Paying cash is a real answer, and it is one of the four we give. Below you will find an example answer, two reasons it comes up, and six trips run through the engine, each with its math.
Baseline source date June 8, 2026. Award prices are planning estimates.
Example
New York to Boston
Economy, round trip, holding 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points
Just pay cash. You keep your 20,000 points, worth $200 at the baseline, for a trip where they count.
Baseline source date June 8, 2026
Run this trip yourselfThis trip costs $120, under our $200 cutoff. That is the first check the engine runs.
The points are not wasted. They stay yours.
Reason 1
Under $200 in total cash cost, the points or a card's minimum spend are not worth the effort. The engine answers Pay cash before it checks anything else.
Reason 2
We grade each trip against your currency's baseline. If the trip would redeem for less than 80% of it, the answer is Pay cash, whether or not you hold the points. A currency with a higher baseline reaches that line sooner.
A card can lead only after issuer re-review, when its estimated first-year value is above zero and, with your points, its bonus reaches 70% of the trip. Without enough points or an eligible card recommendation, the answer can be to pay cash now, or build points first: a close call. A card whose terms are still under re-review does not lead an answer, and this page puts no name or figure on one.
Each trip is an example run through the engine. The ruler shows cents per point on that trip, with the baseline as the dark tick. The first trip is under the cheap-trip cutoff. The other five are above it, where points would redeem below 80% of the baseline.
Example 1 of 6
Pay cash
The total cash cost, $180, is under the $200 cutoff.
The engine says: Just pay cash. This trip is too cheap to optimize.
Instead: Keep the points. The 25,000 this trip would use are worth $275 at the baseline. At our baseline, Amex Membership Rewards points start to win on this route from $276.
Run this trip yourselfExample 2 of 6
Pay cash
0.69¢ per point is under 0.88¢, which is 80% of the 1.1¢ baseline.
The engine says: You have the points, but cash is the smarter play here.
Instead: Keep the points. The 70,000 this trip would use are worth $770 at the baseline. At our baseline, Amex Membership Rewards points start to win on this route from $771.
Run this trip yourselfExample 3 of 6
Pay cash
0.75¢ per point is under 0.8¢, which is 80% of the 1¢ baseline.
The engine says: Pay cash. Points are a poor deal on this trip.
Instead: Keep your 20,000 points. This trip would use about 40,000, worth $400 at the baseline. If you held enough points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points would win on this route from $400.
Run this trip yourselfExample 4 of 6
Pay cash
0.88¢ per point is under 1.04¢, which is 80% of the 1.3¢ baseline.
The engine says: You have the points, but cash is the smarter play here.
Instead: Keep the points. The 40,000 this trip would use are worth $520 at the baseline. At our baseline, American AAdvantage points start to win on this route from $520.
Same trip, other points: with 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points the answer is Close call, at 0.88¢ per point against a 1¢ baseline.
Run this trip yourselfExample 5 of 6
Pay cash
0.92¢ per point is under 1.12¢, which is 80% of the 1.4¢ baseline.
The engine says: You have the points, but cash is the smarter play here.
Instead: Keep the points. The 25,000 this trip would use are worth $350 at the baseline. At our baseline, Atmos Rewards (Alaska) points start to win on this route from $350.
Run this trip yourselfExample 6 of 6
Pay cash
0.65¢ per point is under 0.8¢, which is 80% of the 1¢ baseline.
The engine says: You have the points, but cash is the smarter play here.
Instead: Keep the points. The 40,000 this trip would use are worth $400 at the baseline. At our baseline, Citi ThankYou Points start to win on this route from $400.
Run this trip yourselfWhen the answer is Pay cash, no card or booking link in it pays us. Right now none of our sources is earning. How we make money: No affiliate links configured.
Before paying, compare the same dates, cabin, bags, and cancellation rules. Check the actual award price, its cash fees, your available balance, and live seats. These are manual checks. A low fare and an insufficient balance are different reasons to keep your points; neither requires opening a card.
Enter a route, a cabin, the fare you see, and the points you hold. If the answer is Pay cash, you will see which rule decided it.