Travelers use AwardFares (and other award-search/booking services) because those services often make finding and booking award seats easier, faster, or possible in ways airline websites can’t. Main reasons:

• Searches across many programs and partners

  • Airline websites usually show only that carrier’s inventory (and sometimes a limited set of partners). Award services search multiple frequent‑flyer programs and partner airlines at once so you can find the cheapest or most convenient redemption across programs.

• Better handling of complex/partner routings

  • Many useful award routings involve partner airlines, mixed cabins, or multi‑carrier itineraries that airline sites either won’t show or display poorly. Award services know how to stitch partner availability together.

• Faster discovery of “sweet spots”

  • Award charts, transfer partner relationships, and routing rules differ by program. Specialist services surface award-chart sweet spots (low-cost redemptions) you might miss on an airline’s site.

• Calendar and bulk searching

  • Award tools let you search entire months, flexible date ranges, or many origin/destination pairs in one pass — airline sites often force single-date, one‑by‑one searches.

• Human expertise and agent booking

  • When award availability is tricky, an agent experienced with award rules can find and book combinations that an average user can’t. They can also book by phone through airline partners, request waitlists, or salvage itineraries when availability is split.

• Mixed-cabin and complex routing optimization

  • The service can combine premium segments with economy on the same ticket in ways airlines’ sites might not present, and can optimize routing to reduce taxes/fees or avoid fuel surcharges.

• Holds, alerts, and itinerary construction

  • Many award services offer alerts for released award seats, the ability to hold an itinerary while transferring points, or proactively monitor and rebook to better inventory.

• Time savings and convenience

  • Rather than learning each program’s quirks and wasting hours searching many sites, travelers pay a fee (or subscription) to have someone else do it quickly and accurately.

Caveats to keep in mind

• Fees: Award services often charge a booking or service fee on top of taxes and carrier charges. Compare total cost vs. booking directly.
• Transparency: Verify which frequent‑flyer program your ticket is booked in (and the fare rules, change/cancel penalties).
• Points transfer rules: If a booking requires transferring points, check transfer times and irreversibility before you move them.
• Refunds/changes: Using an agent doesn’t change the airline’s ticket rules — make sure you understand the airline’s policies.

Bottom line: award services fill gaps left by airline websites — broader program coverage, smarter multi‑carrier searches, calendar/bulk tools, and expert human help — and that’s why many frequent travelers and points enthusiasts use them.