Running the honest math…
Compare cash and points for your trip.
With a cash price we can grade the points. Without it you get an estimate.
We find the cheapest airline to book through. Choose an alliance if you want to keep the routing inside it when possible.
Points you already hold
Cards you already have
Our pay never changes the verdict. Every number is auditable.
On the airline's own site, price the exact same flight two ways: the all-cash fare, and the “pay with miles” combo (part cash, part miles). Enter all three numbers and we'll grade the rate those miles actually earn.
This grades miles you already have. The miles only buy you the cash you avoid: the fare minus the cash you'd still pay: so a combo that barely lowers the cash price is a poor use of miles, and we'll say so.
Nothing to grade yet
Enter the all-cash fare and the cash + miles combo for the same flight, and we'll compute the real cents-per-mile: including when to just pay cash.
Price the same room and dates on the hotel’s site. Enter both stay totals.
For points you already have. New-card bonuses need a separate calculation.
Fees still charged on a points stay don’t count toward what points buy. We subtract these from the cash total.
Comparing a new card? Check the free-night certificate options after grading, or the per-card calculators.
Offered a mix for the same room? Compare it against the cash total above, even without an all-points price.