Have several scheduling options, not just of different days, but different weeks to travel. And be flexible about your destination. Consider flying in and out of Providence, R.I., instead of popular Boston. It is usually easier to get award flights into second-tier airports. Finally, go to your airline's frequent-flier Web site.
Some sites list destinations that have high award availability.
Other strategies include settling for connecting flights and off-hour travel, or using an alternate airline that has an alliance relationship with your preferred airline. Shop the sales. To fill seats during the off-season or on new routes, airlines often put some destinations on sale, which means you use fewer miles to get a free ticket. Don't waste your miles. Consumer Reports values frequent-flier miles at 2 cents a mile.