There are many times when you’ll want to put your travel plans on pause before you book. Maybe you hope to find something better or you need to check with a companion. Whatever the reason, it can be helpful to be familiar with the award change and hold policies before you book your ticket. If you fail to book or hold your award, there’s no guarantee that it will still be available when you check back later.

Booking award tickets isn’t the easiest thing in the world. For true peace of mind, you would have to book far in advance–ideally 330 days out to guarantee availability. With nearly a year before travel though, things can happen that could impact your trip, so its important to know what the airlines policy is on award ticket changes and the types of fees they’ll incur.