Awayz: A Complete Guide to Optimizing Your Reservations

Here is our guide and review of Awayz which launched its Canadian platform in October 2023.

Awayz – The Ultimate Hotel Booking Companion

Awayz has carved out a place for itself in the crowded world of hotel booking platforms. What sets it apart from sites like Hotels.com, Booking.com, Expedia.ca, Agoda.ca, etc., is its unique ability to let people compare hotel costs in cash and loyalty points.

This ensures that every traveller gets the best value for money, or points, as the case may be. Currently, Awayz supports a range of major hotel chains, including key players such as Accor, Choice Hotels, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott and Wyndham. And the good news is that other brands will soon be joining this list.

The question of whether to pay in points or in cash depends on several factors.

For example, with the Marriott Bonvoy program, we can get the fifth night free when we pay in points, which is not the case with cash bookings.

Awayz allows us to quickly compare our different options with an overview so we can make a more informed decision on how to spend our precious points.

Next, Awayz makes it easy for us to see availability in points for the next 12 months, so we don’t have to search date by date.

Additionally, you can save your hotel points bank and the points balance from transferable programs, such as American Express Membership Rewards, in your Awayz account. With its map tool, you can visualize all the ways to book, whether through Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt, Accor, Choice Hotels, IHG, or Wyndham. As a result, you can save time, since you don’t have to search, by trial and error, on each program’s website.

Finally, like all good premium search tools, Awayz allows you to create alerts to notify you when availability becomes available at a specific hotel. Awayz is a tool for hotels, just as Roame, AwardFares, Point.me and Seats.aero are for flights.

Awayz – Flight Search Function in Points

Awayz offers a feature that lets you search for flights bookable with points, cash or a combination of both. To access it, simply click on the airplane icon at the top left of the screen. By default, the tool opens with a hotel search, which is its main function.

To carry out a search, simply enter your departure airport, dates and preferences (one-way or round-trip, class of service, number of passengers, payment combination) in the fields provided.

Please note that the tool does not allow you to search by region, such as” Montreal to anywhere in Europe”. However, it is possible to enter a grouped airport code (e.g. PAR to include all Paris airports).

In “cash & miles” mode, which combines results in cash and points, users can easily sort results to evaluate the best option. For example, a one-way ticket between Montreal and Paris might be displayed at $588, sorted by the lowest cash price.

Standard filters are available on the left-hand side of the screen, allowing you to select airlines, schedules, stopovers, duration, aircraft, and price ranges in cash or points.

Comparing Awayz results with those of Google Flights, prices generally match for many airlines. However, some disparities are noticeable, particularly for Air Canada flights. For example, a flight listed at around $1,200 on Awayz was available for $476 on Google Flights and on the Air Canada website. It is therefore advisable to always validate prices with other tools such as Google Flights or directly on airline websites.

As far as points searches are concerned, the results obtained with Awayz correspond to the prices on the official loyalty program websites for the programs supported.

Limitations

Currently, Awayz supports four major frequent flyer programs: AAdvantage, Alaska Mileage Plan, Flying Blue and United MileagePlus. For Canadian users, this may represent a significant limitation, as major programs such as Aeroplan are not yet available. Air Canada flights appear in the tool via United MileagePlus, but not with Aeroplan specific awards. Although Aeroplan was announced as a supported program at the launch of this feature, it is not yet integrated as of January 2025.

Other limitations include the impossibility of flexible or extended searches, and the absence of features such as price alerts, which are commonplace with competitors.

Awayz – The Different Pricing Levels

Awayz offers a tiered pricing system to meet the varied needs of its users.

• Free level: Ideal for occasional travellers, offering five flight and hotel searches and alerts.
• Trip Pass: For those planning a major trip, it offers 15 flight searches and 50 hotel searches over three days for CAD$5.99.
• Premium Membership: suitable for frequent travellers, it offers 50 flight searches and 250 hotel searches, twenty alerts and exclusive hotel offer summaries for CAD 14.99 per month or a reduced annual price of CAD 149.99.
• Personalized: For people who need to make more than 50 flight searches and 250 hotel searches.

The free level is perfect for people who want to get a feel for the Awayz tool, with five searches and the ability to create availability alerts.

However, if you have a specific project or objective in mind, it would be wise to opt for a Trip Pass, especially if you’re ready to book your reservations. Indeed, if you already have a points balance and want to save time while optimizing your hotel booking process, Awayz offers a very generous deal of 50 searches over a 3-day period.

For example, if you’re planning a family vacation to Portugal next summer, you can do all your hotel research and choose the best establishment and the most advantageous booking method for each stage of your itinerary.

It’s a great way to use Awayz effectively to maximize the value of your hard-earned points or cash. Plus, the Travel Pass allows you to include the use of a free night certificate in your search results or program-specific discounts such as the fifth night free when paying with Marriott Bonvoy points.

For those who make several trips a year, or who often look for cheap getaways, the Premium package from Awayz is a must for saving on hotel reservations. With up to 250 searches allowed per month and the ability to create multiple availability alerts at the same time, this Awayz package is particularly interesting for finding space in certain hotels where points rooms are more limited.

Then, an exclusive privilege comes with the Premium package; you can receive a weekly summary (via a newsletter) of the best deals that can be booked with points like this:

Awayz – The Card and Rewards Wallet

Awayz allows you to make personalized searches, as you can add the credit cards and hotel loyalty programs you have under “My Wallet” and “My Awards” respectively. We advise you to enter your information before you start your search and to keep it up to date. This way, you can filter the results according to what you are able to book. Awayz also takes into account current transfer promotions.

This is particularly appealing with the numerous Membership Rewards credit cards in Canada, as points can be transferred to Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors, or alternatively used as a statement credit to offset any travel purchase.

Awayz will analyze the different options for you and not only give you the best loyalty program for your hotel reservation, but also advise you whether it’s more advantageous to pay in cash with your credit card and use the points to reimburse the expense rather than transferring them.

Awayz – Supported Canadian Credit Cards

You don’t need to enter your credit card details into your Awayz wallet; simply specify the cards you have, and it will be enough to uncover the most cost-effective ways to book your accommodation with points.

The following credit cards are supported by the Canadian Awayz platform:

Awayz – Supported U.S. Credit Cards

As a Canadian, you can also obtain U.S. credit cards and add them to your Awayz wallet.

Awayz – Supported Loyalty Programs

The following rewards programs are available on the Canadian Awayz platform:

• American Express Membership Rewards Canada
• Capital One Rewards
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Hilton Honors
• HSBC Rewards
• IHG One Rewards
• Wyndham Rewards
• Marriott Bonvoy
• RBC Avion
• World of Hyatt

Awayz – Navigate the Search Platform

Searching on Awayz is child’s play, thanks to its user-friendly interface. Users can quickly make comparisons between different hotel chains, ensuring they make an informed choice. The platform also has advanced features, such as the inclusion of free night certificates and searches for specific loyalty programs in the results.

And the icing on the cake? The unique Awayz algorithm, which immediately highlights the most profitable booking option, is aptly named the “Best Value Indicator”.

Awayz Search Filters

Like any other search tool, you need to start by entering basic information such as where you want to book your hotel and the dates of your stay. It’s worth noting that it’s not currently possible to modify the number of guests, but this feature should be coming soon.

Under the “All Hotels” tab, you can check off the chains that are relevant to you and Awayz will show you the results according to your selection.

Then, you have the opportunity to select one or more transfer partners.

With the more advanced search filters, you can choose to consider the use of free night certificates in the search results under the “free night certificate” tab. The eligible certificates are:

• Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate
• Hilton Honors free night certificate
• Hyatt free night certificate
• IHG free night certificate

What’s more, you can check the maximum number of points for your certificate.

For example, certificates accompanying the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card and Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^® Business Card can be redeemed for rooms costing less than 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. However, you can also combine the use of these certificates with points to book a night costing up to 50,000 points. So, with Awayz advanced filters, you can select the first three options and quickly see where this will be possible.

Finally, you have the option of choosing a points transfer programs and can filter the results to see only what you are able to book.

Once the results are in, you can see the best way to book your stay with the “Best Value” indicator, or the best value above the most profitable option.

For example, for our getaway at the Moxy Lisbon City in Lisbon, it’s best to pay in cash according to Awayz even when you consider that the fifth night is free when you pay in points.

In fact, according to Milesopedia’s valuation estimate, we’re not getting our target value for our points.

Don’t forget that when Awayz tells us it’s a good idea to pay in cash, that doesn’t mean we can’t use points to help us save. On the contrary, when we pay in cash, there are a multitude of rewards programs that help absorb costs, such as CIBC Aventura Points, Scene+, NBC Rewards, etc., to name just a few.

When doing further research for a trip to the Maldives, we can quickly see that it’s best to pay in points if you want to stay at Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa with a “Best Value” rating.

I also cross-checked the results reported by Awayz with the Marriott website; as you can see here, you can book Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa for 179,000 Marriott Bonvoy points on the same dates.

Once you’ve chosen the accommodation that’s right for you, Awayz will present you with a summary of the different options again with more details. You can also set up an alert to be notified of availability (top right) or to see the calendar of unoccupied rooms for that hotel.

Awayz does not take into account the 5X points multiplier you can earn by paying in cash with your Marriott Bonvoy credit cards or ongoing program promotions, such as double elite nights towards status, for example.

So it’s something to keep in mind when using the tool. Nevertheless, Awayz is excellent at presenting us with numerous options for booking hotels at lower cost.

However, real-time transfer promotions should be integrated shortly.

Calendar Functionality for Smart Planning

The Awayz Calendar feature allows you to easily spot days with lower points pricing, which is particularly useful for luxury properties. If I go back to my example with Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa, I can quickly visualize the dates when it would cost me less in points or money.

If you have some flexibility, Awayz can save you a lot of money! In fact, you can scroll through the calendar to quickly find the days when your hotel is the least expensive.

When combined Awayz with premium flight search tools like Point.me, Seats.aero or ExpertFlyer, you’ve got the winning formula for a low-cost vacation!

In the event of no availability, bonus or cash, you will see N/A.

Reward Availability Alerts for Proactive Planning

You can also set up alerts under “Availability Alert” in the top right-hand corner for specific dates if your desired hotel has no availability in points with Awayz no matter which subscription you have.

For example, at the time of writing, the JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa is not available for August 2024.

This function is also very useful for establishments where availability is very scarce (both in points and in cash), such as the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge.

I searched for a room at this property for a long time, and thanks to Awayz, I was quickly able to see that many dates were marked as fully booked using the calendar. So I set myself an alert to stay on the lookout.

You can create up to 10 alerts with the Awayz Premium package.

Then you can clearly see whether the hotel is available or not, and manage, modify and remove your alerts in the “Preferences” section for a tailor-made experience.

Then, when a room becomes available, Awayz will send you an e-mail. Also, a window will appear when you log in to your account to notify you.

Awayz Map Functionality to Visualize Your Stay

With the Awayz map, it’s possible to view hotel locations in any city with a color-coordinated map corresponding to hotel chains. Don’t forget that you can select only those you’re interested in; this will lighten your analysis task.

This is ideal for travellers wishing to stay in a specific part of a city, allowing them to see the options available and refine their search. For example, for a family vacation in San Diego, you can quickly target available hotels near the famous San Diego Zoo and click on an establishment to view more details.

My Review of Awayz for Saving on Hotels

I find Awayz is an excellent tool for saving money on hotel reservations, whether you pay with points or cash. I particularly like the fact that I can view hotels from several chains on the same results page, as I can save a lot of time compared to what I was doing before, i.e. searching on each respective site. Also, the availability calendar is a key feature of the platform.

Awayz adds an extra touch with its “Best Value” indicator, which helps us make an informed decision; this question often comes up in our community! Since I discovered this tool, I’ve been using it constantly to find the best hotel deals!

Awayz is in a state of continuous development, so there are bound to be a number of elements that can be added to this already excellent product. In fact, I’d particularly like to see the integration of special codes and rates into their search engine; for example, the rate for a government or military employee will be lower than the standard price. As a result, with the option of displaying these rates, the results will be even more personalized and better reflect the user’s reality.

Finally, it would be great to be able to add children when entering the basic room information. Travelling with young children, I prefer not to be disappointed by finding out that the hotel doesn’t accept children under a certain age after discovering availability and an affordable price. Similarly, large families will be delighted to see all the choices available to them, as not all establishments or room types can accommodate more than 2 people.

Bottom Line

Awayz clearly stands out from other hotel reservation tools on the market. Its ability to handle searches for renowned properties such as Accor, Choice Hotels, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Wyndham puts it at the top of the list in terms of versatility. What’s more, with specific search criteria, Awayz aims to continually improve the user experience, guaranteeing hassle-free browsing and searching.

One of the most impressive features of Awayz is its ability to display prices and availability for the next 12 months. This feature is invaluable for travellers, whether planning ahead or looking for last-minute deals. Also, with the introduction of future conveniences, such as notifications on hotel price changes, Awayz is well positioned to further strengthen its market leadership.

Awayz’s flight search functionality is still under development and currently seems to be targeted more at the US market. For advanced flight searches in points, tools such as Roame, AwardFares or Seats.Aero offer more complete and adapted options. On the other hand, Awayz remains an excellent reference for hotel searches in points, where it excels over its competitors.

All in all, Awayz is not just another tool on the market. It’s a revolution in reward-based hotel reservations. Its unique combination of features and user-friendly interface make it an indispensable tool for every traveller. Whether you’re an occasional traveller or an experienced globetrotter, Awayz is here to ensure that your hotel booking experience is as smooth and rewarding as possible.

What is Awayz?

Awayz is a revolutionary hotel booking platform designed for travellers who want to maximize their hotel stays by comparing hotel costs in cash and loyalty points.

How does Awayz differ from other booking platforms?

Awayz offers a unique ability to compare hotel costs in cash and loyalty points, guaranteeing the best value for money for travellers.

Which hotel chains are supported by Awayz?

Awayz supports major hotel chains such as Accor, Choice Hotels, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott and Wyndham, with more chains planned to join the list.

How does the Awayz pricing system work?

Awayz offers a tiered pricing system with a free level, a Travel Pass and a Premium Package to meet the varied needs of its users.

Can I add my American credit cards to my Canadian Awayz account?

Yes, if you subscribe on the Canadian Awayz site, you can add your U.S. credit cards to your account, but the reverse is not true.

How can I add my credit cards and loyalty programs to Awayz?

You can add your credit cards and loyalty programs under “My Wallet” and “My Awards” respectively with Awayz.

What are the advantages of Awayz’s calendar function?

The Awayz Calendar feature makes it easy to identify days with lower points rates, ideal for luxury properties.

Can I set up alerts for specific dates on Awayz?

Yes, you can set up alerts for specific dates if your desired hotel has no availability in points with Awayz.

How does the Awayz search work?

Search on Awayz is simple thanks to its user-friendly interface, enabling users to quickly compare different hotel chains.

What is the Best Value Indicator on Awayz?

The Best Value Indicator is a unique algorithm from Awayz that highlights the most cost-effective booking option for users.