PointsPath is a browser extension for people who shop for flights on Google Flights. Turn it on, and it’ll show you whether the flights you’re looking at on Google Flights are a better deal to book with points (or miles) than cash.
Points Way comes in both a free and paid version (more on that later), but the free version is surprisingly robust, offering everyone from points pros to casual travelers a simple yes-or-no answer to whether or not to book with their points.
PointsPath is an extension available for web browsers, including Chrome, Safari, and Microsoft Edge. Once installed and turned on, it will appear whenever you search for flights in Google Flights.
Does the points path work well?
Helps you make points vs cash decisions
If you already have a flight in mind, and need to decide whether to pay for it in rewards or cash, the points route is the right tool to use.
“People can’t figure out how to find flights to use their miles,” Khel said. “And then even when they do, they can’t know if they’re getting a good deal. Should they use their points or should they use cash and save the points for later? And that’s the problem the points way is trying to solve… where you’re already looking.”
PointsPath explores behind-the-scenes airline websites and displays points prices directly on Google flights.
The points route can save minutes each flight search, which can turn into hours over the course of a year for frequent travelers.
Where the path of points falls short
You must use Google Flights.
The free version has some limitations
How to start with the points path
Setting a route to points is easy:
Download the browser extension.
A pop-up button will prompt you to add the extension to your browser.
Next, search for flights as you normally would in Google Flights, and you’ll see the new waypoints feature on the left side of the plane.
Click on the “I” icon for more details. When you do, a path of points shows transfer partners. Even if you don’t have Delta Miles, you can transfer Amex Membership Rewards points. The Points Path makes it clear by showing which major banks are currency transfer partners. It also displays a scale that shows how well you’re getting a good deal.
Is it worth upgrading to a paid subscription?
For most travelers, the free version of PointsPath is more than enough. But paying $80 per year for PointsPath Pro might be worth it if you:
International award travel frequently.
Be flexible with your travel dates, and use the calendar view to find cheap flights.
Want to monitor specific avenues for award price reductions?
Value your time enough that automated alerts justify the cost.
Here are some key differences between the paid and free versions:
Points Path Pro | Points Path (Free Version) | |
|---|---|---|
Price | 99 7.99 (monthly bill) or. 79.99 (annual bill). | $0. |
Airline program | Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, United, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Emirates, Air France/KLM, Etihad, Ivanka. | Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, United. |
Price tracking alerts | 30 active flight alerts at a time. | None. |
7 Day Points Calendar | yes | Card |
Points value adjusted according to the user | yes | Card |
The main reason to upgrade is that the Pro version covers more airlines than the free version, which only covers Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and United Airlines. In addition, it offers some other bells and whistles like price tracking alerts, including:
- 7 Day Points Calendar: This makes Points Way work like other rewards tools, such as Pointsiah, by displaying points rates across multiple airlines over a week and dates over a week.
- Mandatory Points Value: This feature allows you to tell the route of points that you think a point or mile is worth instead of relying on their value. This can be useful if you, say, buy airline miles and have a fixed price per mile that you’re targeting.
Since the free tier covers the airlines that make most of the flights for US-based passengers, it’s not necessary to buy the paid version right out of the gate. If you want to compare more airlines or days, consider upgrading.
How Points Path Compares to Other Award Search Tools
The points path serves a different purpose entirely. It assumes you’ve already found the specific flight you want on Google Flights and all it needs to do is figure out if it’s a better deal in points — or if it’s better to save those points and pay with cash.
While many competing tools gate their most useful features behind paywalls or offer limited free trials, PointsPath’s free version feels unusually generous.
Path to Points: Is it worth downloading?
I’m ruthless about which extensions I install, doing my best to avoid plugins that trigger annoying pop-ups and add extra code that can slow down a page.
Points way doesn’t come with any pop-ups, and I’ve never noticed a drop in page loading speed.
For me, the extension has been invaluable in helping me spend my points at the right time. The points path makes it clear which currency will get you the most bang for your buck. Sometimes it’s a long, international trip in business class that’s “cheaper” on points, but sometimes it’s one of those everyday flights. If it’s the latter, you can spend those points balance and save your cash.
If you’re already someone who compares prices on Google flights and you occasionally travel with points, adding a points route to your browser is a no-brainer and can save you both time and money. And if you decide you need even more features, the upgraded version can save you more than the $80 per year you paid for it.
