Best Path Overview
Best Path is MileIntel's AI engine for portfolio optimization. It analyzes your miles, cash, and transfer options to find the smartest move for every trip.
Overview
Best Path is the AI engine at the core of MileIntel. It looks at your loyalty balances, credit card points, elite status, and the trip you're planning — then tells you whether to pay cash, burn miles, transfer points, or combine strategies. No spreadsheet required.
How It Works
When you search for a flight or open a trip, Best Path runs an analysis across your entire portfolio. It evaluates:
- Direct redemptions — Using miles in the airline's own program.
- Transfer partner routes — Moving points from Chase, Amex, Citi, or Capital One to an airline partner for better value.
- Cash fares — Sometimes paying cash and earning miles is the smarter play.
- Hybrid strategies — Combinations like cash + miles, points + co-pay, or buy-up from a lower cabin.
Each option is scored on value per point, out-of-pocket cost, and opportunity cost of spending those points now versus saving them.
Where You See It
Best Path recommendations appear on trip detail pages, in search results, and in the Wallet when you're exploring how to use a specific balance. It's woven into the product — not a separate tool you have to go find.
Key Details
- Navigator gets basic Best Path (top recommendation). Executive gets full analysis. Black gets what-if scenarios and historical comparisons.
- Recommendations update when your balances or trip details change.
Tips
- Keep your Wallet balances current — Best Path is only as good as the data it has.
- Don't ignore the "save your points" recommendation. Sometimes cash is genuinely the best path.
Last updated March 22, 2026