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Airfare is spiking, especially over everyone’s favorite start-of-summer holiday: Memorial Day weekend. In fact, airfare is 12% higher than last year, according to OAG, and with fuel costs rising and peak travel season on the horizon, we don’t see it dropping any time soon.
The good news? Award prices have remained relatively stable, despite the increase in cash rates. This is when having a stash of points can really come in handy. As last-minute cash fares rise, there’s still award availability at reasonable prices, which means you can get to popular Memorial Day destinations such as Cancun, Orlando, Rome or Vegas from various U.S. airports without breaking the bank.
If you’re looking for a last-minute Memorial Day getaway, it’s time to use those points and miles, which can offer massive value as cash rates soar. Here’s what you need to know.
Why are cash rates for airfare so high right now?
Conflict in the Middle East has sent gas prices soaring around the world — jet fuel prices have more than doubled in the past couple of months. Even if things resolve soon, it will take time for global fuel supplies and pricing to normalize.
Because of this disruption, airlines have responded by raising cash airfare prices, upping baggage fees and reducing flights, all of which contribute to a higher price tag for your Memorial Day getaway (and other summer travel).
Booking Memorial Day travel ASAP is the best plan, as fares are unlikely to drop. But before pulling out your credit card, consult your points and miles balances.
Points and miles are the key to big savings
While you might pay slightly more in taxes and fees (read: fuel surcharges) on an award ticket, you can still get an amazing deal for Memorial Day travel with points, as points prices have remained more stable than cash prices.
Make sure to calculate the value of your points using our Points Value Calculator. It’ll help you divide the cash price of a flight (minus taxes) by the points needed to book the same route to ensure you’re getting a solid deal. Generally, you’ll want to get at least 1.2 cents per point, though this can vary by airline. One caveat here: when both cash rates are and dynamic points pricing are high, you might need to accept a slightly lower value for your points. This can still save you a lot of cash and is definitely better than not traveling at all.
Get the best value from points and miles this Memorial Day
One of the best ways to get top value from your points and miles is when cash rates are high, especially if you can find a deal within a fixed award program. Since dynamic pricing may also rise alongside cash prices, it can be harder to find deals with loyalty programs that use dynamic pricing, though there are still some out there.
Fixed award charts, for example, on an airline like Iberia, mean that you can fly affordably on points, even when cash rates are through the roof. Some airlines offer fixed award pricing for partner redemptions, such as Virgin Atlantic. Imagine that you want to fly to Spain over Memorial Day weekend. Cash prices might cost thousands of dollars, but Iberia could still maintain its lowest off-peak fixed award ticket price: 16,000 Avios each way between New York (JFK) or Chicago (ORD) and Madrid in economy.
It’s also smart to maximize flexibility by transferring credit card points into airline miles, rather than relying on miles within a single program. This way, you have options for transferring your points to get the most affordable flight possible.
For example, if you have Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you could transfer them to airlines like KLM/Air France, British Airways, United, or Southwest, or to any other partner where you can find the best award deal.
Tip: Save money on higher baggage fees this Memorial Day by applying for an airline co-brand card; many offer a free checked bag for you and others on your itinerary, among other perks.
Here are the top Memorial Day award deals
We pulled together some of the top Memorial Day pricing, whether you want to soak in San Diego’s sunshine or stroll the quaint streets of Paris. Make sure to compare the cash price, credit card travel portal price, and points price to find the best deal.
Domestic Economy
New York City
May 21, 2026: Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to New York City (LGA) for 4,500 points + $18 or $383 in cash
May 21, 2026: Atlanta (ATL) to New York City (LGA) for 11,000 miles + $6 or $258 cash
Phoenix
May 21, 2026: Los Angeles (LAX) to Phoenix (PHX) for 4,500 points +$18 or $215 in cash
May 21, 2026: Seattle (SEA) to Phoenix (PHX) for 13,000 miles + $20 or $333 in cash
May 21, 2026: Miami (MIA) to Phoenix (PHX) for 13,000 miles + $6 or $473
Boston
May 21, 2026: Miami (MIA) to Boston (BOS) for 7,500 points +$18 or $249 in cash
May 22, 2026: Seattle (SEA) to Boston (BOS) for 17,000 miles +$21 or $268
Las Vegas
May 21, 2026: Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Las Vegas (LAS) for 7,500 points +$18 or $468 in cash
May 21, 2026: Seattle (SEA) to Las Vegas (LAS) for 19,000 miles + $6 or $248 in cash
Chicago
May 21, 2026: Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Chicago (ORD) for 7,500 points + $18 or $416 in cash
May 22, 2026: Atlanta (ATL) to Chicago (ORD) for 15,000 miles + $6 or $350 cash
San Diego
May 21, 2026: San Francisco (SFO) to San Diego (SAN) for 10,000 points +$5 or $203 cash
May 21, 2026: Chicago (ORD) to San Diego (SAN) for 15,000 miles +$5 or $368 cash
Miami
May 21, 2026: San Francisco (SFO) to Miami (MIA) for 15,000 miles + $6 or $961 in cash
May 21, 2026: Atlanta (ATL) to Miami (MIA) for 21,000 miles + $6 or $228 cash
Orlando
May 21, 2026: Chicago (ORD) to Orlando (MCO) for 16,000 miles + $6 or $401 in cash
May 21, 2026: Seattle (SEA) to Orlando (MCO) for 17,000 miles + $22 or $448 in cash
International Economy
London
May 21, 2026: Miami (MIA) to London (LHR) for 25,000 points + $92 or $849 cash
May 21, 2026: Seattle (SEA) to London (LHR) for 30,000 points + $6 or $646
May 22, 2026: New York City (JFK) to London (LHR) for 35,000 points + $6 or $548
Rome
May 21, 2026: Seattle (SEA) to Rome (FCO) for 30,000 miles + $6 or $600 cash
May 21, 2026: New York City (JFK) to Rome (FCO) for 70,000 points + $6 or $634 cash
Paris
May 21, 2026: Miami (MIA) to Paris (CDG) for 34,000 points + $139 or $1,454 cash
May 21, 2026: Los Angeles (LAX) to Paris (CDG) for 41,000 points + $139 or $1,978 cash
Cancun
May 21, 2026: Seattle (SEA) to Cancun (CUN) for 31,000 points + $62 or $449 cash
International Business
Cancun
May 21, 2026: Chicago (ORD) to Cancun (CUN) for 58,000 miles + $62 or $408 cash
May 22, 2026: Los Angeles (LAX) to Cancun (CUN) for 64,000 miles + $62 or $672 cash
May 22, 2026: San Francisco (SFO) to Cancun (CUN) for 70,000 miles + $62 or $773 cash
London
May 22, 2026: Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR) for 58,000 miles + $738 or $3,338 cash
Los Cabos
May 21, 2026: Seattle (SEA) to Los Cabos (SJD) for 68,000 miles + $62 or $886 cash
Paris
May 22, 2026: Miami (MIA) to Paris (CDG) for 70,000 miles + $196 or $3,826 cash
The best way to find amazing deals
Save money this season by saving your cash and snapping up a Memorial Day award using points instead. Although it’s true that calculating the value of your points and searching for the best awards can feel intimidating (especially so for beginners), point.me helps you find the best points deals, even when you think you can’t afford that trip. We’ll help you save up to 90% on your award flights compared to redeeming points in your credit card portal.
