Why Are My Search Results Different From the Airline Site?
Not seeing the same flights on point.me that you see on an airline’s website? Or noticing different prices? That can definitely be confusing — here’s why it happens and what to keep in mind when comparing.
🎯 Quick Overview: What We Show
point.me pulls award availability — flights that can be booked using airline miles or transferable points. We surface saver-level award space made available by airlines to their partners (the kind you can book with programs like Aeroplan, Flying Blue, or United MileagePlus).
What we don’t show:
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Cash fares
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Dynamic pricing available only to elite members or credit card holders
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Award space restricted to the airline’s own program
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Portal-based redemptions (like booking with points through Amex Travel or Chase)
✈️ Why the Discrepancy Happens
1. Airlines show their own exclusive space
Some award space is only visible or bookable through the airline’s own site. For example:
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Singapore Airlines rarely releases premium cabin space to partners
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Emirates often has different pricing depending on status or payment method
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Some programs show more availability to their credit card holders or elite members
2. We show what’s bookable through partners
If you’re using transferable points (like Amex or Chase), we show what’s available through their partner programs — which is often different from what you’d see as a logged-in user on the airline’s website.
3. The airline’s site may show cash pricing or “mixed cabin” options
If you're seeing a better deal on the airline site, it may be:
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A cash fare
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A point redemption using fixed value (like 1 cent per point)
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A route that combines multiple fare classes or breaks standard routing rules
🔧 Common Scenarios We Hear About
| Scenario | What’s Likely Happening |
|---|---|
| “I see a flight on AA’s site, but not here” | That flight may not have partner award space available |
| “The price is higher here than what I saw before” | Partner award inventory may have changed or may differ by region |
| “Why don’t I see as many options for Emirates or Singapore?” | These airlines often restrict award availability to their own members |
| “I got an error trying to book the flight I found on point.me” | That can happen if award space disappears during booking — it’s rare, but it happens |
💡 Tips for Comparing Results
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Always compare award flights to award flights — don’t mix in cash fares
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If you have transferable points, you may be able to book through a partner site for fewer points
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If you're only using one airline’s program, your options may be more limited
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Still not sure? Reach out — we’re happy to help decode what you’re seeing
📌 Pro tip: Our team is constantly improving coverage and accuracy. If something feels off, you can always submit a ticket!