What are points actually worth?
I started this comparison to put a more useful number on the points I earn and spend. It also made me realize I’d been understating some of the value I was actually getting.
Frequent Miler and The Points Guy provide useful reference points. But AwardWallet’s analysis particularly caught my attention because it looks at what its members actually book with points. That helped explain why some published valuations felt disconnected from my own experience.
I put the outside estimate I use alongside my working valuations and recent redemption examples.
My working values are assumptions I use when making decisions. The actual examples show results from bookings I’ve recently made. They serve different purposes, and neither guarantees the next redemption.
Use this tool to question your assumptions in both directions. You may be getting more value than you thought. You may also be assigning value you’ll struggle to use.
Updated 10/25/26. I’ll update the reference as I collect more examples and review the outside sources.
Build your own points reference
Use this companion Google Sheets template to enter your own planning values and recent redemption results alongside the published benchmarks. Points Value Sheet
Full comparison data and sources as visible text below.
All values below are U.S. cents per point or mile. Outside-source figures were checked October 24, 2026. Personal working values and recent examples are from my October 25, 2026 reference. Blank actuals mean no example is listed. Recent actuals are individual examples, not program averages or guaranteed future returns.
Airline miles
Alaska / Hawaiian Atmos
My working value: 2.20¢; My recent actual: 3.60¢; Frequent Miler: 1.50¢; AwardWallet: 2.34¢; NerdWallet: 1.40¢; The Points Guy: 1.55¢.
American AAdvantage
My working value: 2.00¢; My recent actual: no example listed; Frequent Miler: 1.40¢; AwardWallet: 2.56¢; NerdWallet: 1.70¢; The Points Guy: 1.45¢.
Delta SkyMiles
My working value: 1.20¢; My recent actual: no example listed; Frequent Miler: 1.10¢; AwardWallet: 1.37¢; NerdWallet: 1.20¢; The Points Guy: 1.20¢.
United MileagePlus
My working value: 1.50¢; My recent actual: 2.10¢; Frequent Miler: 1.30¢; AwardWallet: 2.09¢; NerdWallet: 1.20¢; The Points Guy: 1.20¢.
Southwest Rapid Rewards
My working value: 1.30¢; My recent actual: no example listed; Frequent Miler: 1.30¢; AwardWallet: 1.52¢; NerdWallet: 1.40¢; The Points Guy: 1.25¢.
JetBlue TrueBlue
My working value: 1.30¢; My recent actual: no example listed; Frequent Miler: 1.30¢; AwardWallet: 1.24¢; NerdWallet: 1.40¢; The Points Guy: 1.35¢.
Hotel points
World of Hyatt
My working value: 2.00¢; My recent actual: 3.00¢; Frequent Miler: 1.50¢; AwardWallet: 2.19¢; NerdWallet: 1.80¢; The Points Guy: 1.65¢.
Marriott Bonvoy
My working value: 0.70¢; My recent actual: no example listed; Frequent Miler: 0.73¢; AwardWallet: 0.93¢; NerdWallet: 0.70¢; The Points Guy: 0.75¢.
Hilton Honors
My working value: 0.35¢; My recent actual: no example listed; Frequent Miler: 0.35¢; AwardWallet: 0.62¢; NerdWallet: 0.40¢; The Points Guy: 0.40¢.
Credit card points
Amex Membership Rewards
My working value: 1.50¢; My recent actual: no example listed; Frequent Miler: 1.50¢; AwardWallet: 2.04¢; NerdWallet: 1.30¢; The Points Guy: 2.00¢.
Chase Ultimate Rewards (CSR)
My working value: 1.50¢; My recent actual: 1.75¢; Frequent Miler: 1.50¢; AwardWallet: 2.07¢; NerdWallet: 1.40–1.80¢; The Points Guy: 2.05¢.
Capital One miles
My working value: 1.50¢; My recent actual: no example listed; Frequent Miler: 1.45¢; AwardWallet: 2.09¢; NerdWallet: 1.30¢; The Points Guy: 1.85¢.
Citi ThankYou
My working value: 2.00¢; My recent actual: no example listed; Frequent Miler: 1.50¢; AwardWallet: 2.35¢; NerdWallet: 1.20–1.70¢; The Points Guy: 1.90¢.
Bilt Rewards
My working value: 2.30¢; My recent actual: 3.60¢; Frequent Miler: 1.55¢; AwardWallet: 2.10¢; NerdWallet: 1.80¢; The Points Guy: 2.20¢.
Notes on the comparisons
Frequent Miler publishes Reasonable Redemption Values. AwardWallet’s airline figures here are averages across observed member bookings, blending cabins and trip lengths. NerdWallet uses sampled main-cabin flights and median values. The Points Guy uses redemption data and editorial judgment. The figures answer different questions; I do not average them into a single YOS valuation.
NerdWallet’s Chase range is 1.80¢ for Sapphire Reserve holders and 1.40¢ for Sapphire Preferred / Ink Preferred holders. Its Citi range is 1.70¢ for Strata Elite / Premier holders and 1.20¢ for other Citi cards. These reproduce the source’s published estimates, rather than independently verifying the underlying card terms.
Bank-point examples depend on the transfer partner, ratio, and any transfer bonus. A result in bank points need not equal the CPP of the airline or hotel points used for the same booking. My recent examples are practitioner evidence; your airport, dates, acceptable cash alternatives, and willingness to manage bookings determine what is transferable.
For Alaska, AwardWallet’s regional economy figure is 1.39¢ versus its 2.34¢ blended average. The blended number should not be read as a typical regional economy return.
Sources
Frequent Miler: https://frequentmiler.com/reasonable-redemption-values-rrvs/
AwardWallet: https://awardwallet.com/features/awardwallet-mile-valuations/
NerdWallet: https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/airline-miles-and-hotel-points-valuations
The Points Guy: https://thepointsguy.com/loyalty-programs/monthly-valuations