This tool will show you the best mileage deals for any city pair

Earning the points is only half the, battle, as they say. Using them is the other half.

Booking an award ticket can be so daunting for some frequent travelers, it actually scares them away from redeeming points for a vacation. But Economical Excursionists has created an awesome award tool that helps ease the pain.

You can use the tool to select any pair of cities around the world and learn how many miles it takes to get there with any loyalty program. Known as Flyer Miler, this is one of the most comprehensive resources for award research out there, allowing you to decide which airline miles you want to use before you waste time searching for a flight only to find out you'll have to pay $600 in fuel surcharges. Plus, Flyer Mile has a simple interface that's easy to use.

Pick two cities on the map and hit enter. Voila, it spits out a chart with almost every major loyalty program and ranks the options from cheapest to most expensive. The tool gives you the mileage amount, sample routings, details on any restrictions (blackout dates or places where you are allowed to connect, for example), and fuel surcharges.

Users cannot book awards directly through the site, but it does provide travelers with a wealth of information so that they can be informed when calling their preferred loyalty program directly (or attempting to book it through their website).

If you don't want to pay for a travel agent, have little patience to duke it out over the phone with airline agents unfamiliar with their own mileage partners, or simply are unsure of where your miles can take you, then this helpful tool will ease your stress.