{{short description|Financial technology companies}} {{Infobox company | name = AwardWallet, LLC | logo = AwardWallet_Logo.svg | type = Private | traded_as = AwardWallet | industry = travel management, information technology, loyalty programs | founded = 2004 | founders = Alexi Vereschaga | hq_location = Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S. | num_employees = | parent = | website = {{url|https://awardwallet.com}} }}
'''AwardWallet''' is frequent flyer miles and points tracking site.<ref name="noonan">{{Cite news |last=Noonan |first=Laura |date=2020-01-02 |title=JPMorgan to ban fintech apps from using customer passwords |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/93dcfc52-210b-11ea-b8a1-584213ee7b2b |access-date=2021-12-18}}</ref><ref name="BBC five">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20120619-five-best-air-travel-apps|title=Five Best Air Travel Apps|date=21 June 2012 |publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref name="phocus">{{cite web|url=https://www.phocuswire.com/American-Airlines-corrects-course-makes-nice-with-AwardWallet-and-other-loyalty-tracking-startups|title=American Airlines corrects course, makes nice with AwardWallet and other loyalty tracking startups|publisher=PhocusWire}}</ref><ref name="Forbes">{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/best-apps-to-track-credit-card-rewards/ |title=The 4 Best Apps To Track Credit Card Rewards |work=Forbes|date=19 April 2022 }}</ref> It is considered to be the first in the genre, founded in 2004, and tracked more than 400 sites as of 2011.<ref name="wsj">{{Cite news |last=McCartney |first=Scott |date=2011-10-13 |title=Two Airlines Battle Mileage-Tracking Websites |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204774604576627142338884936.html |access-date=2021-12-18 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> AwardWallet is based out of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. As of 2021, it has 700,000 users, despite some airlines blocking access to the app citing privacy concerns.<ref name="paul">{{Cite news |last=Paul |first=Trina |date=2021-09-14 |title=These are the best apps for tracking your credit card, airline and hotel rewards |language=en |url=https://www.cnbc.com/select/best-apps-for-tracking-your-credit-card-rewards/ |access-date=2021-12-18}}</ref><ref name="perez">{{Cite news |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=2012-09-15 |title=Delta Sends C&Ds To Startups Tracking Airline Rewards; MileWise, AwardWallet & Others Affected |language=en-US |url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/15/delta-sends-cds-to-startups-tracking-airline-rewards-milewise-awardwallet-others-affected/ |access-date=2021-12-18}}</ref>
In 2012, AwardWallet was involved in a series of disputes with several airlines companies which denied access to AwardWallet's tracking software on their websites.<ref name="NYT">{{cite web|url=https://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/18/united-is-latest-airline-to-block-rewards-web-site/|title=United Is Latest Airline to Block Rewards Web Site|work=The New York Times|date=18 December 2012 }}</ref><ref name="tech">{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/15/delta-sends-cds-to-startups-tracking-airline-rewards-milewise-awardwallet-others-affected/ |title=Delta Sends C&Ds To Startups Tracking Airline Rewards; MileWise, AwardWallet & Others Affected|date=16 September 2012 |publisher=TechCrunch}}</ref><ref name="skrift">{{cite web|url=https://skift.com/2012/09/10/delta-threatens-to-sue-awardwallet-and-it-drops-skymiles-support/|title= Delta forces loyalty point tracker AwardWallet to drop support for SkyMiles|date= 11 September 2012|publisher=Skrift}}</ref>
==History== AwardWallet was established in 2004 by Alexi Vereschaga and Todd Mera, two former employees and software engineers from the Aelita Software Corporation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/83888-new-options-in-choosing-an-id-printer|title=New Options in Choosing an ID Printer|publisher= Security Magazine}}</ref><ref>[https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2011/10/17/5-online-tools-for-managing-airline-miles US News: 5 Online Tools for Managing Airline Miles]</ref> The company began with reward programs by tracking transactions of frequent flyer users and later expanded its services by adding a variety of customer loyalty programs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/travel/track-your-points-award-wallet/|title= A TOOL TO TRACK YOUR POINTS – AWARD WALLET |date= 19 November 2019 |publisher=Las Vegas Advisor}}</ref><ref name="Forbes"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/track-frequent-flyer-miles-avoid-expired-rewards/|title=Track Frequent Flyer Miles, Avoid Expired Rewards |date=15 July 2010 |publisher=CBSNews}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/how-to-keep-track-of-rewards-points-1277/ |title=CreditCards.com: How to keep track of all those rewards points |access-date=2022-03-11 |archive-date=2021-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513144144/https://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/how-to-keep-track-of-rewards-points-1277/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> AwardWallet added a companion mobile application for iOS and Android devices circa 2010/2011.<ref>[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/awardwallet/id388442727 AppStore: AwardWallet Track Rewards]</ref><ref name="BBC five"/><ref name="AA">[http://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2013/American-Airlines-and-AwardWallet-Offer-New-Reward-Tracking-Technology-for-AAdvantage-Members/default.aspx American Airlines News: American Airlines and AwardWallet Offer New Reward Tracking Technology for AAdvantage Members]. ''news.aa.com'', Retrieved May 31, 2024</ref>
As of 2021, AwardWallet had over 700,000 members.<ref>[https://www.socialreport.com/insights/article/360000818643-Facebook-Groups-Spotlight-Award-Travel-101®-Builds-Community- Social Report: Facebook Groups Spotlight: Award Travel 101® Builds Community]</ref> AwardWallet software has been discussed and cited in travel and technology sections of the media outlets such as ''The New York Times'', BBC,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20110831-tracking-travel-rewards?OCID=fbtvl|title= Tracking Travel Rewards: New travel tools help monitor your airline miles, credit card points and other loyalty programs, making free flights and hotels upgrades less elusive |date= September 2011 |publisher=BBC Travel}}</ref> CNN,<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/useful-travel-websites-bt/index.html CNN Travel: 10 most useful travel websites]</ref> ''Bloomberg'',<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-13/how-to-make-sure-you-get-frequent-flier-status-next-year Bloomberg: A Travel Hacker's Guide to Elite Status in 2017 and Beyond]</ref> Forbes,<ref name="Forbes"/> Entrepreneur,<ref>[https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/224731 Entrepreneur: World Leaders Weigh in on the State of Business Travel]</ref> Vox,<ref>[https://www.vox.com/personal-finance/2015/2/6/7952869/frequent-flyer-miles-points Vox: 4 frequent flier mile pro tips that anyone can use]</ref> ''Los Angeles Times'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-sep-20-fi-flier20-story.html|title=First Person|work=Los Angeles Times|date=20 September 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-money-being-stingy-costs-money-20181231-story.html|title=Resolutions for 2019: Go ahead — be stingy, grouchy or lazy. But it could cost you|work=Los Angeles Times|date=31 December 2018 }}</ref> CNBC,<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/select/30-year-old-manages-35-credit-cards-and-earns-free-flights/ CNBC: How this 30-year-old manages 35 credit cards and earns free flights]</ref> and ''The Wall Street Journal'', among others.<ref name="wsj"/>
As of 2022, Uber began collaborating with AwardWallet to introduce Uber Travel, a function that allows users to book rides covering their entire trip, including transportation from the airport to the hotel and restaurants. The feature aggregates flight, hotel, and restaurant reservations within the Uber app.<ref>{{cite web |title=Uber Takes Further Steps Into Travel Through Itinerary Aggregator, and More |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/uber-takes-further-steps-travel-214700650.html |website=Yahoo Finance |access-date=20 June 2024 |date=16 May 2022}}</ref>
As of 2024, AwardWallet was available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The service tracks loyalty programs and rewards systems from over 700 travel and retail companies, providing travel alerts, email notifications for flight disruptions, and spending analysis to help users optimize point accumulation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fan |first1=Katherine |title=Track your credit card rewards and book the best award flights with the best apps and tools in 2024 |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-credit-card-rewards-apps-track-points-miles-travel |website=Business Insider |access-date=20 June 2024}}</ref>
==Technology== AwardWallet's software is equipped with several APIs related to the travel space including an AwardWallet Email Parsing API, AwardWallet Web Parsing API, and AwardWallet Account Access API. For example, Email Parsing API retrieves travel reservations from confirmation emails. Travel reservations are then parsed by the API to return the reservation data in a structured JSON format<ref>[https://www.programmableweb.com/api/awardwallet-email-parsing ProgrammableWeb: AwardWallet Email Parsing API]</ref> The AwardWallet Account Access API operates via OAuth protocol.<ref>[https://awardwallet.com/api/account#introduction Official Website: AwardWallet Account Access API]</ref> The AwardWallet Web Parsing API retrieves account balance, membership tier, expiration date and more from online accounts. It also provides access to travel itineraries and historical account activity.<ref>[https://awardwallet.com/api/loyalty AwardWallet Web Parsing API]</ref> A number of sources<ref name="AA"/><ref>[https://www.capitalone.com/tech/case-studies/award-wallet/ Capital One: Award Wallet + Rewards API]</ref><ref>[https://www.eweek.com/development/capital-one-launches-devexchange-developer-portal E-week: Capital One Launches DevExchange Developer Portal]</ref> indicate that the AwardWallet software is a part of an emerging API economy.<ref>[https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/welcome-to-the-api-economy/ Gartner: Welcome to the API Economy]</ref><ref>[https://searchapparchitecture.techtarget.com/definition/API-economy#:~:text=API%20economy%20is%20the%20exposure,a%20synonym%20for%20API%20management. SearchAppArchitecture: API economy]</ref>
==Airline companies tracking controversy == AwardWallet was a part of controversy related to the denial of the airline companies to have tracking software programs in their API systems. In late 2012, AwardWallet (along with TripIt and MileWise) received a number of cease and desist letters from American Airlines, Delta,<ref name="skrift"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Carrns|first=Ann|title=Delta Cracks Down on Mileage Tracking Sites|url=https://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/delta-cracks-down-on-mileage-tracking-sites/|accessdate=29 December 2020|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 19, 2012}}</ref> United Airlines<ref name="NYT"/> and Southwest Airlines, demanding that AwardWallet discontinue accessing their websites for tracking clients' miles rewards programs.<ref name="tech"/><ref name="phocus"/> In August 2013, American Airlines resumed its use of the AwardWallet by integrating its software in the company's API.<ref name="AA"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Leff|first=Garry|title=AwardWallet Can Track American AAdvantage Accounts Again|url=https://viewfromthewing.com/award-wallet-can-track-american-aadvantage-accounts-again/ |accessdate=29 December 2020|newspaper=View From The Wings|date=August 6, 2013}}</ref><ref name="phocus"/>
==See also== *Intuit Mint *NerdWallet
== References == {{reflist}} Category:Financial technology companies Category:American companies established in 2004 Category:Travel management Category:Software companies based in Pennsylvania Category:Software companies of the United States ==External links== *[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.itlogy.awardwallet&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1 Google Play] *[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/awardwallet-track-rewards/id388442727 The Apple App]