The Tools I Use to Book Flights with Fewer Points
How do you know you're getting a good deal on your points redemption?
I'm a big fan of accumulating credit card points. I'm a big fan of travel. I'm also a big fan of deals.
You may think that paying for flights with your hard-earned credit card points in lieu of cash is a deal in and of itself, but what if I told you there were ways to get more from your points?
This post dives into three tools I use to book cheap flights with points—tools that help you use far fewer points than you might expect.
Table of Contents
What is award travel?
If you're already an award travel pro, feel free to skip ahead!
Award travel uses points, miles, or other loyalty rewards from credit cards, airline programs, or travel activities to book flights, hotels, and more at little to no cost. While this post focuses on flights, points can also be used to book lodging or offset credit card expenses directly.
The appeal (and intimidation) of award travel
Award travel is exciting. Flying to bucket-list destinations or enjoying first-class luxuries without spending a fortune is alluring. From scoring a last-minute weekend getaway to splurging on a bucket-list business-class trip, award travel can make dreams come true.
However, navigating the vast array of airline programs, transfer partners, and fluctuating redemption values can feel overwhelming. Many travelers hesitate to redeem points, worrying they won’t get the best deal. Some spend far more points than necessary, while others let their rewards sit idle, unsure where to begin.
That’s where tools like Award Logic, Seats.Aero and Award Tool come in. These platforms simplify the process, empowering you to maximize your points and make award travel less intimidating and more rewarding.
Award Logic
Award Logic was key in booking our family trip to New Zealand and Australia for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.
What does Award Logic do?
Award Logic is a user-friendly platform designed to simplify the process of searching for award travel. It consolidates multiple airline programs into a single interface, allowing users to quickly compare options and find the best deals for their points and miles. With features like customizable search filters, real-time availability, and recommendations tailored to your preferences, Award Logic takes the guesswork out of booking award flights, making it an ideal tool for both beginners and experienced travelers.
Free and paid version
The free version is useful, but the paid version—especially the single-day pass—is worth it when you’re ready to book. It eliminates much of the guesswork, saving you time and ensuring you get the best value.
Great for international travel: An example
Let's say I'm trying to head to Amsterdam in the summer and I want to fly business class. Would I ever buy a business class ticket with cash? Probably not, and you'll see why in a bit. But with award travel, it's a bit more accessible.
A quick search with the departure date, origin and destination airports quickly shows me that there's a business class flight from Houston to Amsterdam with a layover in London. The interesting bit? In order to get this deal, I would have to book the flight with British Airways partner airline, Alaska Airlines.
The great thing about Award Logic is that if I don't have an Alaska Airlines account or want to see different options, I'm able to see the booking programs I could use. In this case, I could also use BILT Rewards and even American Airlines, albeit for a few more points than Alaska Airlines but, fewer taxes and fees.
What's the cash comparison?
Booking directly with British Airways would run me $3,461 out of pocket. Like I said, I probably wouldn't pay this much. But now that I have the numbers in front of me, I can do the math.
How do I know I'm getting a good deal?
Let's take a detour really quick. If you already know what CPP is, you can skip to the next section.
This may remind you of high school physics, but stick with me here. To feel confident that you're getting a good deal, you'll want to familiarize yourself with cents per point (CPP).
Cents Per Point (CPP) is a metric that quantifies the value of each point or mile in a rewards program, expressed in cents. Calculating CPP helps determine whether redeeming points for a particular flight or service offers good value.
In general, credit card and reward programs will offer a 1cpp redemption value, i.e. 100,000 points = $1,000. Credit cards like the ones from Chase often give you 1.25cpp if you use their portal to book your travel. That may be worth it if the savings are there, but my preference is to book directly with the airlines.
So now, let's take a look at the options.
Option 1: Book Alaska Airlines
Booking with Alaska Airlines would run:
- 55,000 Alaska Airlines points and
- $1,015 in taxes and fees
How to Calculate Cents Per Point (CPP)
Here’s a step-by-step example to calculate CPP for a flight:
Item | Value |
---|---|
Cash Value of the Flight | $3461 |
Taxes and Fees | $1015 |
Points Required | 55,000 |
Step 1: Subtract taxes and fees from the cash value:
$3461 - $1015 = $2446
Step 2: Divide the result by points required:
$2446 ÷ 55,000 = 0.044472727
Step 3: Multiply by 100 to get the CPP:
0.044472727 × 100 = 4.45 cents per point
Conclusion: For this redemption, each point is worth 4.45 cents, representing excellent value.
In practice, you can feel pretty good about booking anything that has more than 1-1.25cpp. In this case? It's a steal. You'd want to book that as soon as you could.
Now onto the next option.
Option 2: Booking with American Airlines
Let's say you didn't have an Alaska Airlines account or you got into the weeds and want to triple check that you're getting a great deal.
Booking with American Airlines would run:
- 57,500 Alaska Airline Points but
- only $753 in taxes and fees
How big of a difference is the increase in points and lower taxes?
How to Calculate Cents Per Point (CPP)
Here’s a step-by-step example to calculate CPP for a flight:
Item | Value |
---|---|
Cash Value of the Flight | $3461 |
Taxes and Fees | $753 |
Points Required | 57,500 |
Step 1: Subtract taxes and fees from the cash value:
$3461 - $753 = $2708
Step 2: Divide the result by points required:
$2708 ÷ 57,500 = 0.047095652
Step 3: Multiply by 100 to get the CPP:
0.047095652 × 100 = 4.71 cents per point
Conclusion: For this redemption, each point is worth 4.71 cents, representing outstanding value.
4.71cpp! More than 4.45cpp from booking with Alaska Airlines.
Now, granted, at this point you're splitting hairs but in the end, if you have a few thousand points to spare, you could save a few hundred bucks in taxes and fees by booking with American Airlines.
When do I use Award Logic?
I frequent Award Logic when I know where I want to go and what dates I want to travel.
However, if you're more flexible with your travel schedule and destination, that's where Seats.Aero comes into play.
Seats.Aero
Seats.Aero is similar to Award Logic but takes a different approach to browsing for flight options.
It excels in identifying “sweet spots” for points redemptions, such as hard-to-find premium cabin seats or deals on flights that typically sell out quickly. The platform offers features like:
- Real-Time Award Availability: Displays award seats in real time, ensuring you don’t miss out on great opportunities.
- Custom Alerts: Allows you to set notifications for specific routes or cabins, so you’re informed the moment availability matches your criteria.
- User-Friendly Interface: Makes it easy to search for flights by destination, airline, or points program.
Seats.Aero is particularly popular among seasoned travelers and those who value flexibility, as it shines for last-minute travel planning or hard-to-redeem routes.
Free vs Paid Version
The free version only allows you to search for flights departing within the next two months, which is good enough for those looking for spontaneous trips and last second deals.
The paid version widens the search to one year and includes additional search features and alerts for $9.99/month.
Honorable Mention: Award Tool
Award Tool is like if Google Flights and Award Logic had a baby.
It is another platform for simplifying award travel planning. It offers a comprehensive search engine for award availability across various airlines and loyalty programs. Its focus lies in providing users with tailored searches, integrating transfer partner suggestions, and optimizing points usage for the best redemptions.
Conclusion - Confidence in Using Your Points
Personally, award travel isn’t just about saving money, it’s about unlocking experiences that might otherwise feel out of reach. By understanding key concepts like Cents Per Point and using tools like Award Logic, Seats.Aero or Award Tool, you can turn your hard-earned points into unforgettable journeys. Whether you're planning a last-minute getaway or a bucket-list adventure, these platforms take the guesswork out of finding great deals, making award travel accessible to everyone.
The best part? It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a little strategy and the right resources, you can confidently book trips that maximize the value of your points. So, whether you’re flying to Amsterdam in business class or scoring a spontaneous trip to the beach, the thrill of award travel is just a few clicks away.