Travel Points & Miles Valuations – How Much Are They Actually Worth? [August 2021]
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Credit cards, airlines, and hotels don’t give out their own point and mile valuations, so, unfortunately, 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?
Table of contents
Table of Contents
Upgraded Points’ August 2021 Points and Miles Valuations
Flexible Points Programs
| Flexible Point Program | July 2021 Value (cents/point) | August 2021 Value (cents/point) | Value of 50,000 / 100,000 Points |
| Amex Membership Rewards Points | 2.2 | 2.2 | $1,100 / $2,200 |
| Bank of America Preferred Rewards | 1.0 | 1.0 | $500 / $1,000 |
| Barclaycard Arrival Miles | 1.0 | 1.0 | $500 / $1,000 |
| Bilt Rewards | 1.5 | 1.5 | $750 / $1,500 |
| Brex Rewards | 1.5 | 1.5 | $750 / $1,500 |
| Capital One | 1.4 | 1.4 | $700 / $1,400 |
| 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 |
Airline Loyalty Programs
Hotel Loyalty Programs
| Hotel Loyalty Program | July 2021 Value (cents/point) | August 2021 Value (cents/point) | Value of 50,000 / 100,000 Points |
| 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 Rewards Points | 0.5 | 0.5 | $250 / $500 |
| Marriott Hotels Marriott Bonvoy Points | 0.7 | 0.7 | $350 / $700 |
| Radisson Hotels 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 highest 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 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 Amex’s transfer partners include Qantas, Air Canada, and Emirates.
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 JAL, and the airline’s non-alliance partners include Emirates, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, and more. Redemption rates are lower than other partners across the board — for example, a one-way business class flight on Japan Airlines from the U.S. to Tokyo costs just 55,000 Mileage Plan miles.
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
Citi ThankYou Rewards Adds American AAdvantage as a Temporary Transfer Partner
For the longest time, the American Airlines AAdvantage program has not partnered with a major transferable points currency. AA is also the only airline of the big 3 to make this decision, as Delta partners with American Express, and United partners with Chase. But last month, Citi and AA made huge news by announcing that you would be able to transfer your Citi ThankYou Points to American Airlines AAdvantage through November 13, 2021.
This is excellent news for those who use Citi ThankYou Points, as the American AAdvantage program has some excellent sweet spots in its award chart. The downside, of course, is that this transfer is currently just open for a limited time. Hopefully, we will see this new partnership become permanent, which would definitely boost the value of Citi ThankYou Points, but for now, we will just have to wait and see.
Delta Extends Elite Status Into 2023
Despite the recent uptick in travel, it has been a very tough year for the industry as a whole. So, too, has it been difficult for frequent flyers attempting to re-qualify for elite status. While many flyers had their status extended through the end of 2021, many were left wondering if it would be possible for them to re-qualify given the reduced travel demand, flight cancellations, and decline in route coverage.
But fortunately, Delta was the first to make waves by extending the elite statuses of all members, along with any upgrade certificates they have, until January 31, 2023. Though other airlines like American and United have yet to do the same, Delta may force their hands here and cause them to follow suit.
The Platinum Card® from American Express Increases Benefits and Annual Fee
The Amex Platinum card has just added over $900 in new benefits, including:
- $179 Annual CLEAR Credit — CLEAR is a service that expedites airport security, much like TSA PreCheck
- Up to $300 Equinox Credit — This credit will be distributed in monthly increments of up to $25 and can be used towards select monthly Equinox membership fees and Equinox+. Enrollment is required through your American Express account.
- Up to $240 Digital Entertainment Credit — Doled out at a rate of up to $20 per month, this credit can be used when you pay for Peacock, The New York Times, Audible, and/or SiriusXM. Enrollment is required through your American Express account.
- Up to $200 Prepaid Hotel Credit — This credit is valid for select bookings at Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection made via Amex Travel.
Originally $550, you can now expect to pay $695 annually for an Amex Platinum card — a $145 annual increase — though cardholders can now maximize $1,400+ in monthly and annual credits (see rates and fees).
Final Thoughts
While the value of points and miles can vary, you want to ensure that you’re getting a great value when redeeming those hard-earned points. When it comes to flexible points, Amex Membership Rewards points are valued at the highest cent per point. Given the number of Amex airline and hotel partners, these points are extremely flexible. Amex Membership Rewards also offers good transfer rates with a ton of redemption options. All of these elements ensure that you get the most of your points.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
