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ExpertFlyer is a powerful tool for frequent flyers and award travel enthusiasts. Taking information from global distribution systems (GDS), ExpertFlyer hosts a wealth of information from flight timetables to upgrade and award availability.
With so many features and functions on one platform that seemingly hasn't gotten a user interface update since the 1990s, getting started with ExpertFlyer can be daunting. However, we’ve simplified each feature and function in this guide. Here’s how to get the most out of ExpertFlyer's tools and resources.
Page Contents
- What Is ExpertFlyer and How Does It Work?
- What Tools and Features Are Available on ExpertFlyer, and How Do You Use Them?
- View Award & Upgrade Availability
- View and Sort Through Flight Availability Using ExpertFlyer
- Explore Flight Timetables
- Track Flight Status
- View Flight Details
- Access Real-Time Seat Maps
- View Fare Information
- Access Other Travel Information
- Should I Pay for an ExpertFlyer Membership?
- The Bottom Line
What Is ExpertFlyer and How Does It Work?
ExpertFlyer may seem like a rather complex tool, but when you peel back the layers of the platform, it’s a relatively simple concept. In short, ExpertFlyer allows travelers to access flight information from global distribution systems (GDS).
Global distribution systems (GDS) provide flight information to airlines, online travel agencies, and other tools. ExpertFlyer is connected to major GDS networks. Through these GDS networks, travelers can access information previously limited to travel agents. That said, some airlines block ExpertFlyer from accessing data.
GDS information powers flight booking sites like Google Flights and Kayak. What makes ExpertFlyer different is the amount of information about a flight the platform provides, like award and upgrade space on some airlines.
Related: Beginners Guide to Award Travel Planning – Award Flights
What Tools and Features Are Available on ExpertFlyer, and How Do You Use Them?
The following sections provide a deep dive into what’s available on the ExpertFlyer platform. As a result, there’s a lot of information. If you’re only interested in one or two of the features available on ExpertFlyer, you use the table of contents to jump from section to section. The main features we'll cover include:
- View award & upgrade availability
- View and sort through flight availability
- Explore flight timetables
- Track flight statuses
- View flight details
- Access real-time seat maps
- View fare information
- Access other travel information
View Award & Upgrade Availability
Travelers can check for upgrades and award availability using an airline’s website or mobile app. But as many travelers know, these rarely show the full picture.
Airlines use a letter-based system to designate fare classes and available inventory. This system also includes upgrades and award tickets. For example, United Airlines assigns the “X” fare class to saver-level economy award tickets. Likewise, American Airlines assigns the “C” fare class to American Airlines mileage upgrades and systemwide upgrades.
ExpertFlyer breaks down the various types of awards and upgrades for each airline, so you don't need to become an expert on what each fare code means. With that said, knowing these fare codes can make using ExpertFlyer easier. CWSI.net is an excellent tool for viewing fare codes for major US carriers — for example, its Alaska Airlines page notes that complimentary upgrades to first class clear into the “U” fare class.
ExpertFlyer lets you see which fare classes are available on supported airlines. This makes it easy to find award and upgrade space without manually searching the airline's website. Some awards may be missing from an airline’s award search results — especially if you're trying to book with a partner airline.
Not every major airline shares the information needed for ExpertFlyer to display upgrade or award space. Below is a list of major airlines that do and do not allow users to view upgrade and award availability. Unfortunately, the number of major airlines that support ExpertFlyer has fallen over the years.
Major airlines that show upgrade and award space on ExpertFlyer
- Aer Lingus
- Air Canada
- Air France
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Finnair
- Hawaiian Airlines
- JetBlue
- KLM
- Qantas
Noteworthy airlines that don't show upgrade and award space on ExpertFlyer
- British Airways
- Delta Air Lines
- Emirates (only “Flex” awards available)
- Iberia
- Lufthansa
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- United Airlines
Related: When to upgrade airline tickets with miles
How to search for upgrade and award availability on ExpertFlyer
To start, log in to your ExpertFlyer account here and select “Awards & Upgrades” from the ExpertFlyer menu.
On the following screen, input all required details, including departure and arrival cities, dates, and your desired airline. Once you have selected your desired airline, you’ll be presented with a list of possible upgrades and awards.
Before you search, you should know what fare types will be available on your desired flight or flights. In this example, I am looking for systemwide upgrade (SWU) availability on a flight from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to New York-LaGuardia (LGA) with American Airlines. This is a domestic route often operated by an Airbus A319 with a domestic first class and economy cabin.
With that information, I can select my search parameters from the list. In this example, I selected “Business – Upgrade (Including 2-Cabin Domestic First) (C)” to see SWU availability for my desired route. I did not choose to search for first-class awards, as this is only applicable to three-cabin flights with a Flagship First cabin.
On the following screen, you will see flights that fit your search parameters and how many seats are available in your desired fare code. In this example, I can call American and use a SWU or AAdvantage miles to upgrade my flight for any flight with a number next to the “C” fare code.
Related: How to Use SeatsAero to Find American Airlines Systemwide Upgrade Space
View and Sort Through Flight Availability Using ExpertFlyer
Applications like Google Flights and other flight search tools can help you find available flights. However, as with award and upgrade availability, these tools do not show you important information, like what fare classes are available to purchase.
That's where ExpertFlyer comes in. It can show which fare classes are available to purchase and how many seats are remaining in said fare class. Knowing which type of fares (and the number of tickets available for that fare) are available makes searching for and booking specific flights easier. This is especially true for hard-to-find award tickets like Lufthansa first class — if you see seats remaining a few days out, chances are it'll become bookable with points closer to departure.
In this example, I want to view the availability of flights from New York-JFK to Mexico City (MEX). Select “Flight Availability” from the main dashboard to search for availability. On the following screen, provide all required information and additional information to limit search results to the flights you want to see.
For this example, I checked the option to exclude codeshares to refine my search results. Since my travel dates are flexible, I chose the option for + or – 3 days.
The following screen will display flights that meet your search parameters, broken into tabs or sections if you indicated that your departure dates are flexible. The flight result page shows:
- Flight number
- Number of stops
- Departure/arrival cities
- Aircraft type
- Frequency and reliability
- Available fare classes
On the far right side of the flight results page, you can select one of the three icons to view additional information for a specific flight. These icons toggle the option to create a flight alert, access detailed flight information (meals, flight time, etc), and view the seat map.
It's important to know that either “7” or “9” — depending on the airline — is the highest number for any given fare type. If you see nine seats available for a fare type, you'll know that at least nine seats are available in that fare class. Same with some airlines (such as the American Airlines example above) when seven seats show as available.
Explore Flight Timetables
ExpertFlyer can also show you flight timetables. This might not sound revolutionary, but you can view more than just timetables for flights between two airports.
You can view flights departing from any major airport on a given day. You can also view all the flights arriving at any major airport. This information is especially valuable during irregular operations, like the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in late 2022. If you need a backup plan, seeing all the flights from where you are to where you want to be can be invaluable in getting you home or to an important event.
Travelers have three ways to view flight timetables:
- All flights for a given day between specific departure and arrival airports
- Departures from a specific airport
- Arriving flights at a specific airport
To search for flights between two airports, input your desired departure and arrival airport and select a date.
Once you have your search results, you can view additional information about your flight. This includes aircraft type, flight duration, and the days the flight operates.
To search for all departures from a specific airport, head to the Flight Timetables tab and select “Search by Departure/Arrival City.” Then, enter your desired airport and date. Make sure you choose “Depart Airport” or “Arrive Airport” based on your needs.
The following screen will display all flights, including codeshare flights from/to your desired airport.
To filter out codeshares or view flights to a specific city, click “Filter Search Results.” You can also filter out flights with connections and filter by airline (using the two-character airline code).
Track Flight Status
One of the most basic features of ExpertFlyer is the ability to check the status of a flight. Of course, this is also a feature of any search engine. Just type your flight information into Google to see your flight's departure or arrival status. However, ExpertFlyer provides additional information you won't find on Google.
The details you get about a flight depend on what the airline provides to ExpertFlyer's GDS partners, but you might see:
- Planned flight information, including meal service
- Up-to-date terminal and gate information for both the departure and arrival airports
- Schedule reliability
- Additional comments
- Any schedule irregularities at your departure and arrival cities
But if you search for a flight closer to departure and choose a flight departing the U.S., you may get additional details:
- Up-to-date terminal and gate information for both the departure and arrival airports
- Any new comments
- TSA security wait times based on historical information
- Updated schedule irregularities at your departure and arrival cities (if any)
The most interesting feature of the Flight Status tool is the option to view “Additional Comments.” These comments might include security and visa requirements, estimated CO2 emissions, and aircraft configuration.
You can also see why your flight is delayed — here's an example of a delayed Lufthansa flight earlier this year from Dusseldorf to Munich:
ExpertFlyer lets you view the status of most flights for up to five days following the scheduled departure and up to three days before departure. However, the information available several days before departure will be less robust than that available at boarding or after takeoff.
View Flight Details
Another basic feature of ExpertFlyer is the ability to view flight details. This tool is very similar to tracking flight status. However, the information displayed when searching for flight details is far more basic. Enter the departure date, airline, and flight number to view details for a specific flight.
The information displayed about a flight includes:
- Departure airport, terminal, date, and time
- Arrival airport, terminal, date, and time
- Aircraft type
- Meals served onboard
- Scheduled flight time
- Flight distance
- Schedule reliability
You can click the “!” icon to the right of the search result page to set a schedule change alert. This is helpful if you're hoping for a schedule change that you can use to change your flight for free.
Again, viewing flight details is probably the most basic feature of ExpertFlyer. It's not all that noteworthy beyond schedule change alerts.
Access Real-Time Seat Maps
Accessing real-time seat maps is one of the best features of ExpertFlyer. While airlines let you access seat maps, airline seat maps might not truly reflect what seats are available. Plus, you don't have to visit multiple airlines' websites, as ExpertFlyer displays seat maps for most major airlines.
All you need to bring up a flight's seat map is the operating airline, flight number, departure and arrival cities, and departure date. You'll also need to select the cabin(s) you want to see seat maps for.
Not every airline lets you view real-time seat maps. Some airlines block the ability to view the seat map for certain cabins and flights. You could also be blocked from seeing the seat map once boarding begins. You can also access seat maps from the “Flight Availability” result page.
But seeing what seats are available can be useful. Maybe you're wondering if you should try to apply PlusPoints from your United MileagePlus account (and need to know how many seats are open first), or maybe you're hoping for an upgrade and want to see your chances based on the number of seats still open in business class. The seat map will show you a realistic picture.
You also can create alerts for a particular seat becoming available or if any two seats together become available. Seat alert options include:
- Any seat
- Aisle seat
- Window seat
- Any exit row seat
- Two seats together
- Specific seats you select
View Fare Information
Likely one of the lesser-used tools of ExpertFlyer, you can view fare information for a specific route or flight. If you're wondering how to use this information, it's a good way to create a benchmark for ticket prices for an upcoming flight. It's also a good way to know what type of fare you see on an airline's website, including whether or not a ticket is changeable or refundable.
Deciphering information generated from this tool can be somewhat of a challenge. For a brief overview of interpreting the fare basis code, check out this resource from Galileo, an airline reservation system.
When using the “Fare Information” tool, you'll also be able to get additional information about a certain fare, including:
- Fare basis
- Fare class
- Effective date
- Expiration date
- Any minimum or maximum stay requirements
- Advanced purchase requirements
To view fare information, input basic information like departure and arrival cities, departure and return dates, and up to three airlines. The only part of the search page that may come as a surprise is “Purchasing City.” This is here because different regions often receive different fares. You don't have to add a city if you don't have any special requirements.
On the next page, you'll see a list of results with fares, cabins, effective dates, whether the fare ends at a certain time, and advance purchase requirements (e.g., 10 days in advance to get this price). If you're searching for round-trip flights, you'll also see minimum and maximum stay requirements to get this flight price. For example, some fares may require you to stay at your destination for several days before flying home.
Access Other Travel Information
ExpertFlyer also offers additional travel resources. These resources can be found under the “Travel Information” tab:
- Flight reliability ratings
- Historical TSA security wait times
- Airport delay notifications
- Minimum connection time
- Maximum permitted mileage
- Connecting cities
- Interline agreements
- Visa, health, and passport requirements
When using each tool, ExpertFlyer provides additional information about what it does and what information it shows. Additionally, any codes are broken down below the search results.
Should I Pay for an ExpertFlyer Membership?
With all of the valuable information available on ExpertFlyer, it probably doesn't come as a surprise that many of these features are only available with a paid membership. Should you pay for a “Pro” subscription to ExpertFlyer? The answer depends on how you use ExpertFlyer and how often you use it.
The three types of ExpertFlyer memberships
ExpertFlyer offers three types of memberships. The first is a free account, which only requires that you sign up with an email and password. The other two types of memberships are “Pro” subscriptions.
The biggest differences between the two Pro memberships are the number of searches you can complete each month and access to flight availability alerts, flight schedule alerts, and aircraft change alerts.
Here's a breakdown of the three different types of ExpertFlyer memberships:
| Membership Type | Price (Monthly, Annually) | Available Tools | Number of Queries, Alerts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Seat Maps, Seat Alerts | Up to 1 seat alert at a time |
| Pro Basic | $4.99, no annual discount | Most tools. Excluded tools: Flight availability alerts, flight schedule alerts, aircraft change alerts, all available published fare pricing, flexible search of + or - 3 days from travel dates, save queries for repeated use, mobile edition, and annual subscription discount. | Up to 250 queries & unlimited seat alerts |
| Pro Premium | $9.99 monthly, $99.99 annually | All tools and features | Unlimited |
Who should pay for an ExpertFlyer Pro membership?
Again, the answer to this question depends on how a user plans to use the ExpertFlyer platform. Many travelers are fine with viewing seat maps and creating seat alerts, so they should stick with a free ExpertFlyer account.
That said, seasoned frequent flyers and award travel enthusiasts might consider paying for an ExpertFlyer Pro membership. The program's extra tools make finding awards, upgrades, and flight availability easier. However, you should be sure that ExpertFlyer supports the airlines you fly the most.
Airline enthusiasts and the most avid award travelers might even benefit from having access to unlimited monthly search queries. However, most travelers will fare well with the monthly limit of 250 searches offered by the Pro Basic membership. If you're interested, sign up for a free trial.
Related: Best Credit Cards for Travel Purchases
The Bottom Line
ExpertFlyer is a powerful tool with dozens of features and resources. While a free membership is available, it only provides access to seat maps and alerts. For more seasoned frequent flyers and award travel enthusiasts, ExpertFlyer's Pro Basic and Pro memberships unlock additional tools.
These premium memberships include the ability to search for award and upgrade availability, view flight availability and timetables, and check the status of a flight. These tools scratch the surface of what ExpertFlyer offers its Pro members, and they could save you time when looking for award and upgrade space.
Do you use ExpertFlyer? If so, what's your favorite tool? Tell us in the comments.
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