Knowing where and how to search for award space is one of the most important, and most complicated aspects to using your frequent flyer miles effectively.

Unfortunately, the airlines do not make this an easy task. Some airlines only show awards for some partners, other airlines won’t show you all of the valid connections you can make – just to name some of the challenges you are likely going to run into. Oftentimes, you won’t even know that these things are problems.

It can be frustrating to redeem award miles for an overseas trip. But, keep in mind that not all hope is lost since many airline websites fail to show award space from all of their partners. This means that there are many routes with open seats available for award tickets going empty, but you may have to call the airline mileage program to find them.

Qantas, Australia’s flag carrier, is a great airline for flights between the U.S. and Australia. It has excellent service, a fantastic first class cabin and direct flights to Australia from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Dallas.

Emirates is perhaps best known for its flashy and luxurious first class cabin. It’s one of only two airlines in the world that offers in-flight showers. And if first class passengers don’t find what they want in their personal in-seat minibar, they can head to the lounge which has a full bar, including a bartender.

Thanks to an economic recovery, an improving job market, lower gas prices and rising home values, people are feeling better about opening their wallets and spending more. And, thanks to the urge to splurge, people are spending more on travel.

Who Is the Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card From American Express Good For?

Delta is a polarizing airline for many travelers. It is known for its limited saver award availability and an award booking website that is not always accurate, so many frequent flyers scorn the airline on principle.

As you talk with travelers who are hard-core frequent flyer fans, you’ll often hear recurring themes when it comes to vacation destinations. That’s because miles allow you to visit exotic places that you might never visit if you had to pay for the airline ticket out of pocket. Once you’ve unlocked the secret value of frequent flyer miles, you suddenly see new possibilities when planning trips. Here are a few places that most frequent flyer gurus have visited using their miles.

Named for the mythical silver bird depicted on Singapore Airlines livery, KrisFlyer is one of the most fascinating frequent flyer programs today.