Aliera Iheanacho had saved more than 100,000 United Airlines miles, imagining that one day she would redeem them for a luxurious first-class seat with a lie-flat bed. That aspiration is now on hold.

This summer’s steep airfare, fueled by surging jet fuel costs, pushed the price of her May trip to China far beyond what she had planned.

She briefly considered scrapping her visit to Disneyland in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Instead, Iheanacho drained her mileage account, spending over 60,000 miles for a one-way ticket and another roughly 60,000 miles on hotel stays. She and her partner still had to pay cash for the return leg, as well as for a second roundtrip ticket.

Iheanacho, who is on a mission to visit every Disney park worldwide, said the most affordable part of the journey turned out to be the park admission itself — about $85 per person for one day at Hong Kong Disneyland and approximately $160 per person for two days in Shanghai.

“I’m happy I went, but it’s frustrating to start from zero again,” she said of rebuilding her miles. “I can be annoyed at myself for waiting too long to book, or at the broader situation affecting prices.”

Although gas prices have eased slightly since their spring peak, the national average remains elevated compared to earlier in the year.

Jet fuel costs spiked sharply after geopolitical tensions disrupted oil markets, rising even faster than gasoline. In addition to crude supply constraints, refined jet fuel shipments were particularly affected by bottlenecks in key shipping routes.

Even as jet fuel prices have moderated, airfare has not dropped significantly. Strong travel demand persists, and airlines reduced flight capacity when fuel prices surged. The shutdown of some carriers has also left fewer seats available.

Travel analysts report that many flyers are leaning heavily on loyalty programs to offset higher fares.

Rewards programs have become a critical support for the travel industry at a time when many travelers are balking at cash prices.

“Points and miles are helping sustain travel right now because people can tap into rewards they’ve already earned,” said Erin Francis-Cummings, president and CEO of Future Partners, a travel research firm.

She compared the moment to the Great Recession but noted that today’s loyalty systems are far more advanced, making redemption easier and more widespread than in the past.

Francis-Cummings added that she personally used 40% of her own points for a hotel stay over the July 4 holiday.

Shifting mentality

Rina Patel once saved all her work-earned miles exclusively for major international trips. That outlook changed recently after the unexpected loss of close friends.

“You assume you have endless time, but you really don’t,” Patel said.

She began prioritizing meaningful experiences and redeeming points she had accumulated for years. She also discovered that airline miles are not automatically transferable to heirs like money in a bank account.

Her renewed desire to travel and use rewards coincided with the surge in airfare.

After comparing redemption options online, she found that booking two summer trips to the East Coast from Orange County, California, made more financial sense with miles rather than cash.

“I used to ignore domestic redemptions because I was saving everything,” she said.

Those bookings significantly reduced her balance, though she still hopes to use the remaining miles for a long-planned Italy vacation in the fall.

Even so, redeeming miles for domestic flights still gives her pause.

Your mileage may vary

Search activity for award flights on the platform seats.aero rose 45% during April, May, and June compared to the same period last year. However, actual booking clicks increased by only about 27%.

“People are searching more, but they’re not always finding what they’re looking for,” said Chris Lopinto, CEO of seats.aero.

He explained that the issue is less about limited award seats and more about pricing. Many airlines have shifted from fixed award charts to dynamic pricing, meaning mileage costs fluctuate with demand, much like cash fares.

For instance, data from seats.aero shows that an average July flight from New York City to Europe now requires around 40,000 miles — roughly 33% more than the previous year. A domestic trip from New York to Los Angeles averages 37,500 miles this July, an increase of about 85% year over year.

Not only do award seats require more miles, they are also scarcer.

Lopinto noted that airlines have trimmed flight schedules to manage costs, reducing overall seat availability. With supply down and demand steady, both cash and mileage prices have climbed.

Flexibility, he said, is essential. Travelers who find strong redemption value may be wise to act sooner rather than later.

“Points don’t gain value sitting in an account,” he said. “Over time, they effectively lose purchasing power, so many travelers adopt a ‘earn and burn’ approach.”

Staying flexible

Regina Lee, a devoted college sports fan, recently used miles to attend a Duke University softball game in Arkansas. Because tournament destinations can be decided at the last minute, she relies on accumulated rewards for short-notice travel.

She found roundtrip fares from Los Angeles to airports near Fayetteville priced in the $800 range and opted to redeem miles instead.

For another trip to Durham, North Carolina, she hesitated due to high fares. Ultimately, she paid cash but adjusted her travel dates to cheaper options, extending her stay and lodging with a friend.

Lee recognizes that not all travelers can be so adaptable or understand how to maximize loyalty programs.

Without flexibility for an August trip into Greensboro, North Carolina, she said she would have skipped it entirely because preferred travel dates exceeded $800.

“Could I pay it? Yes. Was it worth it? No,” she said.

Pain at the gas pump

Many of Lee’s trips require rental cars, particularly when flying into more distant airports to save on airfare. That means budgeting not just for rentals but also for fuel.

Recent polling indicates that nearly half of Americans have adjusted summer travel plans due to high gas prices, and a similar share are skipping vacations altogether.

Among those staying home, cost is the leading reason. Car rental companies report customers increasingly choosing prepaid discounts and fuel-efficient vehicles, according to Adnan Manzur, senior vice president of customer operations for Hertz North America.

Demand for hybrid rentals surged sharply in early summer compared to last year.

“Customers are specifically asking for those vehicles and confirming availability,” Manzur said. “Even if fuel prices ease, many have realized hybrids are a smarter choice.”

Electric vehicle rentals have also grown, particularly in states like California. Rental companies are encouraging the shift with promotional discounts on hybrid and electric models for bookings made before the end of September.

With oil prices climbing again, travelers are likely to continue searching for every possible way to cut expenses.