Points or cash?
For one booking you are looking at right now: is it better to spend the points or to pay cash and keep them?
You need the cash price, the points price and any taxes or fees charged on the points booking. Nothing is saved anywhere but this device.
How we calculated this
Cents per point = (cash price − taxes and fees paid with points) ÷ points × 100. The points are worth points × the value of one point; paying cash would earn new points worth cash price × the earning rate × that value. Using points comes out ahead when the cash you avoid is more than the points’ value plus the points you would have earned paying cash.
The issuer’s stated value is the floor its own page promises for the simplest redemption; a transfer to an airline or hotel partner can be worth more or less, and that judgement is yours, so set your own value under Customize assumptions if you have one.
Sources (the issuer’s own pages):
Customize assumptions
Amex Platinum Review: Is the $895 Fee Worth It · “Points & value” at 11:41