to drive a bit or fly out of another larger hub, you will more easily find availability.
Track different loyalty programs You can see where you might get the best value with transferring points.
Comprehensive explanation of award cost Clarifies taxes, fees, surcharges amount; program redemption rates; transfer bonuses to earn redeemable points.
To demonstrate a live example, I ran a search from Nairobi (NBO) to London (LHR). Here is what I received from SkyRewards in less than 20 seconds.
A handful of direct economy and business class options from different airlines with different point costs.
Recommendations for what credit card loyalty programs to transfer points from.
Filter options that allow you to exclude red-eyes, limit 1 stop or 2 at the most, and show only direct flights.
Alert options to notify you if the business award class goes down.
There is no question from the example above: if you know how to use your points properly, you will save a lot…money and time too!
Pricing Structure: Free vs Premium
If you’re questioning whether the free version is sufficient, it is adequate for the casual user. However, here’s what you’ll receive if you become a subscriber:
Tier Key Features
Free Unlimited basic searches, single origination/destination, limited active alerts, basic filtering.
Premium Extended search windows (up to ±7 days), multiple origination/destination airports, increased active alerts, better filtering (e.g. cabin quality, stop duration), and early access to any discounts or deals that crop up.
Final Thoughts: Is SkyRewards For You?
If you’re in the market for a tool that makes researching award travel more accessible, I think it’s definitely worth testing SkyRewards. It:
- Removes much of the guess-work of points travel.
- Saves you all that time you would have otherwise spent bouncing between airline sites.
- Gets you the most value from your transferable rewards program.
Even if you stick with the free version, you will likely find award flights that are better than you would have been able to find on your own. And if you’re a frequent traveler or are looking for higher-class tickets, the upgrade may well pay for itself.
