Avoid Phantom Award Space: Tips for Booking Award Flights

Phantom award space refers to award seats that appear in online searches but aren't actually bookable. This issue usually occurs when the inventory displayed by one loyalty program doesn't match what the operating carrier will actually confirm. To avoid being deceived by phantom award space, consider booking with the operating carrier, do your homework on the airline, try getting to the checkout page, hold your award, cross-check award availability, call the frequent flyer program, and ask to reverse your transfer if necessary. Researching the airline you're hoping to fly can also help, as some airlines are known to show more phantom award space than others. For example, TPG staffers have recently encountered phantom awards through American Airlines AAdvantage, United MileagePlus, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and Air Canada Aeroplan.