The best time to buy a plane ticket with points is when it becomes available on the booking calendar.
To get the most coveted reward tickets, you need to be lucky, flexible or a master the in and outs of the system!
Knowing the best time to book is crucial, especially for people who:
For certain programs like Aeroplan, all available seats can be purchased with points for Air Canada flights, and the price will be dynamic. The best time to book is the same as for tickets paid in cash, therefore depending on market fluctuations.
However, this does not apply to other partner airlines that can be booked with Aeroplan points. As far as partners are concerned, prices are fixed. These are the best points fares you can find with Aeroplan for most routes, especially if you’re traveling in business class. Each carrier releases a limited number of “award tickets” while all of their available seats are available for cash.
So for a group wishing to go to Munich for the Oktoberfest, for example, you’ll have to keep a close eye on when premium tickets go on sale!
So, I advise you to book early to take advantage of these low prices and also if the travel periods are popular.
However, this does not apply to other partner airlines that can be booked with Aeroplan points.
Each carrier releases a limited number of “award tickets” while all of their available seats are available for cash.
Each carrier plans its calendar release between 300 and 365 days in advance.
It is therefore very important to know when the airline unblocks its calendar: this is the best time to book because you have access to all available award tickets.
To determine the best time to book an award ticket, this day calculator is an excellent tool to use. Simply enter the start date, then subtract the number of days corresponding to the program used.
Also, take into account the time difference when booking with a program from a country other than your own. Finally, the premium seats are not necessarily released at midnight.
You should do some testing to find out the best time for your situation.
Air Canada’s dynamic pricing for Aeroplan award tickets adjusts the cost in points according to demand and the price of tickets paid in cash. The higher the demand for a flight, the more points are required, making peak periods or popular destinations often expensive.
However, lower-cost opportunities exist by booking early (as soon as the calendar opens, around 355 days in advance), by being flexible on dates and itineraries (such as choosing mid-week flights or flights with stopovers) or by watching for last-minute price cuts when Air Canada realizes that the flight isn’t selling so well after all.
Tickets that can be booked with points are limited on Star Alliance partners. Over time, however, changes and cancellations will make some seats vacant again.
So if you’ve missed out on the belly-up moment, you’ll need to use a tool likeExpert Flyer to track fluctuations in availability. Award search engines such as Roame, AwardFares, Point.me and Seats.areo can also help.
Companies that sometimes release last minute award tickets are:
You are constantly refreshing your browser on the famous date, but the desired flight does not show up?
Some airlines do not allow the purchase of certain award tickets through partner loyalty programs, or make them available only at the last minute.
For example, First Class (and even Business Class) award tickets on Singapore Airlines are only available to members of the KrisFlyer program. On the other hand, Economy Class flights are available on Aeroplan.
Secondly, the Air France “La Première” seat is only open to Flying Blue elite members. You must therefore have Flying Blue points and status!
The best time to book these programs is also when the premium tickets go on sale.
The transfer partners will be essential to take off on the wings of some airlines with a glass of Champagne.
Finally, there are carriers, such as Lufthansa, that release First Class award tickets in the two weeks before the flight for partners. Yet their frequent flyer program members can get their hands on these coveted seats long before Aeroplan members can.
To find the best time to book a points ticket, it is often necessary to play with two calendars
AlthoughAeroplan ‘s calendar opens 355 days in advance, you’ll have to wait before you can book a flight on Etihad Airways, since the latter’s schedule is only available 330 days before departure.
In my guide to Qatar Airways Qsuite, I detailed the multiple programs one can use to book this seat with points. The programs mentioned in the article are:
The best time to book the Qsuite is when the Qatar Airways calendar is released, which is 361 days in advance. Especially if your group would like to sit together in the four-person compartment.
By using Asia Miles points (360 days) versus Alaska Mileage Plan points (330 days), you get a 30-day head start on those coveted seats.
In addition to the best time to book a plane ticket, you should also consider the type of points you can earn, the number of points required for your destination and the price of taxes to be paid.
Finding availability for award tickets can be complex, but thanks to powerful comparison tools, you can save an enormous amount of time. These tools also allow you to compare a multitude of flights across different points programs, so you can choose the one that’s best for you.
Roame is my tool of choice for maximizing the use of my points. Its user-friendly platform offers a real-time search, allowing you to quickly view flight availability with points across multiple loyalty programs. Roame stands out for its speed and customizable filters, which are essential for unearthing coveted award tickets, especially for high-season or business-class travel.
AwardFares is another invaluable tool, its overview simplifying the evaluation of availability over a period of time. Seats.aero is ideal for those looking for last-minute award seats or opportunities on specific routes. ExpertFlyer is also a powerful tool for monitoring flight loads. In fact, ExpertFlyer allows you to determine whether it’s worth waiting after a flight or not, since you can see whether the flight is already full or whether there are still seats available.
These platforms make the process of finding premium tickets easier and more efficient, even in circumstances of high demand.
In the field of travel hacking, being able to book award tickets for the flights you want is very important. Since these seats are as limited as VIP show tickets, you need to know the best time to book.
In 2025, the best time to book a flight with points is usually as soon as airlines open their booking calendar, often between 300 and 365 days in advance. Booking early, especially for popular destinations or during high-demand periods such as school vacations, can give you access to a wider choice of award tickets.
Although there is no specific day to guarantee the best price, some analyses suggest that the middle of the week, especially Tuesday and Wednesday, are often ideal for bargains, as airlines tend to launch and adjust their promotions at these times.
Times of year to avoid are generally school vacations, public holidays and the summer months, as fares are often higher due to increased demand. On the other hand, traveling during off-peak seasons, such as between the beginning of the year and spring or autumn, can offer more affordable fares. However, these exact periods may vary according to destination.
Savings are here:
