Should You Use Miles or Pay Cash? Our New Awards vs. Cash Calculator Has the Answer
If you’ve ever hovered over a booking page thinking, “Is this a smart redemption or am I just emotionally attached to these points?”—you’re in good company.
We created a free, easy-to-use tool to help you make the call: the Awards vs. Cash Calculator is now live and ready to settle your internal travel debates once and for all.
What Is the Awards vs. Cash Calculator?
The Awards vs. Cash Calculator helps you figure out whether it’s worth using your points, or if you’d be better off paying cash. And yes—it works for flights, hotels, and even credit card redemptions.
Whether you're eyeing a luxury hotel, a budget airline ticket, or a statement credit, this calculator helps you decide with no mental math meltdowns required.
🧠 Here’s What It Does:
You enter a few simple details:
| ✏️ Input | 💡 What to Enter |
|---|---|
| 🏩 Loyalty Program | Choose the program from the dropdown (e.g. Chase, Amex, Marriott, United) |
| 💳 Points or Miles Required | How many points the redemption costs |
| 🏦 Fees | Any cash cost required with the redemption (e.g. airline taxes, resort fees) |
| ✈️ Cash Price | What you’d pay outright in dollars |
| ✅ Verdict | Instantly see whether it’s worth using points or swiping your card |
Why It Matters
All redemptions are not created equal.
A $200 flight for 25,000 points? Meh.
A $700 hotel night for 50,000 points? Now we’re talking.
This calculator helps you quickly tell the difference without pulling out a spreadsheet or texting your credit card nerd friend at midnight (although, we love that energy).
Real-Life Scenario:
You’re booking a 3-night hotel stay. Here’s the deal:
| 💳 Points Needed | 159,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points |
| 🏦 Out-of-Pocket Fee | $138.60 in resort fees |
| ✈️ Cash Price | $1,508.72 total including tax |
| 🎯 Calculator Verdict | Better to use points (value = 1.5¢/point) |
Without the calculator, you'd be guessing. With it, you're making boss-level decisions.
Bookmark This for Future You 🖇️
This is a tool you’ll want to keep handy anytime you’re about to make a booking.
📌 Bookmark it now so you’re not scrambling next time you’re juggling redemptions and trying to remember what 1.7 cents per point actually means.
What’s Next for Miles to Anywhere Tools?
We’re just getting started. Our goal? Help you travel better, smarter, and with less spreadsheet-induced stress. Up next:
- 🗓️ Credit Card Perk Tracker – Know when your lounge passes, travel credits, or hotel nights are about to expire. Get reminders to use your dining credits, grocery credits, and more. Use them before you lose them.
- 🎁 Loyalty Program Perk Tracker – Stay on top of things like suite upgrades, free nights, and elite status deadlines across your hotel and airline accounts.
More tools = more points maximized = more travel wins.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let your hard-earned points go to waste on weak redemptions. Use the Awards vs. Cash Calculator to evaluate your options and make every point count.
👉 Start using the calculator now
And if you know someone who's constantly booking travel with rewards (or just thinks they're good at it), send them this post. Sharing is caring—and possibly trip-enhancing.
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Jacqueline Gomez
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All information is accurate as of the date of publication but may change over time.
Always check for the latest details before making travel plans.
