Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS Plat, AA EP, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton Dia, Hyatt Glob, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 21,395
In your situation I would definitely cash out via the Schwab route.
I cashed out about 400,000 URs via Pay Yourself Back during the last year and still sit on 400k Amex points and enough points in airline and hotel programs to cover a lot of travel for the next couple of years if I can find good redemptions.