Even as certain redemptions have been devalued or removed, the frequent flyer landscape still holds valuable sweet spots where earning miles remains worthwhile. However, award availability—especially in premium cabins—often remains limited, turning award flight searches into a time-consuming task.
Because searching directly on airline websites can be cumbersome, numerous third-party tools have emerged to streamline award searches, though many charge subscription fees. Now, International Airlines Group (IAG) has launched its own free tool. The Avios.com calendar tool displays award availability for British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus in just a few clicks.
How It Works
Currently, the new tool only supports non-stop flights; connecting flights cannot be searched. However, the interface is straightforward.
To begin, you enter three parameters: the route, one-way or round-trip, and the preferred travel month. The search interface looks as follows:
In the next step, you can optionally filter by cabin class. The calendar then displays available award flight dates directly:
The exact cash taxes and fees are not displayed directly in the monthly calendar view. For long-haul flights, taxes and carrier surcharges remain moderate on Iberia and Aer Lingus, whereas British Airways levies significantly higher surcharges.
For example, the Madrid → Chicago award flight shown above in Iberia Business Class costs at 40,500 Avios + €197 in taxes and fees. Of that cash portion, €135 represents carrier surcharges, with €62 covering government taxes and airport fees:
Source: LoyaltyLobby