A recent issue of Consumer Reports includes a report on frequent flyer programs, and in their careful analysis, reports that after some 300 telephone calls to various frequent flyer programs, nearly 93 percent of the time they were able to secure an award. In some instances they had to use a program partner or move an award departure or return date by a single day or even spend a few more miles, but generally found that awards were available.

We’re pleased to see this type of “second opinion” work being done, because it seems to validate the ongoing award redemption research we are doing here at InsideFlyer with our monthly Award Search feature. It matches the success rate that http://www.AwardPlanner.com reports in helping members reap the rewards of their participation in these frequent flyer programs.

As always, some destinations are more difficult than others, but generally there is no factual findings “that no one can ever use their miles.”