Tool 02

Points vs cash

Enter the cash fare you can actually buy today, the points the award costs, and the taxes. The tool shows what each point is worth on this booking and which option is cheaper, including the case where you would have to buy the points.

USD
The cheapest business fare you could book right now, same dates, same cabin.
Enter the cash fare.
pts
One-way or round trip, but match the cash fare.
Enter the points price.
USD
Shown at the final step of the award booking. Include partner booking fees.
¢/pt
Buying in a sale: the sale price per point. Earned from cards: what you would otherwise get from them, often 1.0 to 1.5. Set 0 to ignore.
Label only. Enter every amount in the same currency, and the points cost in cents of that currency.

The two options, all-in

Award cost if you buy the points at your price, against the cash fare.

Where buying points stops paying

Below the break-even price per point, the award is cheaper. Above it, pay cash.

What each point is worth on this booking

How to read it

Value per point is (cash fare minus award taxes) divided by points. Above 1.5 cents is a solid business class redemption for most programs. Above 2.5 is excellent. Below 1.0 you are wasting points: pay cash and keep them.

Break-even tells you the most you can pay per point before cash becomes cheaper. Compare it with the sale price. If a program sells points at 1.35 cents and your break-even is 2.9 cents, buying is clearly fine. If break-even is 1.4 cents, you are saving pennies and taking on award-availability risk for nothing.

Always compare like with like: a one-way award against a one-way cash fare on comparable dates. Round-trip cash fares are often not much more than one-ways, which is exactly why points shine on one-ways.