A few years back, I was gearing up for a long-awaited vacation. I had tons of miles scattered across various programs but found myself stuck in the messy maze of award searches. I was juggling multiple websites, entering dates over and over, and still coming up empty. It was frustrating, and I started to feel like award travel was more trouble than it was worth.
That’s when I stumbled upon PointsYeah. It was like finding a flashlight in a dark room. Suddenly, everything felt clearer and more manageable. I could search multiple airlines and hotels in one go, set alerts for deals, and even explore trips without a specific destination in mind. It was the tool I didn’t know I needed, but one I’m now glad to have in my travel arsenal.
PointsYeah has become my trusted sidekick for finding award flights and hotels using points. It’s fast, user-friendly, and takes the guesswork out of points redemptions. In this review, I’ll walk you through what makes it special, how it works, and whether it’s the right fit for you.
What Makes PointsYeah So Handy?
Think of PointsYeah as your personal travel assistant, but one that’s totally obsessed with points and miles. It’s a search engine specifically built for redeeming airline miles and hotel points. Whether you've got miles stacked up with Delta or points stashed with Hilton, PointsYeah brings everything together—no more endless searching across different sites.
The user interface is super intuitive. It’s a lot like booking on Kayak or Priceline, but with the added bonus of filtering results by the best points redemptions. You can enter your travel dates, select which miles or points you want to use, and PointsYeah does all the heavy lifting. You can even set filters for things like cabin type, number of stops, or how many points you’re willing to part with.
And here’s the fun part: if you’re in the mood for a spontaneous adventure, the Daydream Explorer feature is your best friend. You don’t even have to know where you want to go—just let it suggest destinations based on available points. I once tried it with “anywhere” as my destination, and it came back with options for Italy, Mexico, and Morocco.
How to Use PointsYeah Like a Pro
Using PointsYeah is as simple as booking a trip on any regular travel site. The main difference? You’re searching with points and miles instead of cash. You just enter your travel dates, select the type of points you want to use (like airline miles or hotel rewards), and PointsYeah finds the best options for you.
The interface is straightforward and easy to understand. You can filter results by class of service, number of stops, or even the maximum points you’re willing to spend. And if you’re feeling spontaneous, you can use the Daydream Explorer feature. Just enter your home airport, set a budget of points, and let it suggest possible trips.
Free vs. Premium – Which One’s for You?
Before jumping in, let’s see what each version offers:
Features | PointsYeah Basic | PointsYeah Premium |
---|---|---|
Annual Cost | Free | $89.99 |
Airline Programs | 21 | 21 |
Hotel Programs | 6 | 6 |
Bank Programs | 6 | 6 |
One-Way Search | 4-day unlimited | 8-day unlimited |
Round-Trip Search | 4-day unlimited | 8-day unlimited |
Multi-City Search | 4-day unlimited | 8-day unlimited |
Flight Alerts | 4 active alerts | 32 active alerts |
Hotel Alerts | 4 active alerts | 15 active alerts |
Daydream Explorer | Yes | Yes |
The free version covers a lot of ground, offering unlimited searches within a 4-day window for one-way, round-trip, and multi-city options. You can set up to 4 flight and hotel alerts. The premium version, on the other hand, doubles the search window to 8 days and expands the number of alerts you can set. It’s ideal for those looking for more flexibility and faster results
Why I Picked Premium
I opted for the premium version mainly because of the expanded search options and higher alert limits. As someone who frequently uses points for longer trips, the extra features have been incredibly useful. With the 8-day search window and more alerts, I don’t miss out on limited award seats, especially for business class tickets.
What I Really Love About PointsYeah
Daydream Explorer = Travel Magic
Daydream Explorer is a game-changer for spontaneous travelers. Just enter up to three departure airports, pick the type of trip (like beaches or city breaks), and PointsYeah will show all the possible destinations you can reach using your points.
Alerts That Save My Sanity
Let’s be honest—checking award availability repeatedly can drive anyone nuts. But with PointsYeah’s alert system, I can set up notifications to let me know when award seats or rooms become available. The free version offers 4 alerts each for flights and hotels, while the premium version bumps that up to 32 flight alerts and 15 hotel alerts.
Comparing Cash vs. Points
This is one of my favorite features. It shows both the cash price and the points needed side by side. Imagine booking a flight and seeing both options clearly laid out. For example, I’ve found trips where using points saved me hundreds of dollars. Seeing these comparisons makes it easy to decide how to maximize my rewards.
Multi-City Searches Made Easy
PointsYeah lets you search for multi-city trips, making it easier to book longer, more complex itineraries. The basic version offers unlimited 4-day searches, while the premium version extends this to 8 days.
Quick and Flexible Searches
Searching for flights, hotels, or even bank rewards on PointsYeah feels quick and simple. The site loads results in about 20 seconds, and you can filter by cabin type, number of stops, or the maximum points you want to spend. It also lets you add bank rewards programs, such as Chase Ultimate Rewards or AmEx Membership Rewards.
Are There Better Options? Let’s Talk Alternatives
I’ve tried quite a few award search tools in my quest for finding the best way to book flights with points. Here’s how PointsYeah stacks up against its competitors:
AwardTool
This is a powerful tool that offers both free and pro versions. What sets it apart is its Panorama and Mega search types, which allow searches by regions or multiple airports. It’s designed for serious award travelers, offering up to 16 simultaneous searches in the pro version. It’s a solid choice, especially for those who want more control over real-time results and region-wide searches. However, the interface feels a bit clunky compared to PointsYeah.
Point.me
One of the oldest award tools, Point.me combines a search engine with a concierge service. The free version, called Explore, mainly uses cached data, making it more of a discovery tool. I found it a bit limited because it’s really designed to upsell users to the pro version, which is more powerful but also the priciest of the bunch. Its bias towards AmEx transfer partners can be annoying if you rely on other credit card programs.
Roame
Roame’s SkyView feature offers a bird’s-eye view of deals found in the past 48 hours, which is useful for travelers who want to see broader options. It’s visually more polished than other tools, with a clean interface that makes it easy to navigate. However, it’s more of a discovery tool and doesn’t perform real-time searches like PointsYeah.
Seats.aero
This tool stands out for its fast searches, though the interface is pretty basic. It’s great for experienced users who know exactly what they want, as it focuses on finding specific award seats like ANA First Class or Qatar QSuites. However, its results are based on cached data, so availability might change by the time you book. The lack of real-time results and polished visuals makes it less beginner-friendly compared to PointsYeah.
Why PointsYeah Still Wins for Me
Despite trying all these tools, I keep coming back to PointsYeah. It offers the best mix of real-time results, easy-to-use interface, and features that are actually helpful for both beginners and frequent travelers. The Daydream Explorer feature alone makes it worth using—it’s the perfect tool for when I want to explore award options without a set plan.
Unlike some tools that prioritize paid users, PointsYeah gives a lot of value to free users, making it accessible for everyone. With more flexibility in searches and better alerts, it keeps me in the loop on new openings, which has helped me snag great deals more often than not.
Where PointsYeah Could Do Better
Not Everything’s Perfect
Like any tool, PointsYeah has its quirks. For instance, the multi-city search is limited to two flight segments, which can be frustrating when planning more complex itineraries. I’ve had to break down longer trips into separate searches to make it work, which isn’t ideal.
Also, PointsYeah doesn't allow searches for airline-specific benefits, like United’s Excursionist perk, which is a downside if you’re a fan of maximizing free one-way flights.
Then there’s the subscription model: PointsYeah only offers an annual membership for its premium plan. While the price is lower than some competitors, it still means committing to a full year upfront. If you only need the tool a couple of times a year, it might be tough to justify the cost.
Phantom Award Space: A Funny (and Frustrating) Story
Award travelers know the pain of phantom award space, and PointsYeah isn’t immune to this issue. I once got all excited about booking a business class seat to Tokyo, only to find out the availability wasn’t real. It’s the travel equivalent of a mirage—seeing something great from afar, only for it to disappear when you get closer.
I learned to double-check availability with the airline before transferring any points. It’s an extra step, but it saves you from that sinking feeling of wasted time
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Use PointsYeah
If you’re someone with two or more credit cards that earn transferable points and you love finding good deals, then PointsYeah might be your new best friend. It’s a solid fit for travelers who use multiple airline and hotel loyalty programs or those who take a couple of trips per year on miles and points. The tool is especially handy if you like seeing your options across different programs without hopping between websites.
For beginners, PointsYeah's interface is user-friendly, with fast searches and the Daydream Explorer offering fresh ideas for how to use your miles and points. If you’re new to award travel, it’s a great starting point because you don’t have to understand the deeper nuances of booking flights with miles.
Start Small
My advice? Start with the free version to get a feel for how it works. The free plan offers about 80% of what the premium version does, so you’ll get a good sense of whether it suits your needs. If you find yourself wanting more search flexibility or additional alerts, that’s when it’s time to consider the upgrade.
So, Is PointsYeah Worth It? Here’s My Verdict
After using PointsYeah extensively, I can say it’s a solid choice for anyone serious about maximizing their points and miles. It’s intuitive, offers a range of searches, and even has fun features like the Daydream Explorer for spontaneous trips.
The side-by-side comparison of cash and points makes it easy to find the best value for redemptions. Plus, the alerts are incredibly useful for catching those hard-to-find award seats before they’re gone.
But it’s not without its downsides. The limited multi-city search, phantom award space, and annual subscription model can be a bummer, especially for less frequent travelers. If you only redeem points occasionally, it might be tough to justify the cost. Still, for points lovers like me, the tool’s benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
If you’re curious, why not give it a try? Again, start with the free version to see if it fits your needs. You never know—it might just help you find that dream trip you’ve been saving points for!