Travel Points & Miles Valuations – How Much Are They Actually Worth? [May 2024]

Credit cards, airlines, and hotels don’t publish their own point and mile valuations, so there are no official answers on what points and miles are actually worth. Therefore, it’s up to you to make your own conclusions on that value. However, we’re here to help.

Many factors come into play when determining this metric. Below are questions you should ask yourself when evaluating the value of points, and what we’ve taken into account to create our point and mile valuations:

• How valuable are these points?
• How flexible are these points, and how many transfer partners are there?
• What are your redemption options?
• How much would you buy points and miles for?
• What’s the average redemption value from 3 different bookings?
• How abundant is award availability?

Upgraded Points’ May 2024 Points and Miles Valuations

Flexible Points Programs

Flexible Point Program	April 2024 Value (cents/point)	May 2024 Value (cents/point)	Value of 50K or 100K Points
Amex Membership Rewards Points	2.2	2.2	$1,100 / $2,200
Bank of America Preferred Rewards	1.0	1.0	$500 or $1,000
Barclaycard Arrival Miles	1.0	1.0	$500 or $1,000
Bilt Rewards	1.8	1.8	$900 / $1,800
Brex Rewards	1.0	1.0	$500 or $1,000
Capital One Miles	1.8	1.8	$900 / $1,800
Chase Ultimate Rewards Points	2.0	2.0	$1,000 / $2,000
Citi ThankYou Rewards Points	1.6	1.6	$800 / $1,600
Diners Club Rewards Points	2.0	2.0	$1,000 / $2,000

Hot Tip: Use our dedicated transfer partner tool calculator to review transfer ratios, times, and bonuses for all major flexible point programs.

Airline Loyalty Programs

Airline Loyalty Program	April 2024 Value (cents/point)	May 2024 Value (cents/point)	Value of 50K or 100K Points
Aer Lingus AerClub Avios	1.25	1.25	$650 / $1,300
Air Canada Aeroplan Points	1.5	1.5	$750 / $1,500
Air France/KLM Flying Blue Miles	1.3	1.3	$650 / $1,300
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles	1.6	1.6	$800 / $1,600
American Airlines AAdvantage Miles	1.4	1.4	$700 / $1,400
All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club Miles	1.4	1.4	$700 / $1,400
Asiana Airlines Asiana Club Miles	1.6	1.6	$800 / $1,600
Avianca Airlines LifeMiles	1.4	1.4	$700 / $1,400
Breeze Airways BreezePoints	1.0	1.0	$500 / $1,000
British Airways Executive Club Avios	1.25	1.25	$650 / $1,300
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles	1.3	1.3	$650 / $1,300
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles	1.2	1.2	$600 / $1,200
Emirates Skywards Miles	1.1	1.1	$550 / $1,100
Etihad Airways Etihad Guest Miles	1.4	1.4	$700 / $1,400
Frontier Airlines FRONTIER Miles	1.1	1.1	$550 / $1,100
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles	0.9	0.9	$450 / $900
Iberia Plus Avios	1.25	1.25	$650 / $1,300
JetBlue TrueBlue Points	1.3	1.3	$650 / $1,300
Korean Air SKYPASS Miles	1.6	1.6	$800 / $1,600
Lufthansa Miles & More Miles	1.3	1.3	$650 / $1,300
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios	1.25	1.25	$650 / $1,300
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles	1.35	1.35	$675 / $1,350
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Points	1.3	1.3	$650 / $1,300
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit Points	1.1	1.1	$550 / $1,100
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Miles	1.3	1.3	$650 / $1,300
United Airlines MileagePlus Miles	1.2	1.2	$600 / $1,200
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Virgin Points	1.4	1.4	$700 / $1,400

Hotel Loyalty Programs

Hotel Loyalty Program	April 2024 Value (cents/point)	May 2024 Value (cents/point)	Value of 50K or 100K Points
ALL – Accor Live Limitless Rewards Points	2.3	2.3	$1,150 / $2,300
Best Western Rewards Points	0.6	0.6	$300 / $600
Choice Hotels Choice Privileges Points	0.6	0.6	$300 / $600
Hilton Hotels Hilton Honors Points	0.5	0.5	$250 / $500
Hyatt Hotels World of Hyatt Points	1.5	1.5	$750 / $1,500
IHG Hotels & Resorts IHG One Rewards Points	0.5	0.5	$250 / $500
Marriott Hotels Marriott Bonvoy Points	0.7	0.7	$350 / $700
Radisson Rewards Points	0.25	0.25	$125 / $250
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Wyndham Rewards Points	0.9	0.9	$450 / $900

Upgraded Points’ Highest-Valued Points

Not all miles and points are created equal, so naturally, each category has its own winner with the most valued points. Here’s why we ranked the highest-valued points as such:

Transferable Points: American Express Membership Rewards Points

American Express Membership Rewards continues to be the king of transferable points. Amex partners with all 3 major alliances (SkyTeam, Star Alliance, and Oneworld), along with many non-alliance partners, so it’s easier to find award space compared to other transferable points. Some of the Amex transfer partners include Qantas, Air Canada, and Emirates.

Hot Tip: It is no secret that transferable points are our favorite rewards to earn, thanks to their flexibility and the powerful redemptions they offer. If you’d like more information on the major transferable point currencies, we’ve put together complete guides on how we value Amex Membership Rewards points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, Capital One miles, and Citi ThankYou Points.

Airline Miles: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles

Alaska Airlines has the best of both worlds: a variety of partners and solid redemption rates. Some of Alaska’s Oneworld partners include American and Japan Airlines, and the airline’s non-alliance partners include Emirates, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, and more.

Hotel Points: World of Hyatt Points

World of Hyatt has the most reasonable redemption rates of all the major hotel chains. Further, we’ve found that there are virtually no blackout dates and that all hotels are on a standard award chart, so you’ll always pay the same price for a room at any hotel. This allows you to explore fantastic Hyatt redemption opportunities, ensuring maximum value.

Movers and News

It was a busy month in the world of points and miles. Here is what made waves last month:

American Airlines’ New Flagship Suite Preferred Seats, Amenity and Dining Updates

The front rows of business class on select AA aircraft will soon feature Flagship Suite Preferred seats. These seats and experience will be a level above business class without the dedicated first class cabin.

New 787 Dreamliners and retrofitted 777s will feature Flagship Suite Preferred seats located in the cabin’s front row (bulkhead).

Besides having extra space, these seats will have exclusive amenities, including:

• Nest Bedding mattress pad, pajamas, and slippers
• Throw blanket
• Memory foam lumbar pillow
• Cool Touch dual-sided pillow
• Bang & Olufsen noise-canceling headphones
• Exclusive amenity kit

Pricing for these seats has not been announced yet.

CLEAR Now Offers TSA PreCheck Enrollment — How To Register

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration announced that CLEAR has been added as the third approved TSA PreCheck enrollment provider, joining Idemia and Telos.

CLEAR is a program that utilizes biometrics technology for efficient airport security, permitting members to skip the regular TSA security and TSA PreCheck lines.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operates TSA PreCheck, which is 1 of the 5 Trusted Traveler Programs. TSA PreCheck enables low-risk travelers to streamline the security screening at airports and various locations nationwide.

Enrolling in both programs guarantees that travelers will no longer have to endure long security lines again … or at least not the lengthy queues they experienced before signing up.

Applicants have the option to sign up for TSA PreCheck through CLEAR by either preenrolling online or visiting 1 of the 3 CLEAR enrollment locations (Newark (EWR), Orlando (MCO), and Sacramento (SMF)). The TSA has stated that additional airports will become accessible in the future for enrollment.

CLEAR typically costs $189 per year and TSA PreCheck starts at $78 for a 5-year membership. However, if you enroll in TSA PreCheck through CLEAR, you can take advantage of both programs for a discounted bundle rate of $200. Travelers who preenroll are required to complete the process within 14 days to secure the discounted price.

DOT Changes Airline Refund Rules [What Qualifies, Who Is Affected]

The U.S. has long had fewer protections for travelers. Now, a new Department of Transportation (DOT) ruling has solidified passenger rights in the event of delays, cancellations, and luggage issues.

These new DOT rules are excellent news for airline passengers, as they specifically outline the situations in which an airline must refund passengers:

• Canceled Flights: The passenger is refunded if the flight is canceled and they do not accept alternative flight options.
• Delayed or Altered Flights: The passenger is refunded if a flight is altered more than 3 hours domestically or 6 hours internationally, airports are changed, connections are increased, they are downgraded to a lower class of service, or those with a disability experience alterations to a less accessible aircraft.
• Delayed Baggage Return: The passenger is refunded the checked baggage fee if their luggage is not delivered within 12 hours of a domestic flight or 15 to 30 hours of an international flight (depending on the length of the flight).
• Ancillary Purchases: If amenities such as seat selection, Wi-Fi, or inflight entertainment are not provided on the flight, the passenger is refunded for the purchases.

In all these cases, airlines are required to automatically process refunds for passengers within 7 business days (for those who paid with credit cards) or 20 business days (for those who used other methods of payment).

Airlines are not allowed to offer travel credits or vouchers; instead, refunds must be made in cash or to the original form of payment. The exception is if passengers actively choose to accept a credit or voucher in lieu of a cash refund.

Finally, refunds must be complete and include all taxes and fees, even if those fees are nonrefundable to the airline.

Now Live: Earn and Redeem World of Hyatt Points at 700 Mr and Mrs Smith Properties

700 new properties have joined the World of Hyatt portfolio via Hyatt’s acquisition of the Mr and Mrs Smith brand last fall. That deal, worth around $65.5 million, opens the door for boutique, curated properties around the world for World of Hyatt members.

Better still, those members can now earn and redeem points for stays at select Mr and Mrs Smith properties that have joined the portfolio.

The Mr and Mrs Smith portfolio comprises over 2,300 properties, with just over 700 hotels joining Hyatt to start.

The list of new countries to join Hyatt’s portfolio currently includes Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bhutan, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Fiji, Grenada, Israel, Laos, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Norway, Romania, Saint Barthelemy, Slovenia and Tanzania.

Awards redeemed with Hyatt points for stays at Mr and Mrs Smith properties will be inclusive of resort fees and will often (but not always) include breakfast.

However, other World of Hyatt elite benefits, such as Globalist breakfast, won’t be consistent like they are at other Hyatt properties.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) Will Officially Join SkyTeam on September 1

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) will officially join the SkyTeam Alliance as of September 1, 2024.

SAS has been a member of the Star Alliance since 1997, when it founded the alliance with Air Canada, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, and United Airlines.

While SAS Eurobonus members will no longer be able to earn and spend miles with the likes of Air Canada and Lufthansa, they’ll benefit from new relationships with Air France, Delta, KLM, and more.

The Eurobonus members’ status will also be matched to an equivalent SkyTeam status. Silver members will be granted SkyTeam Elite status while Gold and Diamond members will automatically become SkyTeam Elite Plus.

New Opportunities To Purchase Points

If you need to boost your mileage balances but aren’t in the market for a new credit card, here are the latest opportunities to purchase points with a bonus:

• Air Canada Aeroplan — Up to 100% [Targeted]
• IHG One Rewards — 80% Bonus [Targeted]
• JetBlue TrueBlue — 75% Bonus
• Southwest Rapid Rewards — 50% Discount [Targeted]

Hot Tip: Keep track of the latest point purchase promotions and discounts on our dedicated page, which we update each time a new promotion launches. 

New Airline Route Changes

Here are the airlines that announced last month that they were adding, removing, or relaunching routes:

U.S. Airlines

• Alaska Airlines Plans Southern California Route Expansion This Fall
• Avelo Airlines Inaugurates Burbank to Las Vegas Flights
• Avelo Airlines Launches New Route From Orlando to Miami
• American Airlines Adds Charlotte to Québec City Seasonal Route
• Bonjour, Montréal: United Schedules Nonstop Service From San Francisco
• Breeze Will Add 5 New East Coast Routes for Summer 2024
• Breeze Airways Will Open a New Base at Fort Myers Airport in Florida
• Delta Resumes Flights to Lagos from New York
• Frontier Announces New Domestic Summer Routes From Dallas to Philadelphia
• Frontier Adds New Routes from Charlotte and San Juan to Warm Weather Destinations
• JetBlue Launches Nonstop Flight from Boston to Paris
• Spirit Is Adding 8 New Routes This Summer

International Airlines

• Aeromexico Resumes Boston-Mexico City Service
• Norse Atlantic Will Fly From London to Cape Town in October
• WestJet Announces New Routes from Regina and Edmonton to U.S.

New Hotel Openings

Here are the latest hotel openings coming soon:

Hilton

• Canopy by Hilton Guadalajara To Open in 2028
• New Hilton Hotel Debuts in Sonoma’s Wine Country

Hyatt

• The Legend Paracas Resort Joins Destination by Hyatt Brand

IHG

• Hotel Indigo The Forestias Bangkok Opening in 2026
• IHG’s Kimpton Teneriffe To Open in Brisbane in 2028
• Kimpton Lisbon Hotel Set To Open in Portugal in 2026
• Presidente InterContinental Monterrey Opening This Summer
• Six Senses La Sagesse Grenada Hotel Is Now Open
• Six Senses Now Open in Kyoto — How To Book
• “Zero-Energy” Hotel Indigo Coming to Singapore Changi Airport in 2028

Marriott

• The Detroit EDITION To Become Brand’s First in the Midwest
• Marriott Opens New Royalton Chic All-Inclusive Resort in Antigua

Boutique and Luxury Properties

• Mama Shelter Brand Set To Debut in Cape Town
• Universal Stella Nova and Terra Luna Resorts in Orlando [New Details]

Final Thoughts

While the value of points and miles can vary, you want to ensure you’re getting great value when redeeming those hard-earned points.

When it comes to flexible points, Amex Membership Rewards points are valued the highest on a cent-per-point basis. These points are extremely flexible given the number of Amex airline and hotel partners. Membership Rewards also offers good transfer rates with a ton of redemption options, ensuring you can get the most out of your points.