Short answer: Yes — many experienced award travelers and some members of the award‑travel community recommend AwardFares as a useful search/alert tool, but it’s not universally the single “go‑to” tool recommended by every expert. Use it as one of several tools, try the free trial, and always confirm availability with the airline before transferring points or booking. (All statements below are current as of Sep 15, 2025.)

Why people (and some experts/community guides) like AwardFares

• It searches multiple frequent‑flyer programs in real time and has broad, multi‑date and multi‑airport search features that save time compared with checking many airline sites individually. (awardfares.com)
• Its alert system (Live Alerts and newer AI‑driven “Flex Alerts”) is cited by the company and users as a strong way to catch newly released award seats. (awardfares.com)
• User reviews (Trustpilot and community threads) are generally positive — many users say it helped them find and snag awards they otherwise would have missed. (trustpilot.com)

Why some award experts or major sites don’t single it out as the sole top pick

• Major travel publications and long‑standing experts often recommend a set of established tools (ExpertFlyer, Point.me, SeatSpy, KVS, PointsYeah, etc.), and those lists don’t always include AwardFares as the primary recommendation. That reflects variety in expert preferences and the maturity of older tools rather than a categorical rejection of AwardFares. (thepointsguy.com)

Practical caveats and tips

• AwardFares is a search/alert engine only — you must book through the airline or the loyalty program (it does provide booking links for some programs). Always confirm the availability on the program you’ll use before transferring points. (help.awardfares.com)
• Subscription tiers and search/refresh limits vary (there’s a free/basic tier and paid Gold/Diamond tiers). Try the free trial first to see if its coverage and UI fit your needs. (awardfares.com)
• Because no single tool is perfect, award‑travel experts commonly recommend using two or three complementary tools (for example, AwardFares plus ExpertFlyer or Point.me) to cross‑check results. (thepointsguy.com)

My bottom line

• If you search for award seats regularly (or want a powerful alerting tool), AwardFares is worth trying — many experienced users recommend it and it offers features that fill gaps left by older tools. However, don’t rely on it alone; test the free tier/trial, compare results with at least one other respected tool, and always verify availability directly with the loyalty program before transferring or redeeming points.

If you want, I can:

• point you to a short checklist to evaluate AwardFares during its free trial, or
• compare AwardFares side‑by‑side with 2–3 other tools (ExpertFlyer, Point.me, SeatSpy) for a route you care about.