How to Use Points and Miles for Booking Travel

How to Use Points and Miles for Booking Travel

I often get asked by friends and readers, "Is there a way to use miles and points to book tickets?" While I can't help with direct bookings, I can share some reputable services that I’ve tried and want to recommend to you.

Cranky Concierge

One of my favorite services is Cranky Concierge. Founded by Brett Snyder, this service started with the goal of using points and miles to book dream trips and has now evolved into a comprehensive travel agency. I once enlisted Cranky Concierge for a special trip, and they helped me secure IHG One Rewards points to book a stay at the Six Senses Shaharut in Israel, even though the hotel initially claimed I didn’t qualify.

The cost for booking a round-trip flight using miles through Cranky Concierge is $275, while cash bookings start at just $95. A friend of mine, Benét Wilson, has used this service multiple times and is completely satisfied with it. She spent around $375 for a trip to Bali and $225 for a journey to India.

Point.me

Point.me is another service that many people in the TPG community have used. They offer a highly efficient rewards point search tool, along with concierge services. Notably, Point.me has partnered with other services like Juicy Miles to help secure valuable reward tickets. The full service fee for Point.me is $200 for booking with miles.

Personally, I have used Point.me to find some excellent flights, although I haven’t yet had the chance to try out their planning feature. Tiffany Funk, co-founder of Point.me, mentions that their team has years of experience and can provide the best suggestions for your travels.

JetBetter

Former TPG contributor Juan Ruiz now runs JetBetter, a service specializing in booking tickets with reward points. One-way tickets start at just $150, or $250 for round trips. JetBetter can also assist with complete travel arrangements for those who don’t have points or miles.

Juan shares that there are plenty of reward ticket spaces available if you know how to search correctly. I find this service incredibly helpful for those who lack the time to search but still want to use points for quality flights.

Travel on Point(s)

Travel on Point(s) is a popular blog and Facebook group that also offers booking services. Their fees start at around $100 but can escalate quickly. They advise being ready to book as soon as you receive search results, as reward tickets often don’t last long. If they can’t find a suitable ticket, they will refund your payment minus a non-refundable search fee.

10xTravel

10xTravel also assists with searching for awards, and many TPG users have praised this service. You simply fill out an online form and wait for them to get back to you. However, they charge a non-refundable fee of $50 to initiate the search, which can be a bit frustrating.

The cost for a round-trip flight using points can go up to $200, not including service fees. If you’re not confident in finding reward tickets on your own, this could be a good option. But keep in mind that costs can quickly rise if you’re traveling with family.

Final Thoughts

The TPG community truly offers a wealth of options for those looking to maximize their points and miles. Each service has its own pros and cons, but it’s essential to experiment and find the one that best suits your needs. I genuinely believe these services are worth the investment, especially for travel enthusiasts who don’t want to spend too much time searching.