10 Tricks for Getting a Free Flight

March 18, 2010— -- "I'm a teacher, so can only fly on weekends, major holidays, or at peak times in the summer. I manage to collect points on United, but usually can't find a way to USE those points. Do you have any ideas as to how a non-elite-level flyer can book a flight with points at peak times?" -- Kevin

Wouldn't we all like to know? Luckily, FlyerTalk founder Randy Petersen, the world's leading expert on frequent-flier programs, has the answers and has graciously shared them with us. Here are Randy's top tips for travelers who want to use their miles for free tickets:

1. Pick up the phone. Call the airline mileage-award-redemption desk. The award-booking tools on airline web sites often don't display all the award seats that are actually available. Phoning the desk will cost you a few dollars, but that's a small price to pay if you find a helpful reservations agent who will think creatively, look into alternate routes and partner airlines, and find that available seat you're looking for.

2. Try to predict which flights will have award seats available. Generally speaking, the emptier a flight, the lower the airfare will be and the more award seats it will have. So look to see which flights during your travel window are priced lowest, since they will be most likely to have award seats. Try using Bing's Farecast technology for this. If you search for a flight and the "predictor" says "wait" to buy it because the price may drop, then award availability is a possibility. "When fares are predicted to go down," says Randy, "then award seat availability can be predicted to rise."

Learn More About How To Turn Miles Into a Free Ticket at Conde Nast Traveler

3. Know which days of the week offer the most award seats. It varies by destination. For flights to Hawaii, for instance, award seats are most likely to be available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. For flights to Florida, they are most likely to be available on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.