Ultimate Points & Miles Value Guide: What are points and miles worth?

After half a decade of maximizing points and redeeming millions of miles, I’ve discovered that understanding point values isn’t just about the numbers—it’s about knowing how to leverage each program’s sweet spots. Here’s my comprehensive breakdown of what are points and miles worth, along with insider tips on the best cards to earn them.

best travel credit card offers
New ! 60,000 -150,000 Bonus Points! See all offers now.
Join the newsletter
Don’t miss out on the latest travel intel & guides


Ultimate Points & Miles Value Guide: What are points and miles worth?
What are credit card points and miles worth
Transferable Points Programs: Credit Card points value
The foundation of any sophisticated points strategy starts here—these flexible currencies often provide the highest value through strategic transfers.
Insider Tip: I’ve found that Chase Ultimate Rewards offer the best combination of earning potential and redemption flexibility for most travelers. The Sapphire Reserve’s 1.5 cents floor value through the travel portal means you’ll never get stuck with worthless points.
Why work with a travel advisor?
Skip the endless hours of research and second-guessing. As your travel advisor, we transform the overwhelming planning process into a seamless experience, drawing from years of firsthand exploration and cultivated relationships with premier properties and local experts. We are your north star to discover the hidden gems and unique experiences that truly make a journey memorable.
Got Your Own Travel Game Plan?
I get it—sometimes you want to handle the bookings yourself. While you won’t score those exclusive perks, here are my tried-and-tested booking platforms I personally recommend. Just Want the Hotel Perks? I‘ll book your hotel with all those juicy extras (hello, free breakfast and spa credits)—and you handle the rest of your itinerary. Zero pressure, maximum benefits. Simple as that. Contact us now
This site contains product affiliate links, and I may get a commission, which costs you nothing extra. see more resources here
Airline Miles Redemption Value: what are Airline Points Value?
Here’s every major airline program’s current value, along with the best ways to earn and use these miles:
Airline Program 24158_ed5962-c3> |
Value (cents) 24158_38c4e9-c1> |
Value of 50K/100K 24158_6b02e6-3d> |
Top Partners 24158_25522e-a1> |
Best Cards to Earn 24158_3158c7-dd> |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alaska Mileage Plan mile value 24158_d52103-00> |
1.6 24158_8e38d4-c1> |
$800/$1,600 24158_6e87e9-6b> |
• JAL• Cathay• Qantas 24158_572f9d-f6> |
• Alaska Visa® ($95 AF)• Transferable from Marriott 24158_a3c8bf-3b> |
American Airlines AAdvantage points value 24158_fcf8f4-5c> |
1.4 24158_2b05cc-70> |
$700/$1,400 24158_2aea9b-d5> |
• Qatar• JAL• Cathay 24158_6bb719-28> |
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive• Barclays Aviator 24158_f769d9-90> |
Air Canada Aeroplan point value 24158_8cda0d-1d> |
1.5 24158_57a04e-4e> |
$750/$1,500 24158_bcf15b-47> |
• United• Turkish• EVA 24158_8882d6-62> |
• Chase transfer partner• Amex transfer partner 24158_8295b4-07> |
British Airways Avios mile value 24158_4db40d-ca> |
1.25 24158_43ac79-65> |
$625/$1,250 24158_54d19f-3c> |
• AA• JAL• Qatar 24158_c6532d-7e> |
• BA Visa ($95 AF)• Transfer from Amex/Chase 24158_270bf4-ab> |
Delta SkyMiles 24158_8e72aa-5f> |
1.2 24158_053301-eb> |
$600/$1,200 24158_186a27-74> |
• Air France• VirgiN• Korean 24158_24777e-bb> |
• Delta Reserve® ($550 AF)• Delta Platinum ($250 AF) 24158_8455fb-33> |
United miles value 24158_23e05d-fb> |
1.2 24158_b7354d-14> |
$600/$1,200 24158_5b2051-27> |
• Lufthansa\n• ANA\n• Turkish 24158_30da5f-16> |
• United Club℠Infinite• United Quest℠ 24158_ca24a7-6f> |
Air France/KLM 24158_b8766a-dd> |
1.3 24158_9e2828-34> |
$650/$1,300 24158_bd62cf-19> |
• Delta• Korean• Virgin 24158_8d1f6b-7c> |
• Transfer from all major programs 24158_ac3195-2c> |
ANA Mileage Club 24158_53ab08-29> |
1.4 24158_3fedf2-20> |
$700/$1,400 24158_f01e29-74> |
• United• Turkish• EVA 24158_cbfb1d-c1> |
• Amex transfer partner 24158_54f8c6-f6> |
Singapore KrisFlyer 24158_f62c38-cb> |
1.35 24158_7ba5cd-9c> |
$675/$1,350 24158_0a91f7-0a> |
• United\n• Lufthansa\n• ANA 24158_0205b4-c9> |
• All major transfer partners 24158_6350d0-47> |
Virgin Atlantic 24158_36db1e-70> |
1.4 24158_be9cea-25> |
$700/$1,400 24158_89f06c-ae> |
• ANA\n• Delta\n• Singapore 24158_2f4250-2a> |
• All major transfer partners 24158_0c0691-b1> |
Emirates Skywards 24158_8ce98c-38> |
1.1 24158_b7b89c-67> |
$550/$1,100 24158_1c3d86-f9> |
• JetBlue\n• Korean\n• Qantas 24158_318f50-06> |
• All major transfer partners 24158_0db0bd-83> |
Cathay Asia Miles 24158_d966aa-48> |
1.3 24158_30d097-6f> |
$650/$1,300 24158_8fef5c-f1> |
• AA• Alaska • British 24158_9d4e53-72> |
• Amex transfer partner 24158_7a533e-0d> |
Korean SKYPASS 24158_df88ec-19> |
1.6 24158_a00e08-c1> |
$800/$1,600 24158_5f4780-6c> |
• Delta• Emirates• Etihad 24158_33ce0e-34> |
• Transfer from major banks 24158_ebe426-7a> |
EVA Air 24158_36eaba-11> |
1.2 24158_93edbd-36> |
$600/$1,200 24158_86ae33-5d> |
• United• Air Canada• ANA 24158_44db12-d2> |
• Transfer from major banks 24158_531acf-93> |
Qantas 24158_9f00cb-78> |
1.2 24158_b24481-99> |
$600/$1,200 24158_144cfd-84> |
• Emirates• Cathay• AA 24158_939c6b-44> |
• Transfer from major banks 24158_600c71-5c> |
Turkish Airlines 24158_f1ab5a-29> |
1.3 24158_10dc58-b7> |
$650/$1,300 24158_aea7fd-04> |
• United\n• Thai\n• EVA 24158_154f15-05> |
• Capital One/Citi transfer 24158_f4defd-a3> |
Etihad Guest 24158_4bcdc2-42> |
1.4 24158_62e315-06> |
$700/$1,400 24158_b82ccc-1d> |
• American\n• Korean\n• Virgin 24158_df5e0b-b1> |
• All major transfer partners 24158_ed0863-96> |
Hotel Points: What are hotel points worth?
From luxury aspirational stays to reliable budget options, here’s the complete hotel points landscape:
My recent exploration of hotel programs revealed some surprising values — Hyatt’s footprint might be smaller, but the redemption value consistently outperforms larger chains.
Hotel Program 24158_2992c8-c8> |
Value (cents) 24158_fba137-66> |
Value of 50K/100K 24158_9e0875-90> |
Key Features 24158_4520f6-8a> |
Best Cards to Earn 24158_c798f7-b4> |
---|---|---|---|---|
World of Hyatt 24158_33417b-cd> |
1.5 24158_c648dc-79> |
$750/$1,500 24158_43c496-56> |
• No resort fees on awards\n• Suite upgrades 24158_b0b92c-6b> |
• World of Hyatt Card ($95 AF)\n• Chase transfer partner 24158_7c6225-84> |
Marriott Bonvoy 24158_080e9f-e0> |
0.7 24158_c2a824-c1> |
$350/$700 24158_b512ac-55> |
• 5th night free\n• Huge footprint 24158_b46448-c0> |
• Brilliant™ ($650 AF)\n• Boundless™ ($95 AF) 24158_a44788-68> |
IHG One Rewards 24158_480031-17> |
0.5 24158_5103da-e9> |
$250/$500 24158_b2b855-32> |
• 4th night free\n• Dynamic pricing 24158_5672cb-ba> |
• Premier Card ($99 AF)\n• Chase transfer partner 24158_bd4b27-ea> |
Hilton Honors 24158_8609dc-8c> |
0.5 24158_10d960-5e> |
$250/$500 24158_8d0eb1-56> |
• 5th night free\n• Status benefits 24158_691318-7f> |
• Aspire Card ($450 AF)\n• Surpass® ($95 AF) 24158_096f7a-29> |
Wyndham Rewards 24158_039683-f3> |
0.9 24158_009d18-ee> |
$450/$900 24158_d012bc-a3> |
• Fixed pricing\n• Vacasa rentals 24158_83d53e-00> |
• Earner® Card ($75 AF) 24158_71704e-d0> |
Choice Privileges 24158_99a3ea-e2> |
0.6 24158_4b39a1-3c> |
$300/$600 24158_11ffca-e3> |
• Europe sweet spots\n• Point stretching 24158_d2c1f2-a7> |
• Choice Privileges Visa 24158_9fdaac-e4> |
Accor ALL 24158_eb3c94-2c> |
2.2 24158_aaeec8-b8> |
$1,100/$2,200 24158_cacff5-5b> |
• Fixed value\n• Luxury properties 24158_37b769-ad> |
• Capital One transfer 24158_d9dbec-a9> |
Radisson Rewards 24158_6ce114-bd> |
0.25 24158_f2d5e8-c3> |
$125/$250 24158_e81aa6-d5> |
• Good EU coverage\n• Easy earning 24158_f9194f-57> |
• Radisson Visa 24158_04b678-d9> |
Pro Tip: While these valuations represent achievable targets, I’ve consistently extracted higher value through strategic redemptions — like using Virgin Points for ANA First Class at 4-5 cents per point value.
Hotel Free Night Certificates: Maximizing Annual Card Benefits
These certificates often justify annual fees—here’s what they’re worth:
Certificate Type 24158_b906fd-a8> |
Estimated Value 24158_5be69f-af> |
Card Source 24158_86ab75-fe> |
Usage Tips 24158_cb393f-cb> |
---|---|---|---|
Hilton Free Night 24158_38b7cf-df> |
$490 24158_23ec30-e3> |
Aspire & Surpass (spend) 24158_322590-f8> |
Valid globally 24158_f1f0b9-76> |
Hyatt Cat 1-4 24158_67e7a5-b1> |
$204 24158_37cbcb-85> |
World of Hyatt Card 24158_da0135-01> |
Great for boutique hotels 24158_0981f0-40> |
Hyatt Cat 1-7 24158_eb8fbf-fe> |
$408 24158_401133-12> |
Brand Explorer perk 24158_f27e0c-24> |
Top-tier properties 24158_bbe0e1-45> |
Marriott 35K 24158_3c22da-74> |
$196 24158_eef6c5-e3> |
Boundless Card 24158_c120d5-8b> |
Mid-tier hotels 24158_a2b36c-67> |
Marriott 50K 24158_751e4e-7a> |
$280 24158_59334d-b0> |
Brilliant Card (old) 24158_06d35d-d8> |
Better flexibility 24158_c04cc3-9e> |
Marriott 85K 24158_f0d5f1-0a> |
$476 24158_19f9c2-72> |
Brilliant Card (new) 24158_8dd0f4-75> |
Luxury properties 24158_24bf33-f8> |
IHG 40K 24158_4a4cd3-46> |
$211 24158_1fb247-90> |
Premier Card (old) 24158_e9f8da-ba> |
Solid mid-range value 24158_76cb41-73> |
IHG 60K 24158_6bca09-4b> |
$260 24158_f535e5-91> |
Premier Card (new) 24158_0192cf-4a> |
Higher-end options 24158_f77750-b2> |
Strategic credit Card Recommendations
Based on your travel goals, here are my top card combinations:
For Luxury Travel
- Amex Platinum Card
- 5x on flights
- Unmatched lounge access
- Elite status at Hilton & Marriott
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- 3x on all travel
- Priority Pass membership
- 1.5¢ redemption floor
- Capital One Venture X
- Simple 3x structure
- Flexible redemptions
- $300 yearly travel credit
- TSA credit
For Family Travel
- World of Hyatt Card
- Annual free night
- 2x on everyday spending
- Easy elite status path
- Citi Premier
- 3x groceries/restaurants
- Valuable transfer partners
- Moderate annual fee
For Budget Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Best overall value
- Strong insurance benefits
- Low annual fee
- Capital One Venture
- Simple 2x structure
- Flexible redemptions
- TSA credit
Pro Tips for Maximum Value:
- Always compare transfer rates before redeeming
- Stack credit card benefits with shopping portals
- Consider holding multiple cards within the same ecosystem
- Watch for transfer bonuses to amplify value
- Use free night certificates before they expire
- Combine points from different programs for complex itineraries
Values updated December 2024. Remember that while these valuations provide a baseline, the true value depends on your specific redemption. Focus on building a diverse points portfolio that aligns with your travel goals.