How Much Are Discover it Miles Worth?

No matter how you choose to redeem your Discover it Miles, the value of each mile remains constant, at one cent.

Advertising & Editorial DisclosureLast Updated: 3/31/2023
Edited By     |  
Reviewed By     |  

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

Discover offers cash back and rewards credit cards. However, only one, the Discover it Miles credit card, lets you earn miles. You earn 1.5 miles per dollar, and the value of each mile is one cent. You may redeem the miles you earn through the Discover it Miles card in different ways, with there being no change in their value.

The Discover it program gives you an uncomplicated way to earn and redeem miles without worrying about how to make the most of them. For every dollar you spend, you get 1.5 miles, without category restrictions, which is equal to 1.5 cents/dollar — a steady value. Compared with reward programs run by other credit card issuers, the value you get for your Discover it Miles is about average.

What We're Geeking Out On
MoneyGeek’s Takeaways

points icon

Your Discover it Miles' value remains the same no matter how you redeem them.

prepaidCard icon

Every dollar spent using the Discover it Miles card effectively earns 1.5 cents back.

metalCard icon

Only the Discover it Miles credit card is part of the Discover it Miles program.

Some of the links on this page will take you to one of our partner's sites, where you can compare and apply for a selected credit card.

How Much Are Discover it Miles Worth?

One of the key Discover it benefits when it comes to redeeming the miles you earn is that their value remains the same. As a result, you may redeem them through any of the available methods and still get 1 cent per mile. Your options include:

  • Use them to pay your credit card bill, partially or completely
  • Redeem them as an electronic deposit into a bank account
  • Redeem them as a statement credit for a travel purchase
  • Use them to shop online
creditCard icon
BEST OVERALL CREDIT CARD TO EARN DISCOVER IT MILES

Only the Discover it Miles credit card allows you to earn miles. This card comes with no annual fee. It offers 1.5 miles per dollar on all purchases. At the end of the first year, Discover matches the total number of miles you earn through the course of the year. For example, if you’ve earned 25,000 miles, you receive a bonus of 25,000 miles.

You may redeem your miles for a statement credit to pay for eligible travel purchases. You can also redeem them for cash and to shop online via Amazon and PayPal. Using this card outside of the U.S. doesn’t incur any foreign transaction fees.

Which Credit Cards Earn Discover it Miles?


  • Discover it® Miles

    A good no-annual-fee travel credit card with an introductory 0% APR offer


    • Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
    • $0Annual Fee
    • 1.5 MilesRewards Rate

    Discover it® Miles

    Terms, rates and fees apply

How Discover it Miles Compare to Other Credit Cards

The value you get for your Discover it Miles is on par with what you can expect through most other credit card rewards programs. However, Discover provides just one credit card with miles, and there is no option to earn bonus miles through category-based spending. In addition, it’s not possible to transfer Discover it Miles to an airline or hotel loyalty program. However, for those who value simplicity, one key selling point is that the value of your miles does not change based on how you redeem them.

Discover it Miles Value vs. Other Cards
  • Credit Card Issuer
    Average Value
  • Discover
    1 cent per mile
  • American Express
    0.5 cents to 2 cents per point
  • Chase
    1 cent to 1.5 cents per point
  • Capital One
    0.5 cents to 1 cent per mile
  • Citi
    0.5 cents to 1 cent per point
  • Bank of America
    0.6 cents to 1 cent per point
  • Wells Fargo
    1 cent per point

How Much Are Discover it Miles Worth for Cash Back?

You may redeem your miles as an electronic deposit into an eligible bank account, as a credit to pay all or part of your credit card bill or as a credit toward travel purchases that have appeared on your account in the last 180 days. In all cases, you get 1 cent per mile. So, if you redeem 20,000 miles, you receive a value of $200.

Discover it Miles Value vs. Other Cards: Cash Back
  • Credit Card Issuer
    Average Value
  • Discover
    1 cent per mile
  • American Express
    0.6 cents per point
  • Chase
    1 cent per point
  • Capital One
    0.5 cents per mile
  • Citi
    0.5 cents to 1 cent per point (depending on the card you have)
  • Bank of America
    0.6 cents to 1 cent per point
  • Wells Fargo
    1 cent per point

If you wish to redeem your miles for cash back in the form of an electronic deposit, you need to log in to Discover. Once you do, navigate to the rewards section and select Electronic Deposit. Then, enter the number of miles you wish to redeem and select the bank account to which you want Discover to transfer the cash.

cashBack icon
BEST CASH BACK CREDIT CARDS

The Discover it Cash Back Credit Card is our top pick from the cash back segment. This card does not charge an annual fee. It offers 5% cash back up to a quarterly maximum on bonus categories that rotate each quarter. However, you need to activate the bonus categories first. All other purchases earn 1% cash back. In addition, Discover matches the cash back you earn during the first year at the end of the year automatically.

How Much Are Discover Miles Worth for Gift Cards?

Discover does not allow you to redeem your miles for gift cards. However, if you have a Discover it credit card that earns cash back, you may redeem the cash back for gift cards. In this case, the value you receive depends on the merchant you select, and you stand to receive bonuses. For example, $45 worth of cash back will get you a $50 Red Lobster gift card. Similarly, you may redeem $85 cash back for a $100 gift card from Sephora, $40 for an $80 gift card from Universal Studios or $20 for a $30 gift card from Sunglass Hut.

Discover it Miles vs. Other Card Issuers: Gift Cards
  • Credit Card Issuer
    Average Value
  • Discover
    Cannot redeem miles for gift cards
  • American Express
    0.5 cents to 1 cent per point
  • Chase
    1 cent per point, unless through a promotional offer
  • Capital One
    0.5 cents to 1 cent per mile
  • Citi
    1 cent per point, unless on sale
  • Bank of America
    0.6 cents to 1 cent per point (depending on the card you have)
  • Wells Fargo
    1 cent per point

To redeem the cash back you earn through a Discover it card for a gift card, you need to log in to your Discover account. Then, on the page where you can view ways to redeem your cash back, select Gift Cards. Go through the various gift cards on offer by using different search filters. Once you choose which gift card to get, add it to your cart. Then, pay for it using your cash back.

How Much Are Discover it Miles Worth for Travel?

Discover lets you use your miles to cover travel purchases that have appeared on your statement in the last 180 days. All eligible redemptions come with a value of one cent per mile. Travel purchases include flight tickets, hotel stays, rental cars, commuter transportation, online travel portals, travel agents, restaurants and gas stations.

Purchases at fast food locations, full-service restaurants, cafeterias, cafes and restaurant delivery services qualify as restaurant purchases. Purchases made at establishments that let you buy automotive fuel at a pump or inside a station qualify as gas station purchases. However, gas stations linked with wholesale clubs, supercenters and supermarkets might not make the cut.

Discover it Miles Value vs. Other Cards: Travel
  • Credit Card Issuer
    Average Value
  • Discover
    1 cent per mile
  • American Express
    0.5 cents to 1 cent per point
  • Bank of America
    1 cent per point
  • Chase
    1 cent to 1.5 cents per point (depending on the card you have)
  • Capital One
    1 cent per mile
  • Citi
    1 cent per point
  • Wells Fargo
    1 cent to 1.5 cents per point

How to redeem Discover it Miles for a statement credit to cover travel purchases is fairly simple. All you need to do is log in to your Discover account and select Travel Credit on the redemption page. Then, you can select the eligible purchases for which you wish to receive a statement credit.

travel icon
BEST TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS

The Discover it Miles credit card is the best overall travel card that Discover has on offer. However, the Discover it Chrome Gas & Restaurant Credit Card might work better for you if you travel by road. It offers 2% cash back on gas and restaurant purchases on combined spending of up to $1,000 each quarter. It also matches the cash back you earn in the first 12 months at the end of the year.

How Much Are Discover it Miles Worth for Transfer Partners?

There are no Discover it transfer partners linked to the miles program. However, you may fly with any airline or stay at any hotel and then use your miles to cover the charges in the form of a statement credit.

As with other credit card programs that let you transfer your points or miles to airline/hotel loyalty programs, the value you ultimately get depends on multiple factors. These include the loyalty program you’re part of — that is, the program to which you wish to transfer your points/miles — and your travel itinerary.

Discover Miles Value vs. Other Cards: Transfer Partners
  • Credit Card Issuer
    Average Value
  • Discover
    Does not have transfer partners
  • American Express
    1 cent to 2 cents per point
  • Chase
    1 cent to 2 cents per point
  • Capital One
    1 cent to 2 cents per mile
  • Citi
    1 cent to 2 cents per point
  • Bank of America
    Does not have transfer partners
  • Wells Fargo
    1 cent to 2 cents per point (only for the Bilt Mastercard)

If you plan to use your miles to cover travel purchases, log in to your Discover account. Navigate to the page where you can redeem your miles and select Travel Credit. Then, look for the purchases that qualify to get a statement credit.

How Much Are Discover it Miles Worth for Shopping?

You may use your Discover it Miles to shop at Amazon.com or make payments via PayPal. In both cases, you get a value of one cent per mile. Compared with shopping using points/miles through other rewards programs, this is as good as it gets.

Discover Miles Value vs. Other Cards: Shopping
  • Credit Card Issuer
    Average Value
  • Discover
    1 cent per mile
  • American Express
    0.5 cents to 1 cent per point
  • Chase
    0.8 cents to 1 cent per point
  • Capital One
    0.8 cents to 1 cent per mile
  • Citi
    0.8 cents per point
  • Wells Fargo
    1 cent per point

If you wish to use your miles to shop at Amazon.com, you need to enroll your Discover it Miles card in Shop with Points by visiting Amazon.com. During checkout, select your Miles card as the payment method, and use your miles to pay for all or part of the purchase.

With PayPal, you need to link your Discover it Miles card to your PayPal wallet. Then, when you wish to make payments via PayPal, simply select your Discover it Miles card as the payment method.

How to Earn More Miles From Discover

While the Discover it Miles card allows you to earn miles, it does not come with a welcome bonus. However, it matches the miles you earn through the first 365 days or 12 billing cycles (the longer of the two), and you get this bonus at the end of the first year. As a result, if you earn 50,000 miles in the first 12 billing cycles, you will receive a bonus of 50,000 miles.

rewards icon
EXPERT TIP

The Discover it Miles card is a great way to earn travel rewards in a no-hassle way. And redeeming them is even easier with only a few ways to use them, including travel credit, cash and pay with rewards at participating retailers. However, it’s never recommended to spend more just to earn credit card rewards.
Brett Holzhauer, contributing expert for MoneyGeek

Earn Miles Through Discover Partner Merchants

Unfortunately, Discover it Miles does not have partner merchants through which you may earn miles faster. However, the Discover it Cash Back Credit Card, the Discover it Student Cash Back Credit Card and the NHL Discover it Credit Card give you opportunities to earn more cash back through revolving bonus categories. These include spending on Amazon.com, via digital wallets and at grocery stores and restaurants.

Buying Miles From Discover

You cannot purchase Discover Miles. The only way to earn them is by using your Discover it Miles credit card.

About Discover it

Discover runs the Miles program only for people who have the Discover it Miles credit card. It offers 1.5 miles per dollar spent on purchases. While there are different ways to redeem your miles, their value stays the same. You get one cent per mile. Consequently, every dollar you spend comes with 1.5 cents back.

One key benefit of this rewards program is that you don't have to worry about the fluctuating value of your miles based on different redemption methods — unlike most of the popular rewards programs.

The fact that you cannot transfer your miles to an airline or hotel loyalty program might be a drawback for some. However, it's possible to get statement credits for most types of travel purchases, flight tickets and hotel stays. In addition, while the Discover it Cash Back Credit Card offers gift cards as a redemption option, the Miles card does not.

How We Determined the Value of Discover it Miles

MoneyGeek experts have taken a close look at how the value of Discover it Miles changes based on different redemption methods. They have also carried out in-depth market research to determine that the worth of each mile remains the same: one cent.

Other Questions You May Have About Discover it Miles

Looking at answers to other commonly asked questions about the Discover membership program, the miles you earn and their worth might help you determine if this reward program might be worth your while.

Compare and Review Miles and Points

Compare and Review Discover Credit Cards

sources
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.