Award flights are rarely completely free. Government taxes are unavoidable, but carrier surcharges and booking fees vary hugely by programme and can reach hundreds of dollars.

The same flight can carry a huge surcharge through one partner programme and a small one through another, so comparing programmes matters as much as comparing miles.

Routing choices help too: avoiding high-tax connection airports and choosing low-surcharge carriers for the long-haul segment can cut fees substantially.

Book online to avoid phone fees, book early to avoid close-in fees, and always compare the total miles-plus-cash cost against the cash fare before confirming.