What’s the best use of my points?
34% Traveling for Miles
30% FrequentMiler
27% Boarding Area
9% Other
The highest‑value way to use your points is to redeem them for travel‑related rewards, particularly airline award tickets, and to transfer them to airline or hotel partners rather than spending them on low‑value items like gift cards.
Why travel redemptions maximize value
- Airline award redemptions typically deliver the best cent‑per‑point value, especially when points are transferred to airline mileage programs FrequentMiler .
- Transferring points to a variety of loyalty programs protects you from devaluation and lets you capture premium cabin flights or high‑end hotel stays God Save the Points .
- Booking flights and hotels directly with points often yields higher returns than using points for merchandise or gift cards, which are generally poor value uses Traveling for Miles .
- Flexible hotel programs (e.g., Choice Privileges) can also provide solid value when booked far in advance, but the top tier of value still comes from airline awards Boarding Area FrequentMiler .
Practical tips to get the most out of your points
- Transfer before you book: Move points to airline or hotel partners that offer transfer bonuses or higher redemption rates FrequentMiler .
- Target premium travel: Use points for business/first‑class seats or luxury hotel rooms, where the cash price is high and the point cost is relatively low God Save the Points Boarding Area .
- Avoid gift‑card purchases: Gift cards usually give less than 1 cent per point, so they should be a last‑resort option Traveling for Miles .
- Plan ahead: Book award nights or flights early (e.g., 50‑week windows for hotels) to lock in lower point costs Boarding Area .
- Leverage seasonal offers: Take advantage of limited‑time promotions that boost point balances before transferring them for travel redemptions Boarding Area .
By focusing on airline award tickets and strategic transfers to travel partners, you’ll extract the greatest value from your points.
Savvy Travelers Cost J.P. Morgan Chase $330 Million In Credit Card Profits…
“Build it, and they will come”. The sage advice offered by Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams has been a key tenet of the Chase travel rewards credit card brand, bringing in customers in record numbers, all hoping to maximize their rewards via the lucrative lifestyle rewards schemes Chase has built. In a recent earnings call, J.P. Morgan Chase stated that they may however, have built a more lucrative scheme than they ever anticipated, and it’s eating into profits… In a Friday earnings call to investors, J.P. Morgan Chase announced a stunning $8.32 billion in profits for the quarter,
Choice Privileges: A Savvy Frequent Flyer’s Hotel Rewards Ally
I’ve spent countless hours pouring over travel blogs, and one program that’s consistently caught my attention is Choice Privileges. In my attempts to piece together the ultimate strategy for lodging rewards, I’ve found that Choice Privileges stands out for its flexible earning and redeeming methods. Let’s dig deeper into how this program has evolved and how it can benefit just about any traveler, whether you’re a budget explorer or an upscale connoisseur. Choice Hotels has come a long way since its founding in 1939, growing from a modest property portfolio to over 7,400 locations worldwide. Covering everything from wallet-friendly
Elevate Your Folks This Parents’ Day with Miles
I’ve discovered that one of the most straightforward ways to upgrade Parents’ Day travel is by pooling miles. Whenever I’ve combined balances with family or close friends, we’ve managed to unlock business class seats, access priority boarding, and even snag last-minute award flights. In my view, this strategy helps ensure no single mileage balance goes to waste—especially when we want to elevate Mom and Dad’s flight experience. According to early 2025 industry data, travelers who pool their miles effectively reduce the chance of having dormant points by nearly 20%. Some loyalty programs will let you pool miles for free,
Which points and miles are best? Flexible Points Programs
Frequent Miler's Trips & Tricks Navigation Go to: Table of Contents - Credit Cards - Flexible Points Programs - Airline Programs - Hotel Programs - Earning & Managing Points - Miscellaneous | |---| In other sections I have discussed the basics of how to earn free travel through credit card sign-ups. Now, we’ll begin to look at different types of points and miles to help you understand which programs are most valuable. This article will focus on flexible point programs. Other articles focus on airline miles and hotel points. Almost every major credit card company has some form
Ignore this terrible advice from a Twitter travel chat
Some links to products and travel providers on this website will earn Traveling For Miles a commission that helps contribute to the running of the site. Traveling For Miles has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Traveling For Miles and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. For more details please see the disclosures found at the bottom of every page. Yesterday, I happened upon a scheduled Twitter chat