About Alex and Milesmate

I got into points and miles the way a lot of people do - someone showed me.

It was my friend Andrew at my first job. He pulled up his frequent flyer account one afternoon and walked me through what he'd booked: two business class tickets to Europe for a fraction of what it would have cost in cash. I remember thinking it seemed almost too good to be true. It wasn't. I just hadn't known where to look.

He pointed me toward a few blogs like One Mile at a Time - the ones where people document redemptions, break down programs, and share what actually works. I started reading. Then I couldn't stop.

That conversation, and those blogs, changed how I think about every flight I book.

My first real redemption was 22,500 AAdvantage miles for a round trip to Paris. It was economy, but I didn't care - My girlfriend and I were flying to Paris for less than the taxes of a cash ticket. After that I started paying closer attention.

For example I got creative when visiting friends on the west coast - I would seek out awards that included fun itineraries like first class on domestic widebodies from LAX to DFW. Then came better and better redemptions as I learned how the programs actually work.

A few years later, I fly close to 100,000 miles a year and travel all over the world using points and miles. Last year alone I redeemed close to $60,000 in award travel on AAdvantage miles. While Qatar Airways Qsuites and JAL business class came later, it started with Paris.

It all began with an AAdvantage Redemption to Paris in the summer of 2018

Honestly? It started as a side project to learn more - a way to build something real while teaching myself more about how the tools I use every day actually work.

But the problem I kept running into is that airline loyalty programs are deliberately opaque. The rules change every year. Status thresholds shift. Earning rates differ by fare class, cabin, and whether you're on the airline's own metal or a partner flight. And when it comes to redeeming miles, there's no easy way to know if you're getting good value or leaving money on the table.

I was doing this math in my head or in spreadsheets. Milesmate was what happens when you get tired of doing that.

Every calculator on this site reflects the actual rules I use when making my own decisions - the same formulas, the same valuations, the same logic I apply when I'm deciding whether to book with miles or pay cash on my next flight.

An example of our Miles vs Cash Calculator for the AAdvantage Program

How the Calculators Work

Milesmate covers the four major US airline loyalty programs: American Airlines AAdvantage®, Delta SkyMiles®, United MileagePlus®, and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan®.

Each calculator is built around how that program actually works - not a simplification of it. AAdvantage Loyalty Points are revenue-based. Delta MQDs are spend-based with credit card accelerators. United PQP is fare-based with partner caps. Alaska Atmos points can be earned by distance, price, or segment depending on your preference. The calculators handle all of it.

The miles vs cash tools use my own working valuations, but can be adjusted to your preferred value. I start with: 1.4¢ per AAdvantage mile, 1.4¢ per Delta SkyMile, 1.2¢ per United MileagePlus mile, and 1.2¢ per Alaska Mileage Plan mile. In my opinion these reflect a realistic long-term target across a mix of redemption types, weighted toward what's actually achievable rather than the best-case scenario you'll see quoted elsewhere.