Paying cash is a real answer, and we say so when it is the better deal. Bring a trip and the cash fare you found. Compare it with your points. Card picks and rankings appear only among cards with current issuer-checked terms. Other cards remain labeled estimates.
Built on conservative estimatesStart with your route. We’ll compare planning estimates for points, cards, and cash.
Uses your saved wallet on this browser, if you have one. Estimates are not live fares or award availability. Confirm terms before booking or moving points.
One example trip, run through the same engine as the trip planner. Try one points balance or compare two programs. A baseline is our planning value for a point. Cash, close call, and points are all possible answers.
Pay cash
You have the points, but cash is the smarter play here.
$240
cash fare per person, round trip
Points win from $400.
Cash wins below $320. In between is a close call.
Cash fare, to scale
Drag the marker, or tab to the rule and use the arrow keys.
An example run of our engine, not a live fare. Baseline 1¢ per point, source date June 8, 2026.
See how break-even worksExample. New York to Los Angeles, economy, round trip, one traveler. An award price is the number of points a trip costs. Here it is estimated, with no live seats or award fees included.
Both receipts use $350. Use arrow keys on the slider for a dollar at a time.
Pay cash
Reference: American AAdvantage. Source date June 8, 2026.
You have the points, but cash is the smarter play here.
Open this example in the planner →Close call
Reference: Chase Ultimate Rewards. Source date September 7, 2026.
Close call: using points or paying cash are both fine here.
Open this example in the planner →At $350: American AAdvantage: Pay cash. Chase Ultimate Rewards: Close call. Equal point counts do not mean equal value.
Each one is an example trip run through the engine. Open one to see its math.
New York to London
Economy, round trip, holding 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points
Los Angeles to Tokyo
Economy, round trip, holding 100,000 Amex Membership Rewards points
Boston to London
Economy, round trip, holding 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points
Chicago to Paris
Economy, round trip, holding 80,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points
Points spent today cannot pay for another trip. Our baseline is a planning value for that tradeoff, not a cash price you can collect.
Worked example: New York to London. A $650 fare divided by an estimated 40,000 points gives 1.6¢ per point. Those points represent $400 at our baseline.
Unpack this answer, step by step →Match the dates, cabin, bags, and cancellation rules. Find the actual award, add its cash fees, and check your balance. A transfer moves points to another program and may be irreversible.
Have a fare and points price already? Grade that redemption. Still planning? Enter your own trip. Paying cash can keep your points for a better use.
Keep a local wallet · Explore award routes · Check card facts
Baseline source date June 8, 2026
These source dates do not establish a new review of current prices, offers, or availability.
How we value pointsOn average, our baseline sits 27% below our own achievable estimate, across 16 programs.
See the figureHow we make money: No affiliate links configured
See every sourceHow we stay honest, program valuation notes, how a verdict is decided, when paying cash is the answer, and seven questions to ask any points tool.