How to Use the Points Path Extension

Points Path is a browser extension that shows you the cost in rewards points for many flights, including Aeroplan, when searching Google Flights. It shows you the cash price and the cost in points or miles together, so you can quickly compare your options.

This can be especially helpful if you have a rewards program that lets you transfer points to multiple airline programs, like Amex Membership Rewards.

This article gives detailed explanations about how Points Path works, how to use it, and whether it's worth upgrading to a paid subscription.

What is Points Path?

Points Path is a simple browser extension you can add to help you search for flights. It works with these browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari
• Brave
• Opera

Once you install and activate Points Path, simply begin searching for flights in Google Flights. If the flights you're looking at can be redeemed with a specific airline rewards program (see the list below), you'll see the rewards cost displayed.

Here's an example showing a few programs for some flights from Toronto to New York (LaGuardia):

It looks just like your normal Google Flights screen, but you'll also see the rewards cost.

By default, you can only look at rewards flights 60 days in advance. But when you register for a free account, you can look for rewards pricing as far ahead as Google Flights will let you (about 11 months).

There's also a paid version, which we'll cover later.

One thing to note: Points Path is an American-made extension, so some of what you see won't apply to Canadians.

Head to the Points Path site to add the extension to your browser.

What airline programs does Points Path cover?

Points Path doesn't cover all airline rewards programs – it's a small set for now. The free Points Path extension currently works with these programs:

• American AAdvantage (American Airlines)
• Atmos Rewards (Alaska Airlines)
• Delta SkyMiles
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• United MileagePlus

If you upgrade to the paid version, you'll also have access to these programs:

• Aer Lingus
• Aeroplan (Air Canada)
• Flying Blue (Air France and KLM)
• Avianca
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad
• Qantas
• Qatar
• TAP Air Portugal
• Turkish
• Virgin Atlantic
• Virgin Australia

Your flight doesn't have to be run by these airlines – it also works with partner airlines. Say you're looking at a flight with Lufthansa: Points Path can show the cost for either Aeroplan or MileagePlus if available.

You can't use Points Path for WestJet Rewards or VIPorter.

How to use Points Path

Using Points Path is straightforward – you simply install the extension, configure it to your liking, and start searching.

1. Install the browser extension

The first step is to install the browser extension for Chrome, Edge, Safari, Brave, or Opera. To make things easier, be sure to pin it to your browser's toolbar.

Unfortunately, you can't install Points Path on Android devices. But you can find the Points Path app in Apple's App Store and use the Safari extension on iOS.

If you want to search for reward flights more than 60 days in advance, you'll have to create a free account. You can do so through the browser extension.

2. Configure Points Path

You can configure the parameters to limit the airline programs you see. Simply click the browser extension icon in the toolbar and deselect airlines you don't want included.

You can specify entire airline networks or specific airlines to include/exclude.

On the next screen, you'll have the option to enable a few additional features:

3. Start searching for flights on Google Flights

Start searching for flights like you normally would on Google Flights. We'll go through how it works with a basic flight from Toronto to Calgary.

Our first tip: Be patient. Google Flights needs a moment to load the results and fill in the cheapest options. Once that's done, Points Path checks each flight to see if you can book it with points or miles. If rewards are available, you'll see the points/miles price right alongside the cash fare.

You'll be able to tell if it's loading – it can take a minute, so be patient.

If Points Path can find reward pricing, you'll see it displayed. Here's what our results showed, filtering results to show only Air Canada flights:

As you can see, the extension heavily promotes its paid plans (more on that in a moment).

The redemption that Points Path displays is the standard airline redemption where you pay the taxes and fees.

The total rewards price you see is also based on picking the cheapest option for your return flight. Your return trip pricing can vary from what you see.

There's a guide that helps you know when it makes sense to use your points. In our example, some say to use either, and others say to use cash.

The info button will show you more details, like this:

In this case, the only reward result it shows is for Porter Airlines, operated by Alaska Airlines.

But before you rush to redeem your points, consider that they're only worth 0.5 cents per point (CPP).

Let's say you find a flight with reward opportunities. When you select the flight, you'll see the reward cost across all available fares. For instance, here's a Virgin Atlantic flight from Toronto to London that lets you redeem Delta SkyMiles:

If you're simply comparing these 3 fares, you'll see that the Economy Classic Flex gives you the most value for your points – although that's still pretty low.

Sometimes, Points Path will advise you to use either points or cash if the reward points break even. Otherwise, you may see arrows pointing to good or great deals. For instance, flights from Toronto to Kansas City have some pretty good reward deals:

Let's say we want to take advantage of that first American Airlines flight. When you click "Continue," you'll be redirected to the airline website where the flight details are already loaded. At this point, you can pay for baggage or flight extras.

Programs with airline transfers

Points Path really shines if you collect points you can transfer to airline partners. In Canada, that's just American Express Membership Rewards and Avion Rewards (Elite tier only). If you're taking a trip to a place where you have a couple of transfer partners, you can easily see which one is your better choice.

Plus, Points Path shows you available transfer bonuses and their expiration dates. For example, just take a look at the American Express transfer options:

Avion Rewards

If you're at the Avion Elite tier, you can convert your Avion points to American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

The transfer ratio is 10:7, meaning you get 7 AAdvantage miles for every 10 Avion points you transfer.

You won't be able to see Avion point values directly in Points Path, but you can see AAdvantage with the free tier. And you can use the creditcardGenius RBC Avion reward points calculator to see how many AAdvantage points you can get for your Avion points.

Points Path paid plans

Play around on the Points Path website, and you'll quickly see there are a couple of paid plans that unlock even more features and airline details.

Points Path Pro costs $79.99 for 1 year. There are quite a few things you get for this – but if you're just interested in getting alerts for just certain airlines, there's an alert plan for $34.99 per year.

Here's what you'll get with each membership level:

* Prices don't include taxes

Is it worth it?

If you only fly a few times each year, the free version of Points Path may be worth it, but a paid subscription likely isn't. This is mostly because Air Canada reward details aren't included in the free service.

However, if you frequently fly with the basic airlines that are included in the free version, Points Path is definitely worth using. And if you're an avid Aeroplan collector, a paid plan might pay off in the long run.

In the past, the free Points Path extension probably offered all the information you needed to make informed decisions about upcoming flights. Unfortunately, since Air Canada reward details are no longer available as part of the free service, most Canadians will have to upgrade to a paid plan to truly compare reward program details.

FAQ

What is Points Path?

Points Path is a browser extension that works with Chrome, Edge, Safari, Brave, and Opera. When you search Google Flights for flights, this extension runs and displays rewards results alongside Google cash prices. This way, you can compare paying for flights with cash or reward points/miles.

Is Points Path legitimate?

Yes, Points Path is a browser extension and app available through the App Store that works with Google Flights to show you real, legitimate flights that can be booked with rewards points. If you decide you want to stop using the extension, you can remove it and delete your account at any time.

Is Points Path a Chrome extension only?

Points Path does work with Chrome, but it's also available as an extension for Safari, Brave, and Opera. Plus, iPhone users can download the Points Path App in the App Store. Unfortunately, Points Path doesn't offer an app for Android users.

How do I use Points Path?

To use Points Path, you must download the extension and set up a free account, which requires providing a few personal contact details. Specify a few preferences, then you're all set to start searching for trips using Google Flights. You'll see Points Path reward options directly next to the cash prices of your search results.

Does Points Path cost money?

The basic Points Path browser extension is free, but if you want to search results beyond just a handful of basic airlines, you'll have to pay for the Pro plan. For $79.99 USD a year plus tax, you can see Air Canada/Aeroplan reward flight results, too.

Can you use Points Path on iPhone?

Yes, Points Path is available in the App Store (but not on Google Play for Android). There are only 2 ratings for the iOS app, but it receives a solid 5 out of 5, with users appreciating the paid features and timely updates.