Credit Card Points Value Guide 2026:
What Every Point Is Worth
The definitive single-page reference for all major points and miles valuations. Updated April 2026. Values represent commonly achievable redemptions, not aspirational best-case scenarios.
Credit Card Points Valuations
| Currency | Cash Redemption | Travel Portal | Partner Transfers | Best Case | Best Earning Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 1.0c | 1.25-1.5c | 1.5-2.0c | 2.5c+ (Hyatt sweet spots) | Sapphire Preferred |
| Amex Membership Rewards | 0.6c | 1.0c | 1.5-2.0c | 9c+ (ANA first class via Virgin Atlantic) | Amex Gold |
| Capital One Miles | 1.0c | 1.0c (travel eraser) | 1.5-1.85c | 2.0c (premium cabin transfers) | Venture X |
| Citi ThankYou Points | 1.0c | 1.0c | 1.3-1.6c | 4c+ (Turkish business class) | Strata Premier |
"Best Case" represents sweet spot redemptions achievable by informed points collectors. Average traveler CPP will be closer to the "Partner Transfers" range.
How We Calculate Point Values
Our CPP valuations are calculated as a weighted average across common redemption types. We analyze:
- +Cash redemptions (lowest but most predictable)
- +Travel portal bookings (middle tier)
- +Hotel partner transfers at common property types
- +Airline partner transfers for economy and business class
- +Sweet spot redemptions (highest but requires planning)
We weight heavily toward commonly achievable redemptions. A 9c sweet spot exists but reaching it requires significant planning. Our average CPP assumes a motivated but not expert points collector.
Airline Miles Valuations
| Program | Cash Redemption | Transfer Redemption | Best Sweet Spot | Best Case CPP | How to Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United MileagePlus | 0.8-1.0c | 1.2-1.5c | Business class to Middle East via Lufthansa partners | 2.5c | Chase UR |
| Delta SkyMiles | 0.8-1.0c | 1.0-1.3c | Delta One business class upgrades on purchased fares | 1.5c | Amex MR |
| American AAdvantage | 0.9-1.1c | 1.2-1.5c | Business class to Japan via Japan Airlines | 3.0c | Citi TYP |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | 1.3-1.5c | N/A | Companion Pass -- partner flies free for ~2 years | 3c+ (with Companion Pass) | Earned via Southwest cards |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | N/A | 2.0-4.0c | ANA first class US-Japan: 110K miles (Chase/Amex) | 9c+ | Chase UR or Amex MR |
| Air France Flying Blue | 0.8-1.0c | 1.2-2.0c | Business class to Europe from 55K miles (monthly promo awards) | 3c+ | Chase/Amex/Capital One |
| Turkish Miles and Smiles | 0.6-0.8c | 1.5-3.0c | Business class to Europe for 45K miles (one-way) | 4c+ | Citi TYP or Capital One |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1.0-1.3c | 1.3-2.0c | Business class to Europe stopover routing tricks | 3c+ | Chase/Capital One/Amex |
Hotel Points Valuations
| Program | Average CPP | Best Case CPP | Best Sweet Spot | Best Transfer Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World of Hyatt | 1.7c | 2.5c+ | Category 4-6 hotels when cash rates are high | Chase UR transfer 1:1 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 0.8c | 1.2c | Category 7-8 luxury properties when cash rates are very high | Chase UR or Amex MR transfer |
| Hilton Honors | 0.6c | 0.9c | 5th night free on award stays at Hilton resorts | Amex MR transfer (1:2 ratio) |
| IHG One Rewards | 0.5c | 0.8c | 4th night free on award stays at InterContinental properties | Chase UR transfer |
| Wyndham Rewards | 0.9c | 1.3c | Vacasa vacation rentals via Wyndham partnership | Capital One or Citi transfer |
FAQ
How is cents per point (CPP) calculated?
CPP is calculated by dividing the dollar value of a redemption by the number of points used. For example, if you use 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards to book a flight worth $1,000, that is $1,000 / 50,000 = 2.0 cents per point. We calculate average CPP by analyzing a range of common redemptions and weighting them by how achievable they are for typical travelers -- not just the best-case scenarios.
Why do Hyatt points have such high CPP?
Hyatt uses a category-based pricing system where award costs are fixed regardless of the cash price of the room. Category 4 hotels cost exactly 15,000 points per night whether the room is $200 or $400. This means you can get consistently high CPP by booking category 4-7 hotels when cash rates are elevated. Hyatt also has generous all-inclusive resort pricing and fewer properties than Marriott or Hilton, which helps maintain point value.
Are airline points worth more than cashback?
For economy flights, airline points often match 2% cashback at 1.5-2.0c per point. The real advantage comes in premium cabins. A business class flight to Europe costs $3,000-5,000 cash but can be booked for 55,000-80,000 points -- implying 4-9c per point in some cases. Cashback never redeems at 4c, so for premium cabin travel, points win decisively.