Alas, Continental OnePass and Northwest WorldPerks have done away with 20,000-mile off-peak domestic awards in favor of a year-round 25,000-mile award. Both programs have designated June 1 as the effective date for this change. Members who redeem 20,000 miles by May31 can use the award for one full year, effectively extending this reduced mileage benefit.

And Northwest isn’t stopping there. WorldPerks has decided to set all of its awards to one mileage level year round. It comes as no surprise that the peak-season mileage requirements have been adopted as the new year-round standard. The good news: Turkey and Cyprus will shift to the Europe category, instead of the Middle East category — a potential saving of 40,000 miles.

The increased mileage requirements isn’t the only reason to book early. WorldPerks members who book their award travel online before April 30 can save 3,000 miles on transpacific and transatlantic tickets. Award tickets to all other destinations will earn a 1,500-mile discount. The discount is applied immediately upon online purchase of award travel.

Online award travel reservations are available on flights operated by Northwest, Continental and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The discounts are not valid for Rulebuster awards, cash and miles promotions or with other mileage discount offers or coupons.

If you experience difficulty in securing a reservation, try Northwest’s seven-day search availability feature, which scours the reservation system for seven days before and after the intended reservation.