5 Reasons You Have To Use AwardWallet

I know, I know. The post could be about how I’m just now discovering AwardWallet. But I just started using it, and I think it’s awesome. Might as well write about it in case other skeptics and luddites are out there.

Besides the obvious use of Award Wallet (keeping track of your points balances), there are a number of cool features – like 1 click to log into those accounts.

Here are the reasons you absolutely need to be using Award Wallet… like now.

1) Keep track of your points balances

Duh! This is what Award Wallet does – keeps track of all of your accounts and tells/shows you when the points balances change. And it doesn’t only do airline miles and hotel points, I use them to keep track of our Orbitz balances, and Hertz points. Anything from Auto Zone to Ebates!

But there are a number of implications for my miles… besides the fact it’s just cool to have all my balances in one place.

 

For example, I don’t have to log into my [Hilton] account everyday to see if my points posted yet. [I’m not a robot!]

Instead I just go to Award Wallet once a day, and hit the refresh button (if needed). May sound a little obsessive, but sometimes I’m really anxious for my points to post. And I can check multiple accounts at once this way.

 

Another example is that it could represent something else you’re trying to keep track of, like not having met a minimum spend you thought you had. By not having updates from award wallets, or not seeing balances you thought you’d see, you might be reminded to get that card out.

 

2) Keep track of all your account numbers in one place

I’ve used a spread sheet that has all our numbers by program, for Caroline and myself. The sheet has gotten pretty long and for whatever reason, Award Wallet has been loading faster than my spreadsheet – but then again, it has less numbers.

I think I’ll load all my numbers that actually have balances into Award Wallet, and leave random things I don’t use in a spreadsheet. If I need them, I can get them. Or maybe it should all go in Award Wallet. Right now, it’s super organized and super helpful to have them in Award Wallet, and…

 

3) Click to log in

Instead of looking up my number from my spreadsheet, and then going to the airline/hotel website and logging in (I’m still not a robot), I just click the account I want to log into.

1 click.

Pick the program you want to log into –> and click the title of the program.

It will open a new tab, all logged in.

That, to me, is so awesome. Way better than a spreadsheet.

 

4) Know when your points are going to expire

I don’t keep track of how many months of inactivity before points expire for each program, nor do I keep track of when I last used points.

Instead, Award Wallet tells me when points are expected to expire from each account.

Plus, [sometimes] when I can click on the expiration date, it will tell me that particular program’s policies.

For example, when I click on my Alaska Miles expiration date, it gives me a long disclaimer on how AwardWallet did the calculation, not Alaska. But it also tells me “if a Mileage Plan account is inactive for 2 years, Alaska Airlines may close the account”, and that “activity” includes redeeming or earning miles.

All this info in one place, and when you actually need it.

 

However, when it doesn’t give the disclaimer, it doesn’t tell me that I need activity and what the policy is. Suggestion to Award Wallet: Always show the policy, it’s super helpful!

 

5) Travel plans + Bonus alerts

I tried using another [nameless] tracking program where it put my travel dates in my calendar. It was a disaster. All the dates in my calendar were wrong.

Foreign companies which use dates and then month (reverse of ours) would put info in my calendar based on the american system of reading a date. Or I would forward something and cancel later and it would still be there… or it just got the dates wrong.

While I haven’t relied on Award Wallet’s system for my calendar at all, I have noticed that my travel emails have been really accurate. It takes info from my Orbitz or airline account and emails me when the travel dates are near.

Not something I need, but at least they haven’t sent me November 2nd details on February 11th.

 

Plus, I’ve notice little details like this:

Here it tells me there is an opportunity to earn 8% cashback for booking Choice hotels, which is a pretty good deal. And it’s going to do this for me? Sweet.

However, the reason they do it is likely to make money. They wanted to sign me up for TopCashBack (and probably get ~$10 for doing so), and I didn’t see an option to add the account I already have.

 

Upgrade Codes

There appears to be an Award Wallet Conga on FlyerTalk; where you sign up using the person’s upgrade code before you, and then list one for the next person to use.

If you want to upgrade your account to get some more accurate details, like…

I don’t know what it does to be honest. TravelwithGrant sent me a code and I plugged it in, and I think I’m glad I did.

Grant, what does it do?

 

Conclusion

Can you believe I’ve gone this long without using Award Wallet?

Where has it been all my life?

Have you also been neglecting to take 10 seconds to create an account?

Well do it! Just every time you need to grab an airline number, also log into Award Wallet and add it there. Do it once and you’ll be able to save 30 seconds opening multiples pages in the future.

My opinion is clear, but I’ll go ahead and say this…

Award Wallet might be the best tool gifted (since it’s free) to the frequent flyer community. I have other tools on my resource page, but this one is something I truly rely on now. For organization really.