What changed
Point Hacks Concierge now displays a notice saying it is temporarily closed to new bookings while the team reviews technical and platform changes. The Australian Frequent Flyer Frequent Flyer Concierge is in the same position, describing itself as taking a short break.
Translated: the two services most Australians would have used for award booking help are both unavailable, at the same time, in the middle of award season for 2027 travel.
What this does not mean. It does not mean award seats disappeared. It does not mean your points stopped working. It means the queue for human help got very short, and very long at the same time. Supply went away. Demand did not.
Your options right now
1. Do it yourself with a search tool
seats.aero, ExpertFlyer and AwardWallet all sell access to award inventory. They are good tools and they are cheap, around $10 to $20 a month. What they do not do is tell you which routing is worth it, which transfer partner to use, what the taxes will be, or how to sequence the transfer so the seats do not vanish while the points are in transit. That is the part that costs people the trip.
2. Wait for the concierges to reopen
Fine if your dates are flexible and far away. Not fine if you are chasing seats that release on a fixed window, or travelling with a family of four where one seat appearing is not enough.
3. Pay a flat fee for a written plan
This is what we do. You send your balances, dates and airports. Within 48 hours you get two to three real options with the points cost, the taxes, the routing, the seat release windows and the exact booking steps. You book it yourself, so you never hand over your account. If we cannot find a bookable option, you do not pay.
How the four options compare
| Point Me | Point Hacks Concierge | AFF Concierge | point.me | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Open | Paused | Paused | Open, US focus |
| Price | $149 flat, published | Quote only, $460 to $1,280 typical | Quote only | From $200 per passenger |
| Per person? | No, per trip | Per request | Per request | Yes |
| Turnaround | 48 hours | Variable | Variable | Self serve |
| No seats, no fee | Yes | Pay on report | Pay on report | No |
Pricing and availability as published by each provider on 18 October 2026. Point Hacks Concierge lists case studies at $460, $569, $717 and $1,280. point.me concierge starts at $200 per passenger. Check current pricing before you buy, these things change.
What a plan looks like
- Two to three real options, not a vague suggestion
- Points, taxes and fees for each option, in dollars
- Exact routing, airline and cabin
- Seat release windows, so you know when to look and when to pounce
- Transfer steps in order, with the timing that protects the seats
- What to do if the seats move before you book
Award Flight Plan, $149
Flat per trip. Family of four, same price. Written plan in 48 hours. If there is no bookable option, there is no fee.
Start my planHonest limits
We are not a travel agency and we do not sell flights. We cannot promise a specific seat on a specific day, because nobody can. What we can promise is a researched plan, a real booking window, and no fee if we cannot find you something worth booking. If your dates are wide open and your balance is small, we will tell you that too.
Point Me is an independent service and is not affiliated with Point Hacks, Australian Frequent Flyer, or point.me. Their names are used here only to describe the market as it stands on the date above.