One of the questions people often ask us is, “How much is a point or mile worth?”

The correct answer varies from point to point and from person to person. It also depends on your travel goals and how much you maximize a particular loyalty currency. However, some rewards credit cards are worth more than others, and our goal is to give you an understanding of how they stack up.

Historically, TPG has valued points and miles based on a combination of factors: the price at which we will purchase miles, the award cost in the program (factoring in availability and fees) and our expertise in the program’s internal operations. However, we now use comprehensive data for the top six US airline loyalty programs to better estimate the value you should aim to get from your rewards. Read our explainer post on our data-driven assessment for a full methodology breakdown.

Note: This evaluation is not provided by card issuers.

What are credit card points and miles worth?

What are airline points and miles worth?

program July 2024 Valuation (Cent) breaking news
Air Canada Airplane 1.5
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan 1.5* Alaska Airlines adds seasonal routes from here Portland, Oregon, to New Orleans.
American Airlines Advantage 1.55* Citi’s top-tier American Airlines cobranded card is back with a 100,000-mile welcome offer. American plans to open a new lounge in Philadelphia next year and is adding four new routes from LaGuardia Airport. Fiji Airways will adopt AAdvantage as its loyalty program.
All Nippon Airways Mileage Club 1.4
Avianca LifeMiles 1.7 Avianca LifeMiles award sale promo offers 2-for-1 tickets to South and Central America and 20% off flights to Europe.
Avios 1.5 Finnair will open a new Schengen lounge at Helsinki Airport on July 9.
Cathay Asia Miles 1.3 Cathay Pacific 2026 John F. Kennedy International Airport will go to Terminal 6 and open the lounge.
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles 1.15* Delta is launching premium economy between New York and Los Angeles. The airline resumed flights to Israel on June 7 and is launching a seasonal nonstop route from Orlando to London this winter.

You can earn up to 110,000 bonus SkyMiles with the new Delta Credit Card Welcome Offers. The airline is changing how you earn SkyMiles on Starbucks purchases.

Emirates Skywards 1.2
Etihad Airways Guest 1.2 Changes to Etihad Guest Award redemptions, elite status and more are now live.
Flying Blue 1.2 Air France has opened a new lounge with a spa and first-class area at Los Angeles International Airport. US travelers can access paid status matches on Flying Blue. KLM will carry Delta’s nonstop route from Portland, Oregon to Amsterdam this fall.
Frontier Airlines Frontier Miles 1.1 Frontier is adding seven new routes, including John F. Includes a second from Kennedy International Airport.
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles 0.9
JetBlue TrueBlue 1.35* JetBlue will begin service from Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, New York. JetBlue won’t be opening Mint lounges anytime soon.
Korean Air SkyPass 1.7
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer 1.3
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards 1.4*
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit 1.1 Spirit Airlines has cut six more routes while revising its baggage weight policy and travel voucher expiry dates.
Turkish Airlines Miles and Smiles 1.2
United Airlines MileagePlus 1.35* You can earn up to 90,000 MileagePlus miles with the new United Credit Card Welcome Offers. United has also resumed flights to Israel.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club 1.5

*Calculated using TPG’s data-backed valuation methodology launched in September 2023.

What are hotel points worth?

News highlights of the month

The airline lounge scene is heating up with openings Delta’s first Delta One lounge last month. While Delta has long prided itself on being a premium airline, it has lagged behind American and United in the core experience for premium-cabin passengers — dedicated business-class lounges that offer an experience beyond your standard airline club lounge.

Delta has John F. With the opening of its new Delta One lounge in Terminal 4 at Kennedy International Airport, it has begun to level the field against American Flagship and United’s Polaris Lounge. With room for 515 passengers, the new lounge includes an Art Deco-inspired sports bar. The outdoor terrace and 140-seat brasserie restaurant serve a complimentary three-course à la carte meal.

Zach Griff/The Points Guy

The airline plans to open Delta One lounge locations at Los Angeles International Airport in October and Boston Logan International Airport in November.

Entry requirements are understandably strict. You can get access when traveling the same day of departure, connecting or arriving on a Delta One flight, and Delta 360 members can get access when traveling on a same day departure, connecting or first-class ticket.

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However, you can also gain access to First or Business Class when traveling on a same-day departure or connecting flight operated by one of Delta’s select partners – including Air France, LATAM, KLM, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic. So, if you want to try out the new Delta One lounge, John F. on one of these airlines. Booking a long-haul business- or first-class award from Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 4 may be your best bet.

RELATED: The biggest news about the new Delta One lounge may surprise you, and more tidbits

Travel credit card offer

If you are looking for a new For travel rewards cards that earn transferable points, here are some of the best options to consider.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of our favorite travel rewards cards, especially if you’re just getting started with points and miles. Chase Sapphire Preferred currently offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. According to our assessment, this welcome bonus is worth $1,230 if you take advantage of Ultimate Rewards transfer partners or $750 if you redeem through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents per point.

The card comes with a $95 annual fee but offers several benefits, including a $50 annual hotel credit for reservations made through Chase Travel and a 10% anniversary points bonus based on your previous year’s spending. For more details, check out our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review.

Official Application Link: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

This Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card An attractive option due to its excellent earning rates and inclusive benefits. The card currently offers a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Because of the value you can get when redeeming with Capital One transfer partners, our valuation shows this welcome bonus is worth $1,387.

With a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, 10,000 bonus miles on each account anniversary, and unlimited complimentary access to Capital One airport lounges, you’ll earn at least 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases and a variety of useful benefits. For you and up to two guests per visit. Check out our Capital One Venture X Card review for more details.

Official Application Link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

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Platinum Card from American Express

With the current welcome offer Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. However, you may be targeted for a higher offer by the CardMatch tool. (This offer is subject to change at any time.)

Our valuations peg the value of 80,000 Membership Rewards points at about $1,600 when you take advantage of Membership Rewards transfer partners. The Amex Platinum card is loaded with benefits (enrollment required for select benefits), so read our Amex Platinum review for all the details. The card has an annual fee of $695 (see Rates and Fees).

Official Application Link: American Express Platinum Card

American Express Gold Card

One of the most popular cards with TPG staff, the American Express® Gold Card The card offers 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first six months of membership. Based on our evaluation, this welcome offer is worth $1,200. But check out the CardMatch tool to see if you’re on target for a higher offer. (This offer is subject to change at any time.)

The Amex Gold Card is great for many everyday purchases. You’ll earn 4 points per dollar spent on groceries at US supermarkets (1 point per dollar thereafter on purchases up to $25,000 per calendar year) and 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants. The card has an annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees) but offers monthly dining credits and Uber Cash on US purchases. Amex Gold must be added to the Uber app to avail this benefit. For more details, check out our Amex Gold review.

Official Application Link: American Express Gold Card

American Express Business Platinum Card

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express The card offers 150,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases with your card in the first three months of membership. According to our assessment, this welcome offer is worth $3,000.

You’ll find many of the lesser-known Amex Business Platinum perks similar to (but slightly different from) the personal version. For more details, check out our Amex Business Platinum review. Then, check out our comparison of the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum to see which card fits your wallet better.

Official Application Link: American Express Business Platinum Card

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Capital One Venture X Business

This Capital One Venture X Business The card offers a welcome bonus of 150,000 miles after you spend $30,000 in the first three months of account opening. While it requires a big outlay, those rewards can go a long way toward your next trip. Our evaluation shows the value of this welcome bonus at $2,775.

The Venture X Business has benefits that are nearly identical to those on the individual version of the card — including a $300 annual credit on bookings through Capital One Travel, airport lounge access every year after your cardholder anniversary, and 10,000 bonus miles. For more details, check out our Capital One Venture X Business review.

Official Application Link: Capital One Venture X Business

Inc Business Preferred Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers a generous welcome bonus of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $8,000 in the first three months after opening the card. Based on our current valuation of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, this welcome bonus is worth $2,050.

Inc. Business Preferred can be a great option for business owners who want to take advantage of a six-figure welcome bonus but can’t meet the high spending requirements of the Capital One Venture X Business Welcome Offer. Business owners can also appreciate that Ink Business Preferred offers 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines, and internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. is For more details, check out our Ink Business Preferred Credit Card review.

Official Application Link: Inc. Business Preferred Credit Card

For Amex Platinum Card rates and fees, click here.
For Amex Gold Card rates and fees, click here.

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