Your Essential Guide to Booking Reward Seats

Your essential guide to booking reward seats with frequent flyer points

Flying Business or First Class on points is the ultimate way to experience the world without breaking the bank. But let’s face it, snagging those coveted reward seats isn’t always as easy as it sounds.

We believe that booking a reward seat isn’t just about luck; it’s a blend of preparation, timing, and the right strategy. By adhering to some best practices, you can significantly increase your chances of securing those elusive reward seats and be well on your way to the trip of your dreams.

1. Book early, book smart

The biggest key to booking reward seats is to plan ahead. These seats are in high demand, particularly on popular routes, so the earlier you lock in your travel dates, the better. Most airlines release reward seats approximately 11.5 months before the departure date. Familiarising yourself with airline reward seat availability dates will give you the upper hand that could make all the difference.

2. Explore unconventional routes

While major cities are often the primary destinations for travellers, we recommend flying into lesser-known cities. These destinations often provide more opportunities to secure reward seats, especially on less frequently travelled routes. This approach can also add a unique dimension to your journey and open you up to locations you may not have considered exploring.

3. Expand your options

With the limited reward seat availability in premium cabins, it can be rare to find more than four seats available on popular flights. Expanding your airline loyalty programs, instead of being tied to a single frequent flyer program will diversify your opportunities.

By earning PayRewards Points on your business expenses, you gain the flexibility to seamlessly transfer those points to any of our leading airline partners when making a booking. This can give you the best chance at scoring your perfect reward seat by having increased options.

4. Embrace flexibility in travel dates

Being flexible in your travel dates will give you a better shot at securing reward seats. Airlines tend to have increased availability during off-peak times when fewer people are travelling. These periods typically include weekdays, early mornings, late evenings and shoulder seasons. By adjusting your travel plans to accommodate these off-peak times, you’ll increase your chances of finding available reward seats.

5. Engage our PayTravel team

Our PayTravel team are experts in reward seat bookings and make the points redemption process as effortless for you as possible. Backed by industry-leading technology, we help you find the reward seats that others can’t and give you a value-driven experience, so that you can bring your travel dreams to life for less.

Written by Kylah Francis

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About the author

Kylah is a Marketing Specialist and author at au.multisite.content.varklin.com, where she is passionate about helping business owners unlock the full potential of their points. With a deep interest in travel herself, and a flair for content creation, Kylah combines her expertise to provide valuable insights, guiding readers to maximise the value of their points and achieve their goals through rewards education.