Track Your Points
by Jon Mohatt
The next step after you have joined some programs and have started earning points is to find a tool that will enable you to track your reward programs, point totals and expiration dates. The last thing one wants to do is to earn a bunch of points and then lose them because they are allowed to expire. I have found AwardWallet to be the best point tracking tool.
Here is their website marketing blurb as of 24 October 2014:
AwardWallet provides a free service that helps you manage your reward balances and travel itineraries. We support 623 loyalty programs – air, hotel, car rental, credit card and others. Founded in 2004, AwardWallet quickly became a popular choice for both road warriors and casual travelers. Today, over 183,000 active members rely on AwardWallet to manage over 39.2 billion miles / points representing $784 million in value. AwardWallet is not affiliated or related to any of the loyalty programs offered by the airlines, hotels or credit cards identified on this website or tracked and monitored using the AwardWallet service.
There are other programs out there such as MileBlaster and Point Tracker, part of TripIt Pro, but frankly, they are just not as good and you will end up coming back to AwardWallet. AwardWallet is free but if you register you will get a few months of AwardWallet Plus at no cost and then you can snoop around online (Flyer Talk thread) to find codes for additional free months of Plus access. To be honest, I enjoy the program so much that I make a donation every six months to keep my Plus access. It’s well worth a donation for the functionality and convenience AwardWallet Plus brings to your life. I have not lost a point since joining.
Now that you are tracking your point progress you will bring that dream trip well within your budget and you’ll be traveling there before you know it.