Comparison

BoardingArea vs AwardTool

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

BoardingArea

Access a curated collection of top travel blogs in one convenient app. Filter content to your preferences, bookmark articles for later, and easily search for news. Enjoy quality travel insights from experienced bloggers.

Highlights
  • Curated travel blog content
  • Content filtering by preference
  • Bookmark articles
  • Browse and search news
  • Hand-selected quality blogs
Features
Read full description

BoardingArea was developed by the same people who founded some of the most popular business travel and frequent flyer websites on the Internet and for more than 25 years, we’re continuing to do so by compiling the best travel blogs all in one place. Each blog in the BoardingArea network has been hand selected by our team for its quality of content, its timeliness and, last but not least, for its entertainment value. What our app will deliver: - Access to quality and hand selected travel news - Set preferences to filter to the content you need - Bookmark articles for later reading - Browse and search news

About

AwardTool

Effortlessly find and book award flights across numerous airlines and loyalty programs in real-time. This tool helps you discover business and first-class seats using your existing points, maximizing their value for your next trip.

Highlights
  • Real-time award availability search
  • Supports 30+ loyalty programs
  • Panorama view for multiple dates/cabins
  • Customizable smart alerts
  • Search up to 365 days out
  • Covers all major airline alliances
Features
Read full description

No more guesswork. AwardTool reveals real-time award availability across top airlines and loyalty programs. Discover business and first-class seats for the points you already have. Stop wasting time on multiple airline sites. With AwardTool, you can instantly search, compare, and book award flights across programs like Air France/KLM Flying Blue, ANA, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, and more — all in seconds. AwardTool helps you maximize the value of your points by finding the best redemption opportunities available anywhere. Whether you’re looking for a spontaneous weekend trip or a long-haul first-class experience, AwardTool brings transparency to the world of award travel. REAL-TIME AWARD SEARCH Search across 30+ loyalty programs in real time and find the exact seats available for your miles or points. PANORAMA VIEW View multiple dates and cabins at once with a clear, calendar-style overview — ideal for flexible travelers. SMART ALERTS Set custom alerts for your favorite routes and get notified instantly when better award seats appear. FULL COVERAGE Search availability up to 365 days out, for any route, fare class, or program — domestic or international. ALLIANCE SUPPORT AwardTool covers all major alliances: Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam. SUPPORTED AIRLINE PROGRAMS Air Canada Aeroplan Air France / KLM Flying Blue ANA Mileage Club Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan American Airlines AAdvantage Avianca LifeMiles British Airways Executive Club Avios Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Delta SkyMiles Emirates Skywards Etihad Guest Iberia Plus Lufthansa Miles & More Qantas Frequent Flyer Qatar Airways Privilege Club Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles United MileagePlus Virgin Atlantic Flying Club And many more CREDIT CARD POINTS Filter by your transferable points program and see where your rewards can take you: American Express Membership Rewards Chase Ultimate Rewards Citi ThankYou Rewards Capital One Miles Bilt Rewards Brex Ramp Wells Fargo Rewards AwardTool is the easiest way to plan your next redemption. See every seat, every program, and every possibility — all in one place. Download AwardTool and unlock the full power of your points.

Screenshots

BoardingArea4 screens
AwardTool4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BoardingArea at 3.7 against AwardTool's 2.7. BoardingArea also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and review sentiment (50% vs 40%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. AwardTool sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. BoardingArea asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BoardingArea holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of BoardingArea's written reviews are positive against 40% of AwardTool's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BoardingArea ships an update monthly, AwardTool every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
BoardingArea versus AwardTool: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBoardingAreaAwardTool
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings) — better2.7 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better40.0% of reviews
Number of ratings37 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB39 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperRan Decisions, IncAwardX LLC

Customer experience

BoardingArea

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

AwardTool

All ratings7 ratings
Positive28.6%
Neutral28.6%
Negative42.9%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative40.0%

In-app purchases

None

BoardingArea

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

AwardTool

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$12.991 Month
  • Yearly$124.991 Year
One-time2
  • Pro_Monthly$12.99
  • Pro_Yearly$124.99

Questions

Is BoardingArea free?
BoardingArea is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AwardTool free?
AwardTool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, BoardingArea or AwardTool?
BoardingArea is rated higher. BoardingArea averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while AwardTool averages 2.7 from 7 ratings.
Do BoardingArea or AwardTool have ads?
Neither BoardingArea nor AwardTool shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BoardingArea or AwardTool?
BoardingArea ships an update monthly, and AwardTool every 4 weeks. Most recently, BoardingArea was updated on October 5, 2026 and AwardTool on October 14, 2026.

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