How far in advance are award tickets bookable
The best time to book award seats is when they are released by airlines at the beginning of their calendar. There [...]
Virgin Atlantic
Tap Air Portugal
Swiss
Singapore Airlines
Lufthansa
KLM
Iberia
Finnair
Etihad Airways
Emirates
Delta
Cathay Pacific
British Airways
Alitalia
Air France
Aegean Airlines
The moment best to reserve award seats is when they are issued by the airlines at the beginning of their calendar.
In this article:
There are many aspects to redeeming miles efficiently. In addition to knowing which programs have the best rates, it also makes sense to understand how you can actually get the available award seats.
It is therefore important to understand When airlines open award seats. In the table below, find the main frequent flyer programs and how far in advance you can book them.
Major loyalty programs
| Loyalty program | Putting in for sale |
| Aegean Miles+Bonus | 362 gg |
| Air France KLM Flying Blue | 359 gg |
| American AAdvantage | 331 gg |
| British Airways Executive Club | 355 gg |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 360 gg |
| Delta SkyMiles | 331 gg |
| Emirates Skywards | 328 gg |
| Etihad Guest | 330 gg |
| Finnair Plus | 330 gg |
| Iberia Plus | 330 gg |
| Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | 330 gg |
| Korean Air SkyPass | 361 gg |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | 360 gg |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 361 gg |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 355 gg |
| Swiss miles | 300 B/F 330 E |
| TAP Miles | 360 gg |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 331 gg |
What time are tickets published?
As with major concert tickets, it is essential to know the date and time when you will be able to book them. The answer unfortunately does not exist, or rather, varies from vector to vector. If we talk about the award seats with Alitalia Millemiles, we need to remember two specific times: the call center opens at 9 a.m., but tickets are made available on the website around 6 a.m.
Do award seats increase as the flight approaches?
The answer again is. depends on the vector. There are some airlines that periodically release additional seats depending on demand and the fill rate of the plane, also if an award ticket is canceled the seat is available again.
Many airlines open award spaces at the last minute, usually within 14 days of departure, a way to fill unsold space. The carriers that use this last-minute strategy the most are: all Lufthansa Group airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Cathay and a few others.
Can all seats also be booked through partners?
The answer is no. If you want to book first class, you generally have to use airline points and miles. In some cases, like with Air France's La Premiere, you have to not only have Flying Blue miles, but also be Gold level in the loyalty program. In contrast, Lufthansa only releases first class award seats to partners two weeks before flight departure, as in if you are a Miles & More member you get first dibs, otherwise you get what's left over (if any).
Also keep in mind that the timeline for making seats available between partners is different, which means that if you want to book an award ticket with Air France using Alitalia miles, the timing might be different if you book directly with FlyingBlue points.
How to choose and find award tickets
We have talked about many tools designed to help find award places, create the best itineraries and choose the most convenient solutions. Definitely Seatspy is the simplest to use, but it is not yet complete. ExpertFlyer is the most comprehensive, but it is also the most complex for those who are not very experienced. In any case, on our website you will find all the information that can guide you in your search for the perfect prize ticket.
