How Much Are Travel Points and Miles Worth in 2024?

The world of travel rewards can be confusing and overwhelming. Each rewards program usually comes with its own rewards currency, value-per-point/mile, transfer partners and redemption policies. As such, it can take some work to determine which rewards programs offer you the best value and will suit your lifestyle and spending habits. To make this process a little easier, MoneyGeek broke down how much airline miles and points are worth in a specific program.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the travel industry and affected the values of airline miles and hotel points. Thus, the valuations you see on this page should be used as a baseline when redeeming points or miles.

• How Much Are Airlines Miles/Points Worth?
• How Much Are Hotel Points Worth?
• How Many Points Does It Take to Fly?
• What Do These Values Mean?
• Other Questions You May Have About Travel Points and Miles

Airline miles are the currency used by airlines to reward frequent fliers. You can typically earn airline miles by flying with a specific airline, using that airline’s shopping portal or participating in the airline’s dining program. Alternatively, you can get a credit card that rewards you with miles when you spend. Once you’ve racked up enough airline miles, you can redeem them for discounted or free flights.

To maximize the airline miles you earn, make sure to get the right credit card based on your traveler profile. A co-branded credit card is preferable if you frequently travel with one airline, whereas a general travel card is ideal if you don’t have a preferred airline. You can also maximize your miles by taking advantage of welcome bonuses offered by airlines or travel cards.

In general, you're not usually able to transfer airline miles between rewards programs. You may, however, use your miles to book a flight with an airline partner. For instance, American Airlines allows you to earn and redeem miles with its partner airlines, including Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines and more. If you're using a travel credit card like Citi Premier, you may be allowed to convert points to miles by transferring them to a frequent flyer program.

Hotel points are a hotel’s currency that you can typically spend within the hotel chain. In general, you accrue hotel points based on how much you spend at a hotel. But you also stand to earn hotel points when you use hotel shopping portals or participate in hotel dining programs. These points can be redeemed for discounted rooms or award stays.

Like with airline miles, there are various ways to maximize your hotel points. You may get a co-branded hotel card if you favor one hotel chain or a general travel card if you want to earn rewards on hotel purchases regardless of where you stay. Alternatively, you can maximize your hotel points by keeping an eye out for various hotel offers.

Some hotel loyalty programs allow you to convert hotel points to airline miles by transferring them to frequent flyer programs. These include the Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt programs. That said, the number of airline miles you receive for your hotel points will depend on the hotel and its airline partner.

>> More: Flexible Points vs. Miles: Which Credit Card Reward Is Better?

Credit card companies often provide incentives or benefits to entice you to sign up with them. For instance, a rewards credit card can help you earn points on eligible purchases that you may convert to hotel points, airline miles or travel credits.

It’s worth noting that converting your points to miles by transferring them to a frequent flyer program can cause their value to change. That’s why it’s important to check the transfer ratio before doing this. Keep in mind that once you convert your points to miles, you usually can’t convert them back.

Travel credit cards are ideal for individuals who want to earn points and redeem them for travel. These cards usually offer more freedom since they are not affiliated with a particular airline or hotel. However, they often come with annual fees.

>> More: Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Transfer Partners

When you use a co-branded hotel card, you stand to earn hotel points in a specific loyalty program when you make purchases with that credit card. Some cards can grant you elite hotel status, while others may offer free account anniversary nights.

Co-branded airline credit cards work with a specific airline or airline partner to reward you for everyday purchases. In most cases, you earn airline miles for flights and seat upgrades. Additionally, these cards often come with benefits such as free checked bags or early boarding.

Because airlines, hotels and credit card issuers don’t often provide their own point and mile valuations, MoneyGeek’s valuations can help you estimate how much each program’s rewards are worth. In addition, they can give you a baseline to decide whether you are getting a good deal for your redemption. That can, in turn, help you understand how and when to redeem your points or miles to get the most from your chosen loyalty program.

To determine our valuations, MoneyGeek gathered and analyzed data on various flights and hotel stays. Afterward, we divided the cost of each booking by its cost in rewards to determine the cash value of a mile/point for a given flight or hotel stay. Note that these valuations may change or fluctuate depending on the airlines’ or hotels’ policies.