(CNN) -- This is expected to be one of the busiest summer travel seasons ever, making it tough for frequent flyers who want to redeem their awards for a summer vacation. But there are some strategies to getting around the system.

Frequent flyers hoping to redeem points for a summer flight should have done so months ago. There's still hope, however -- those who don't mind last-minute planning should try booking a reservation close to the take-off date.

"If you try to redeem your miles within two weeks of that flight, a lot of times by that time the airlines will have released seats to frequent flyers because they realize they're not going to sell them anyway," says CNN business travel consultant Chris McGinnis.

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Another strategy: Look for start-up routes.

"Every time an airline introduces a new route, those seats become available for award redemption," says Randy Petersen, publisher of InsideFlyer magazine.

For example, in the next two months, Continental Airlines will start service to Ireland and Scotland. In October, US Airways will start new service from Pittsburgh to Paris.

Another idea: Consider alternate travel plans or airports.

"If you want to go to Orlando, (to) bring your family to Disney, and you can't get a seat to Orlando, try Daytona Beach, Tampa, Ft. Myers, even Jacksonville, and then just take a short drive," McGinnis suggests.

Frequent flyers who can afford to use 40,000 miles for a free seat may have more luck than those spending the usual 25,000-mile amount.

"Those have many fewer blackout dates and are almost like buying a full fare ticket," says McGinnis, "which means that it's a lot easier for you to travel when you want to."

And here's a tip if you want to earn some extra miles: stay at a hotel that's partnered with an airline. In many cases you might even get double miles. But remember to ask about these deals before you go. The rules have changed and hotels and airlines are asking travelers to pre-register for all bonus points.