# How to search award flights with Real-Time and Mega Search By AwardTool | Updated 2026-09-12 Canonical URL: https://www.awardtool.com/learn/real-time-and-mega-search Real-Time Search checks award-flight options for the route, dates, travelers, and programs you select, and a single search can span up to 36 departure dates on one route with Pro access. Mega Search extends the same workflow across broader route and program combinations. Use these tools when you have a concrete trip to evaluate rather than a destination to discover. Best for: Fixed-date trips, comparing a whole month of departures on one route, and checking a specific itinerary before booking. ## At a glance - Search for the real number of passengers from the beginning. - Spend your search entries on what is uncertain: one route across up to 36 departure dates on Pro, or several airports across fewer dates each. - Inspect cabin coverage, connections, points, and taxes before picking the lowest price. - Confirm the award with the booking program before moving points. [Open Real-Time Search](https://www.awardtool.com/) ## When should you use a live search? Section URL: https://www.awardtool.com/learn/real-time-and-mega-search#choose-live-search Use Real-Time Search when you know where you want to fly and have specific dates or a manageable date window. It is a useful next step after discovering a promising route in Panorama, and a good starting point for time-sensitive travel where you need to compare actual itineraries. A live search here is measured in entries rather than in a fixed date window. One entry is one origin, one destination, one direction, and one date. Free access covers 4 entries per search, and Pro covers 36, which you can spend however the trip needs: one route across 36 departure dates in a single search, one origin to two destinations across 18 dates each, or any other split. The search form shows how many days your account can cover before you submit. That matters most when the date is the thing you are unsure about. A full month of departures on one route arrives as one result set you can sort and compare, instead of a series of short searches you have to run and remember. Mega Search extends the same entry budget across broader route and program combinations. [Open Mega Search](https://www.awardtool.com/mega) [Check current account features](https://www.awardtool.com/pro) ## How to set airports, dates, passengers, and programs Section URL: https://www.awardtool.com/learn/real-time-and-mega-search#configure-search 1. **Choose airports and dates** Enter your origin and destination. Add nearby airports only if you could realistically use them, remembering that each extra airport spends entries you could otherwise spend on dates. Then select the departure date or date range: on one route, Pro access can cover up to 36 days in the same search. 2. **Set passengers and cabin** Enter everyone traveling and choose the cabin you want. A result for one passenger does not establish that the same award is available for your entire family or group. 3. **Choose booking programs** Select the loyalty programs you can use or fund through eligible transfers. The booking program can differ from the operating airline, so judge the itinerary and funding path separately. 4. **Run and compare** Submit the search and review the loaded results. For searches spanning dates, use the date comparison controls to identify useful days before narrowing the itinerary list. ## How to filter award flights and check mixed cabins Section URL: https://www.awardtool.com/learn/real-time-and-mega-search#filter-with-purpose Start with the minimum requirements: cabin, passenger count, maximum points, cash taxes, and acceptable stops. Then refine departure times, arrival times, total duration, connecting airports, airlines, or aircraft where available. Reset filters if the list becomes empty and add restrictions back one at a time. Business and First results can include mixed-cabin itineraries. Use the premium-cabin percentage filter where available, then expand the flight to see which cabin applies to each segment. A premium label alone is not enough to establish that your longest flight is in the cabin you want. For a fixed event, check the arrival date and time rather than just the departure day. For a short holiday, a slightly higher points price may leave you with more usable time than a long connection. Compare these tradeoffs directly instead of sorting only by miles. ## Use the result view that suits the decision Section URL: https://www.awardtool.com/learn/real-time-and-mega-search#read-results List view gives individual itineraries room for detail. Table view aligns schedules, connections, seats, and prices for quick comparisons. Grid view places cabin availability and prices together. Choose the view that makes your current question easiest to answer; changing the layout does not change the underlying trip requirements. Sort by points when your balance is the constraint, by duration when time matters, or by taxes when the cash component is important. Open the flight for segment-level airports, airlines, flight numbers, aircraft, and layovers. Check the price basis and calculate the total for your party before comparing options. ## Continue to booking or create an alert Section URL: https://www.awardtool.com/learn/real-time-and-mega-search#book-or-monitor The booking information panel shows the loyalty program's award price and any eligible transfer options. Book Now takes you to the airline program. Transfer rows can explain a bank-to-program path and offer a Transfer Guide. Check the program's current availability, taxes, and rules before proceeding. If no result fits, try nearby dates, another airport, or an additional program you can use. For a trip that remains specific, create a real-time alert from the supported search controls or the Alerts page. Review the alert form carefully: only supported preferences carry into monitoring, and you still need to save the alert. [Set an award alert](https://www.awardtool.com/alert) [Learn how alerts differ](https://www.awardtool.com/learn/alerts) ## Common questions ### What is the difference between Mega Search and Panorama? Mega Search follows the real-time award-search workflow across supported route and date combinations. Panorama explores stored award data over flexible locations and dates; check result freshness and verify promising flights before booking. ### Why is a business-class result partly in economy? Some awards combine different cabins on different segments. Inspect the itinerary and use the premium-cabin percentage filter where available to narrow results to the cabin coverage you need. ### What should I try when a live search returns no awards? Remove optional filters, check nearby dates or airports, and compare another supported loyalty program. If your requirements are fixed, set a real-time alert. An empty result does not establish that every possible award option is unavailable. ## Compare award search tools - [AwardTool vs Seats.aero](https://www.awardtool.com/compare/awardtool-vs-seats-aero) - [AwardTool vs AwardFares](https://www.awardtool.com/compare/awardtool-vs-awardfares) - [Award Search Tools vs Airline Websites](https://www.awardtool.com/compare/award-search-tools-vs-airline-websites) ## Before you book Award availability and prices can change. Confirm the exact itinerary, cabin, traveler count, points, and cash total with the loyalty program before transferring points or booking. Search access and limits depend on your plan. [See current plans](https://www.awardtool.com/pro) ## Related guides - [Find flexible award flights with Panorama and route calendars](https://www.awardtool.com/learn/panorama-and-route-calendar) - [How to set award flight and hotel availability alerts](https://www.awardtool.com/learn/alerts) - [How to use transfer partners, points tools, and Live Seat Map](https://www.awardtool.com/learn/points-and-travel-tools)