ExpertFlyer Review for 2023

With airfare prices skyrocketing and an increasing number of full flights as the world returns to pre-pandemic travel numbers, you have probably found yourself wondering how to get a deal using airline miles or finding a spot on a popular route in your preferred cabin. It can be overwhelming, requiring patience and perseverance to find your perfect (and budget-friendly) flight. Luckily, there is one tool that can help make this process much more manageable - ExpertFlyer.

What is ExpertFlyer?

ExpertFlyer is a handy online resource to help make planning your next trip easier. The website aggregates a variety of information from various airlines and mileage programs, making it a useful go-to site for assembling your flight itinerary without having to deal with multiple search engines and individual airline websites. 

According to ExpertFlyer, their website was designed to provide unbiased information for booking flights to maximize the travel experience at a minimal cost. In a world where knowledgeable travel agents are fewer to come by, ExpertFlyer aims to be a resource to any traveler.

I previously would spend hours on Google Flights looking for deals, so when I found ExpertFlyer, I was intrigued as to how it would work and if it would help me in my future travels. As a Delta Skymiles member and holder of several travel credit cards, using miles and points to book flights can be confusing and time-consuming to figure out. After some research, I signed up for the Pro version, which includes a free five-day trial period.

Using ExpertFlyer

At first glance, ExpertFlyer can seem confusing to use. The no-frills website leaves much to be desired on the aesthetic front; however, the site was designed to be a powerful tool with plenty of features for the advanced user. As with any new tool, it does take some time to become familiar with its functions. 

The most common use of ExpertFlyer is searching for award tickets and upgrade availability with various airlines. Additionally, you can view seat maps, see all airlines that fly a particular route, and search for flight schedules on multiple days. Seeing all of this information in one place can be helpful when planning your next trip. You can even set up alerts to notify you when your desired seat becomes available on a specific flight! 



Once logged in, a menu of search options appears on the left of your screen. When you become more familiar with ExpertFlyer and begin saving queries, they are conveniently located below the main menu for easy access.

Searching for Award and Upgrade Availability on ExpertFlyer

The most important feature of ExpertFlyer is the ability to search for upgrade availability and award ticket space. You can set search parameters for specific routes, dates, and airlines, which is very useful. As a Delta SkyMiles and Medallion member, sometimes finding availability on my desired flights is a challenge, and this tool makes finding space on the routes I want to fly easy. 

The best way to utilize this tool is if you already know which airlines offer flights on the route you are looking for. If you aren’t familiar with what airlines offer flights out of your home airport (or any other airport), ExpertFlyer does have that information on their Flight Timetables.

Once you determine which airlines fly the route you are interested in, you can search each to see if they are available on your preferred travel dates. In the Upgrade and Award Availability Search function, you will need to enter your departure and arrival airport, departure and return date (if flying roundtrip), airline, and cabin/class preference.

For my search purposes, I wanted to see what business class seats were available with Emirates to fly from Detroit Metro Airport to Dubai Airport. 

Once getting your results, you can go directly to your preferred airline’s website or call the airline where you have available miles or points to book the flight. In this example, Emirates has many partner airlines, such as Air Canada, Japan Airlines, and Qantas. 

This tool on ExpertFlyer is incredibly useful when searching for flights with layovers or those planning multi-city trips, as one leg of your flight may not have availability while the rest does (as shown in my example where there are no business class seats available from DTW to EWR).



A nice thing about the search feature is that you can look for flights three days before or after a given date, which is helpful for flexible travelers and can also result in finding a better deal. It’s well known that flying during the middle of the week instead of on weekends can be cheaper, so if you have flexibility in your schedule when booking your trip, this will give you more options and increase your chances of finding your desired seats.

Finding Seat Maps For Your Flight

Although it might not seem important to know the layout of the seats on your flight in advance, knowing the inside of the plane can help you pick the right seat and ensure that you have the best experience possible.

Airlines may operate the same routes using different aircraft, leading to different seat layouts. Knowing the seating configuration for each plane may be helpful so that you can choose the best one for you. I always refer to seat maps before choosing my seat, as my preference is to be seated away from any lavatories and not sit in a bulkhead row with no storage space underneath the seat in front of me. 

Using Emirates as an example, the airline flies two different planes on the same route from Dubai (DXB) to Amsterdam (AMS). One flight is on the Airbus A380, while another is on the Boeing 777. Knowing this information before choosing your flight is helpful so you can determine the layout of the seats, the type of seats available and how many are in each cabin, and what seat is best for you to provide the most comfortable experience.



While economy seats are typically in a 3-4-3 seating arrangement on most international flights, first-class and business cabin seats can vary. The Boeing 777 has only eight first-class suites, while the Airbus A380 has fourteen. As you can see below, the business class cabins also vary, with the Airbus A380 offering a 2-4-2 configuration with staggered seating and the Boeing 777 showing a 2-3-2 configuration.

The seat maps available in the Pro Basic and Pro Premium subscriptions display premium, blocked, and paid seats, as well as reviews and ratings from Seat Guru. This website allows passengers to review and rate individual seats on aircraft.

Setting Alerts for Award Bookings

Unfortunately, award seats are not always available on all flights. Even if they become available, it may be at random times, and there could be differences depending on the day you check. Many airlines have a reputation for releasing open award seats at the last minute if they haven’t sold them to travelers paying outright. 

Finding an award seat (or two) can be challenging if you don’t have the time and patience to check day after day for availability. That’s where ExpertFlyer’s alerts come in handy. It’s easy to set up an alert to email you when award seats become available. 

You’ll need to search for your preferred airline, route, and cabin class first. Once your results have returned, you can easily create an alert by clicking on the exclamation mark within your desired flight. Once you have done that, a pop-up will appear to create your alert. Once you’ve entered your alert name, class code, and seat quantity, click Verify and Create to set up your alert.

ExpertFlyer monitors airline availability continuously once the alert has been set. If a seat becomes available, ExpertFlyer will notify you immediately via email that a seat is open. Remember that others may also be searching for the same seats, so you’ll need to act fast to score your desired seat!

How Much Does ExpertFlyer Cost?

ExpertFlyer has three tiers; free, pro basic, and pro premium. 

• Free: With a free account, you will only be able to create an alert to determine if a better seat is available on your flight. The free service allows you to do one thing: Create an alert to see if a better seat is available on your flight.
• Pro Basic: The Pro Basic subscription gives you access to more features, such as individual searches, seat maps, airline schedules, and flight statistics. Pro Basic is $4.99 per month, but the maximum number of searches allowed per month is 250.
• Pro Premium: The Pro Premium subscription gives you access to the features of Pro Basic and then some. With this option, you will also access features such as flight availability alerts, schedule changes, and flexible date searches. Additionally, you can save searches that you run frequently and utilize the mobile version of the site. Pro Premium is $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Pro Premium also provides a free five-day trial, so you can try the service to determine if the cost is worth it. 

The complete list of features on the Premium and Basic subscriptions is available here:

Final Thoughts: Is ExpertFlyer worth it?

While you don’t have to be a frequent traveler or expert flier to use ExpertFlyer, the program (primarily the paid subscription) appeals more to those who travel often. The ability to search for award and upgrade seats for multiple airlines in one spot is beneficial, especially if you have plenty of unused points and miles! With paid subscriptions, you can access various tools to help you book the best flight for your money (or miles). 

I found their Travel Tips section helpful, especially for novice travelers. ExpertFlyer offers tips varying from holiday travel to booking the cheapest flights. Additionally, ExpertFlyer provides a user guide to help you get started.

Overall, I found ExpertFlyer a handy tool for frequent fliers. The Pro Premium subscription cost is steep for those who only travel one to three times a year, but for those who travel more and have racked up countless airline miles and points, the cost is absolutely worth finding the seat of your dreams (I’m looking at you, Emirates first class suites!)