Booking flights online or through a travel adviser seems simple enough, but there are tips, tricks, and tools that can ring up more bang for your buck. Loyalty programs from Marriott Bonvoy, as well as its numerous airline partners, can also make your next flight more enjoyable. How about a free upgrade, free checked bag, or airline lounge access? 

Yes, Marriott Bonvoy takes care of you on the ground, but it can also do the same in the air. 

Whether traveling with your family or flying solo, here’s how to combine loyalty perks and a little bit of travel-booking savvy to turn your travel dreams into reality.

How and When to Book Air Travel

The best way to search for airfare is by using a tool like Google Flights that searches a wide variety of airlines, fare combinations, and booking engines. Tools like this can be helpful in researching potential flight itineraries, airlines, and prices.

It is always wise to book directly with your chosen airline. That way, if there is any disruption to your trip or you need to change your flight, the airline can offer immediate help rather than directing you to a third-party site. Avoid booking through unfamiliar travel sites or mom-and-pop-style operations, which may not be willing or able to assist you. 

Flexible calendars or map tools, like those offered by Google Flights, can uncover cheaper airports nearby or suggest a tweak to your dates to help you secure a lower fare. Another tip: Consider booking two one-way trips instead of one round-trip ticket. You might be able to save cash by using one airline on the way there and a different airline on the return.

Is There a Best Time to Book Airfare?

A common travel myth is that there is a particular time and day of the week to get the best price. The truth is that deals are ever-present, but you need flexibility and know-how to find them. 

Most airlines release flights for sale between six and eleven months in advance. Major U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and JetBlue, all release flights 331 days in advance. Right up until departure, those prices might fluctuate with supply and demand. 

A flight with plentiful empty seats may have lower prices close to departure, while full flights may charge more. While last-minute airfare deals do happen, the best advice is to purchase flights when you know you need them and keep an eye on the price until departure.

What if Airfare Drops After Purchase?

Most U.S. airlines will offer a travel credit if you notice a price drop and contact them before departure. As long as the new fare is the same type of ticket, you could score a discount on future travel. Note that some options, such as non-refundable basic economy airfare, have differing rules and restrictions and do not qualify.) 

Sites like Google Flights, Airfarewatchdog, Dollar Flight Club, and Skyscanner can monitor fares and send alerts if the price changes. 

The same applies for when using your miles. You can set alerts with PointsYeah to watch for any drops in the mileage cost. Since most U.S. airlines have free cancellation policies for award tickets, this is a great way to save miles by reissuing the ticket at the lower mileage price or canceling and rebooking it altogether. 

Travel Apps and Websites

There are so many ways to save on airfare beyond the standard airline apps. Look for apps that monitor historical flight trends to indicate when is the best time to purchase. Or try a service like Points Path, which is a free browser extension that displays the mileage and cash cost of a ticket side by side in Google Flights so you can decide which is a better deal.

Expert Flyer helps you search for award flights, set alerts for preferred seats, and see how full a flight is. It can be a far more reliable indicator than the airline seat map since many people choose not to pay for advance seats.

Maximizing Loyalty Programs and Partnerships

You can save money or find better travel deals by taking advantage of loyalty programs. AwardLogic, Seats.aero, and Point.me ease the process by performing comprehensive searches across numerous airline, hotel, and credit card programs to help you better use your miles and points. 

If you need more miles for an award trip, Marriott Bonvoy partners with more than 35 airlines with which you can earn airline miles instead of hotel points. You could also convert three Marriott Bonvoy points to one airline mile with most frequent-flyer programs. For every 60,000 points you transfer to an airline, Marriott Bonvoy will even add 5,000 miles as a bonus. 

Even better, if you’re a United® MileagePlus^® member, you’ll earn 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred. 

Be sure an airline program is offering the frequent-flyer redemption you want before transferring points though because you cannot move them back. Many credit card points programs, including Chase Ultimate Rewards, allow you to transfer points to airline programs, too.

Elite Status Perks

Marriott Bonvoy Elite members enjoy benefits like room upgrades, late checkout upon availability, executive lounge access, free breakfast, and welcome amenities at hotels. But did you know that free airline premier status is within reach just for having Marriott Bonvoy status?

By linking their United Airlines and Marriott Bonvoy accounts, Marriott Bonvoy Elite members qualify for a free status match. Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite and Titanium Elite members receive instant United® MileagePlus® Premier® Silver status. United Premier status comes with preferred seats, free checked bags, priority boarding, bonus miles, and complimentary space-available upgrades to first class.

It works both ways, too. United Premier^® Gold members receive instant Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.

Members of Aeroplan^®, the loyalty program of Air Canada, have a similar partnership after linking accounts. Marriott Titanium and Ambassador Elite members receive instant Aeroplan 25K status, while Aeroplan Super Elite, 75K, and 50K members receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. Air Canada status brings preferred seats, free checked bags, and priority airport perks.

Emirates also has a partnership that rewards Marriott Bonvoy Elite members. Link your accounts and enjoy benefits like priority check-in and boarding when traveling Emirates.

Don’t Already Have Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status?

Credit cards can deliver a fast track to Elite status, like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card from Chase (which offers automatic Silver Elite status every year). Gold Elite status could also garner you an upgrade to a suite or a room with a better view at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. 

With Elite status and a few insider tips, booking the ideal flight is a breeze.