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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →You can reduce the cash cost of an award flight, but booking with points does not guarantee a free ticket. Taxes, airport and security charges, and carrier-imposed surcharges may still be due. Compare the full cash total and points required for the same flights before transferring points or booking—and check the final payment breakdown before you ticket.
Why award flights can still cost cash
Points or miles cover the award price set by a loyalty program; they do not necessarily cover every charge attached to the ticket. For example, Flying Blue says airport and security taxes and carrier surcharges on reward tickets must be paid separately from miles. ANA says its fuel surcharge also applies to ANA Mileage Club award tickets.
These charges are not all the same. Government taxes and airport or security fees are distinct from a carrier-imposed surcharge. A program may pass through charges set by an airline operating the flight, too: American Airlines’ AAdvantage terms make award travelers responsible for applicable government and partner-assessed taxes, fees, and surcharges.
The amount can depend on the loyalty program used, operating carrier, route and departure country, point of sale, and ticket issue date. So a surcharge amount shown for one itinerary or booking period is not a reliable estimate for another.
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How to compare award bookings before committing points
Compare the same travel dates, route, cabin, and operating flights across eligible programs. Look at the cash due and the points required together, then weigh availability and the booking rules. A program with a lower surcharge is not automatically the better deal if it requires substantially more points or has no seats on your dates.
- Find comparable options. Search the exact itinerary in more than one program that can book those flights. Confirm the operating carrier, connection points, cabin, and dates match; a different itinerary may have different fees.
- Record both costs. For each bookable option, note the points required and the complete cash total shown before payment. Do not compare a surcharge alone: taxes and airport or security fees contribute to the amount you pay.
- Confirm award-seat availability. A program’s general award chart or search result is not enough if the specific seats cannot be booked. American’s terms note that partner award availability and required miles may vary.
- Check the itinerary rules. Review routing, change, and cancellation conditions for the option you would actually book. ANA’s international award mileage varies by zones, season, and cabin, and its terms include routing conditions.
- Recheck before transferring and ticketing. Point transfers may be difficult or impossible to reverse. Confirm the award is still available and the cash amount and rules remain acceptable before you move points or pay.
Use published surcharge figures only for the itinerary and dates they cover
Fuel-surcharge schedules can change. ANA says its surcharge may rise, fall, or be eliminated depending on fuel-market conditions; its international calculation is linked to Singapore kerosene prices, using an average from a preceding two-month period. The applicable schedule is tied to itinerary and ticketing period, so consult the current schedule for your specific booking.
As one tightly limited example, ANA’s US fare-rules page lists a surcharge of JPY 55,000 per passenger, per flight for certain Japan-originated tickets issued September 1 through October 31, 2026: flights to Europe, North America except Hawaii, the Middle East, or Oceania. That is not a general price for ANA awards or other routes. ANA also describes a JPY 6,000 two-month-average Singapore kerosene price threshold below which the surcharge is abolished for Japan-originated itineraries. Check the current policy and schedule rather than assuming either figure applies to your trip.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Inspect the payment breakdown before booking
At checkout, review the cash total and each listed component. Make sure you understand which amounts are taxes or airport and security charges and which are carrier-imposed surcharges. Compare the full out-of-pocket amount across your viable options, not just a line labeled “fuel surcharge.” The final total is what matters to your budget.
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Program-specific rules and itinerary differences do not establish that one airline or loyalty program is always surcharge-free or cheapest. The sound comparison is the one for your own flights, dates, cabin, departure geography, and ticketing period.
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