Booking an award ticket is easy; booking it for the fewest possible points is a skill. The gap between a poorly planned redemption and an optimized one can reach 40%, 50% or more on the same route and date. This guide gathers, in an actionable way, the main techniques used in July 2026 across Smiles, LATAM Pass and Azul Fidelidade to pay fewer miles per booking. Since fares are dynamic and promos change weekly, treat the numbers as reference and always confirm current offers at the time of your search.
First, understand that the mileage price of a flight is not fixed: it varies with demand, how far ahead you book, day of week, available fare class and active promotions. Mastering these levers is what separates those who overpay from those who fly cheap. To check whether a redemption is worth it, use the miles calculator to compare the points cost with the cash price. And to compare the value per thousand miles across programs, see how to value a thousand miles.
1. Date flexibility: the most powerful lever
Nothing lowers the mileage cost more than flexible dates. All three programs use dynamic pricing, so the number of miles fluctuates daily. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday flights tend to be cheaper than Monday, Friday and Sunday. Periods outside school holidays and peak season (January, July, December) cost far less.
- Lead time: seats in the cheapest promo award classes usually open 3 to 11 months out and sell fast. Searching early boosts your odds of the lowest bucket.
- Range: if you can travel any week of a month, your potential savings are far larger than someone locked to a single date.
- Alternative times: red-eyes, connecting flights or secondary airports (e.g., Campinas/VCP instead of Guarulhos) often cost fewer miles.
2. Use the low-fare calendar
All three programs show prices by day, the central tool for spending less:
| Program | Tool | How to use |
|---|---|---|
| Smiles | Calendar; prefer "Voos Smiles" fares and avoid "Diamante" ones (they cost more miles) | Enable month view to see the cheapest days and promotional "Voos Smiles" |
| LATAM Pass | Fare calendar in search | Compare days on the results screen and watch for the cheaper "Promo" fares |
| Azul Fidelidade | Points calendar + dynamic fare | Slide across dates to find the route's minimum points bucket |
- Open the search with origin, destination and the "whole month" or calendar navigation option.
- Note the 3 to 5 cheapest outbound and return days.
- Pair the cheapest outbound with the cheapest return (not always the same week).
- Repeat the search in an incognito window and on different days: prices change.
3. Take advantage of redemption promos
Beyond the base price, programs launch campaigns that cut the mileage cost of the ticket. They are seasonal and limited, so grab them when they appear:
- Smiles: "Voos Smiles" promos and flash offers with reduced-mile routes, plus exclusive redemption discounts for Clube Smiles subscribers. Always check the official promotions page.
- LATAM Pass: everyday "Promo" fares and discount campaigns, plus the Clube LATAM Pass redemption discount applied at step 3 of booking for all tickets priced in miles.
- Azul Fidelidade: recurring campaigns with up to 15% to 20% off redemptions (domestic and international), sometimes tied to the Azul Itaú card or partners.
Warning: redemption promos change almost weekly and carry their own rules (destinations, travel windows, purchase deadlines). What applies today may not tomorrow. Before booking, verify the current offer on the program's official page and read the terms.
4. Book through partners
One of the most underrated tricks: the same flight can cost fewer miles if redeemed through a partner program. Because each program prices partner flights independently, it pays to compare.
- Smiles issues on partners such as GOL, Air France-KLM, Aerolineas Argentinas, Emirates and TAP.
- LATAM Pass issues on partner airlines (Delta, Iberia, Qatar and other current agreements) plus LATAM flights.
- Azul Fidelidade redeems on partners like United, TAP and Turkish.
Before committing to one program, check whether the same itinerary is cheaper via another. For long-haul, see the miles to Europe guide.
5. Consider split tickets
The combined round-trip or connecting ticket is not always cheapest. Testing split tickets can reveal savings:
- Price outbound and return separately (two one-ways) and compare with the round-trip.
- On expensive connections, price each leg alone in search of promo fares per segment.
- Consider mixing different programs per leg if one is cheaper.
Careful: with split tickets you lose connection protection. If a flight is delayed, the airline is not required to rebook you on the next one. Leave a generous buffer between flights and avoid the last connection of the day.
6. Watch the boarding taxes
Miles cover the fare, but you still pay taxes and fees in cash. They vary widely by route and carrier:
- Domestic flights in Brazil have low taxes (usually a few dozen reais).
- International routes can carry very high taxes depending on the airport and airline (the UK, for example, charges heavy fees).
- When choosing between partners for the same destination, compare miles + taxes, not just miles.
7. Don't lose miles to no-show and rules
Spending less also means not wasting what you already redeemed:
- Avoid no-show: missing a flight can cancel the following segments of the same ticket and you lose the value. If you won't travel, cancel or rebook before the flight time.
- Know the change and cancellation rules: Smiles, LATAM Pass and Azul have their own (periodically updated) policies for refunding miles and taxes. More flexible fares refund more; promo fares usually carry a bigger penalty.
- Clubs/subscriptions often include free reservations or rebookings, lowering the cost of changing plans.
8. Leverage status and subscription clubs
Elite status or a miles club subscription generates direct booking discounts:
| Program | Typical booking benefit |
|---|---|
| Clube Smiles | Monthly miles, bonuses, exclusive redemption discount and free reservations |
| Clube LATAM Pass | Redemption discount applied at step 3 for tickets priced in miles |
| Azul Fidelidade / card | Redemption discount campaigns, sometimes tied to the Azul Itaú card |
If you book often, the club fee can pay for itself through redemption discounts and monthly miles alone. Compare your case using the miles calculator and the how to value a thousand miles guide.
9. Transfer with a bonus (and only when needed)
If you're short on miles, avoid buying expensive miles. Use bonus transfer promotions from banks and points programs, which grow your balance at no extra cost. Golden rule: only transfer once you've mapped the booking, so you don't sit on idle miles exposed to fare changes.
Step-by-step for the cheapest booking
- Set origin, destination and the widest possible date window.
- Use the low-fare calendar in all three programs and note the cheapest days.
- Test round-trip vs split tickets.
- Compare direct issuance vs partners.
- Check current redemption promos and club/status discounts.
- Add miles + boarding taxes and pick the lowest total cost.
- Only then transfer points (with a bonus, if any) and book.
- Save the ticket and set reminders so you don't no-show.
Want to know when the mileage price usually bottoms out? See when to book with miles and, to size the balance you need, how many miles to travel.