Before booking any economy award, compare the points cost with the cash price of the same flight. Divide the cash price you would otherwise pay, minus the taxes and fees on the award, by the number of points required, and you get a rough value per point. That simple calculation tells you whether the award is a good deal or whether you would be better off paying cash and saving the points for a trip where they stretch further.

As a general guide, economy awards shine on expensive routes, such as peak-season flights, last-minute bookings, or long-haul trips where cash prices are high. On cheap, short domestic routes, the cash price is often so low that the points are worth more saved for another trip, or redeemed as cashback, than spent on that particular flight.

Different airline programmes price the same journey very differently, so checking more than one programme before booking is worth the effort. Because of alliances, you can often book the same flight through a partner airline's programme for fewer miles, or with lower taxes and fees, than through the airline operating the flight. A quick comparison across two or three programmes can save thousands of points on a single booking.

Also consider whether your credit card points can be transferred to the programme you want, and whether that programme runs promotions such as discounted awards on certain routes. Award sales are less common for economy than for premium cabins, but they do happen, and a patient traveller who can wait for the right offer often books the same seat for noticeably fewer points.

Award availability is the main constraint on economy redemptions, especially on popular routes and during school holidays. Being flexible about your departure date by even a day or two, considering nearby airports, or accepting a connecting flight instead of a direct one can turn an impossible search into a successful booking. Early booking helps too, since award seats are often released well in advance and the best options go first.

If your dates are completely fixed, book as early as you can and keep checking back, since airlines sometimes release extra award seats closer to departure. Set a reminder to check periodically, and have your points ready to transfer, because award seats that appear unexpectedly can disappear just as quickly, and hesitation is the most common reason good awards are missed.

Paying cash is sometimes the better decision, and recognising those moments is part of using points well. If the cash fare is low, if the award carries high taxes and fees, or if paying cash earns miles and status credit that you value, then cash wins. Paying cash also keeps your points available for a future trip where they might deliver far more value, such as a long-haul flight during peak season.

Think of your points as a savings account for travel, not as a currency that must be spent at every opportunity. The best economy redemptions feel like clear wins when you compare them with the cash price, and if an award does not feel like a win after that comparison, it probably is not one. Wait for the booking that does, and your points will take you further.

The habit that separates good points users from frustrated ones is comparison. Before every economy redemption, spend five minutes comparing the points cost with the cash price and checking at least one partner programme. That small habit will save you points on some bookings, steer you toward cash on others, and over a few years add up to extra trips that a careless approach would have wasted. Points are a tool, and like any tool, they reward those who use them thoughtfully.