tabimochi

Stop overpaying for flights — your miles might be worth $500+ more.

Google Flights shows prices. Tabimochi shows if miles are the better deal.

Searches United, Aeroplan, ANA, Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic + more

Try:
Example results · SFO → Tokyo
TOP PICK
ANA · NH7
SFO → NRT · Fri May 15 · Nonstop · Economy
32,500 pts + $5.60
vs $1,098 cash
💰 You're overpaying by $767 if you use cash
United Airlines · UA837
SFO → NRT · Fri May 15 · Nonstop · Economy
$1,098
cash fare

Most people pick the $1,098 option. But it's actually worse value.

Free to use · No credit card

Average savings found: $400+

See it in action

How tabimochi works

One search. Every option. Ranked by what it actually costs you.

Step 1

Describe your trip

Type your trip in plain English — origin, destination, dates, and any preferences like "business class" or "use points if it's a good deal." No forms to fill out.

Step 2

We search everything

tabimochi searches cash fares across major airlines and pulls live award availability from frequent flyer programs — United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Virgin Atlantic, Aeroplan, and more.

Step 3

See ranked results

Every option is scored by its true cost. Award flights are converted to a dollar value using real cents-per-point estimates so you can directly compare a $450 cash fare against a 35,000-point redemption.

Step 4

Make the smart call

An AI explanation tells you which option wins and why — whether to pay cash, burn miles, or wait for a better deal. Add your points balance to get personalized award recommendations.

Free to use · No credit card required · Award searches included

Miles vs Cash: Which is actually better?

Most travelers pay cash for flights without realizing their credit card points could cut the price in half — or more. The catch is that figuring out whether miles are worth using requires math most people don't want to do. That's the problem tabimochi solves.

How cents-per-point works

Every loyalty point has a real dollar value, typically measured in cents per point (cpp). A United MileagePlus mile is worth roughly 1.2–1.5¢ in coach and up to 2–3¢ in business class on partner airlines like ANA or Lufthansa. An Amex Membership Rewards point transferred to Aeroplan for a Star Alliance business class seat can be worth 5–7¢ — far more than the 1¢ you'd get redeeming it as cash back.

The formula: effective value = (cash price − taxes) ÷ points required × 100. If a $1,200 SFO–Tokyo ticket costs 32,500 United miles plus $5.60 in fees, your effective cpp is ($1,200 − $5.60) ÷ 32,500 × 100 = 3.67¢ per point — roughly 3× what you'd get redeeming for cash. tabimochi calculates this automatically for every award option.

When miles beat cash

Miles tend to win most on long-haul business and first class, where the cash price is high and the award rate hasn't kept pace with inflation. A business class seat from San Francisco to Tokyo can cost $4,000–$6,000 in cash, but only 60,000–90,000 points on programs like Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or Aeroplan — a cpp of 5–8¢. The same points used for a domestic coach ticket might yield only 1.1¢.

When cash beats miles

Short-haul domestic flights, sale fares under $200, and routes with high award taxes (many British Airways partner redemptions add $400–$600 in carrier surcharges) often favor paying cash. tabimochi flags high-fee awards and shows you the true out-of-pocket cost so you're never surprised at checkout.

Which programs are worth tracking?

The most flexible programs transfer from major bank currencies: Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to United, Hyatt, Southwest, and Air Canada Aeroplan. Amex Membership Rewards covers Delta, Air France Flying Blue, ANA, and Singapore KrisFlyer. Capital One Miles transfer to Turkish Miles&Smiles and Air Canada. Keeping points in transferable bank currencies gives you access to dozens of airlines without locking into one loyalty program.

Frequently asked questions

Is tabimochi free to use?

Yes. Searching flights, comparing cash and award options, and reading AI recommendations are all free. No credit card required to sign up.

Which airlines and programs does tabimochi search?

tabimochi searches cash fares across all major carriers and award space on United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Air France Flying Blue, ANA Mileage Club, and more. The list grows regularly.

How is this different from Google Flights?

Google Flights shows cash prices only. It has no knowledge of your points balance, can't search award availability, and can't tell you if a redemption is a good deal. tabimochi does all three in a single search.

Do I need to connect my loyalty accounts?

No. You tell tabimochi what points you have and it factors them into the results. Nothing is fetched from your accounts automatically — your login credentials stay with you.

What are transfer bonuses and why do they matter?

Airlines periodically offer 20–40% bonuses when you transfer points from a bank program like Chase or Amex. Transferring 50,000 Chase points during a 30% bonus gives you 65,000 United miles — a meaningful upgrade for a long-haul award. tabimochi tracks active transfer bonuses and highlights when one affects your search.

Can I search for round trips?

Yes. Just describe your trip naturally: "SFO to Tokyo round trip, May 15 return June 1, use miles if worth it." tabimochi parses the request and searches outbound and return legs, then ranks the best combination.