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Points vs Cash Calculator: Compare Flight Costs
You have a cash fare and a points quote. Compare them in one currency, including the fees you still pay on a reward ticket. No account needed.
By MileSeat · Method reviewed 27 October 2026
Your comparison
Enter your two quotes to see the value per point. Add a personal valuation for a cost recommendation.
How the comparison works
The value you receive per point is the cash price you avoid, less the reward ticket’s cash fees, divided by the number of points you use.
Value per point = (cash fare − reward taxes and fees) ÷ points required
Multiply by 100 to express the result in pence or cents. If you enter a personal value per point, the calculator also converts the points into an equivalent cash cost:
Reward ticket cost = cash fees + (points × your value per point)
The break-even fare is the cash price at which these two options cost the same under your valuation. Your valuation is an assumption, not a price at which you can necessarily sell your points.
An example, with both possible answers
Suppose a flight costs £1,000 in cash, or 50,000 points plus £200. You receive (£1,000 − £200) ÷ 50,000 = 1.6p per point.
If you value your points at 1p each, the reward ticket costs the equivalent of £700: £500 in points plus £200 in fees. That is £300 less than the cash fare.
Now change the cash fare to £600 and leave everything else unchanged. The reward option still costs the equivalent of £700, so cash is £100 cheaper at your valuation. These are illustrative numbers, not live flight prices.
Compare like with like
- Use the same number of travellers, cabin and journey: a one-way points quote cannot be compared to a return cash fare.
- Include taxes, carrier charges and booking fees that remain payable on the reward ticket.
- Check baggage, cancellation rules and connection times. A cheaper ticket can have different conditions.
- Consider points and status you would earn on a cash ticket. This calculator does not automatically value them.
GBP, USD and EUR are display currencies. Enter all amounts in the chosen currency; switching the selector does not perform foreign exchange.
Using Avios? Start with the route price
If you do not have a points quote yet, our Avios calculator shows the route and cabin prices MileSeat records for British Airways and Iberia. Come back here once you have the full cash and points quotes, including fees.
A good calculation does not prove an award seat is available. Check your dates separately and confirm the final quote with the airline.
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