Redemption Calculator Deep Dive

Simulated data

The screenshots and data shown in this guide use simulated test data. Program names, transfer ratios, point values, and valuations may not reflect current real-world rates. Always verify details with your loyalty program before initiating a transfer.

The optimizer’s baseline CPP values tell you what points are worth on average. But you’re not booking an average flight — you’re booking a specific one. The Redemption Calculator lets you plug in the actual cash price of your target booking to see what your true cents-per-point would be through each transfer option.

When to Use It

Use the Redemption Calculator when you have a specific booking in mind and want to know: “Is this award booking worth the transfer?”

Common scenarios:

• You found award availability and want to compare transfer options before transferring
• You’re deciding between paying cash or using points
• You want to compare the value of redeeming in one program vs. another

How It Works

The calculator appears below the transfer options in the Transfer Optimizer. Expand it and enter two numbers:

1. Cash ticket price — What the same booking would cost if you paid cash (the fully loaded price including taxes)
2. Award taxes & fees — The cash you’d still pay on the award booking (fuel surcharges, airport taxes, etc.)

Once you fill these in, each transfer option updates to show a redemption CPP — the true cents-per-point value based on your specific booking, not the program average.

The formula is straightforward:

Redemption CPP = (Cash Price − Award Taxes) ÷ Points Required

If a business class ticket costs $3,000 in cash and the award booking costs 50,000 points + $120 in taxes, your redemption CPP is ($3,000 − $120) ÷ 50,000 = 5.76 cents per point.

What the Numbers Tell You

Compare the redemption CPP against the baseline CPP for each transfer option:

• Redemption CPP > Baseline CPP — You’re getting above-average value from this redemption. The higher above baseline, the better the deal.
• Redemption CPP ≈ Baseline CPP — You’re getting roughly average value. Not a bad deal, but not exceptional.
• Redemption CPP < Baseline CPP — You’d get more value saving your points for a different redemption, or just paying cash for this one.

Tip

A redemption CPP above 2 cents is generally solid for most programs. Above 3 cents is good. Above 5 cents — that’s the sweet spot that makes the points hobby worthwhile.

Connecting to Redemption Tracking

The Redemption Calculator gives you a prediction of value. After you actually transfer and book, you can log the redemption with the real fare info. Flyga then calculates your Effective Redemption Value (ERV) — the actual cents-per-point you received.

Comparing predicted (calculator) vs. actual (ERV) over time tells you:

• Whether your pre-transfer estimates are accurate
• Which programs consistently deliver better value than expected
• Where you might be overvaluing or undervaluing programs

For a full walkthrough of this predict-then-verify cycle, see Putting It All Together.

To understand ERV in depth, see Understanding Redemption Value.