How Much Are Airline Miles Worth
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You use airline miles to purchase flights and other travel perks. But what are they really worth? Read on for the answer, plus the best way to use airline miles on your next trip.
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Calculating the Worth of Your Miles
Several factors determine the cash equivalent of your miles, including the
- Airline
- Trip itinerary
- Seat class
One simple way to find the cash value for an airline mile is to divide the total cost for a trip by the number of miles it requires.
Do this several times then average the answers for a decent idea of how much your miles are worth for that airline.
Round-trip economy ticket from Chicago to Orlando = $292 or 37,500 points
37,500/$292 = $0.01 cent per mile
Average Airline Mile Worth
The rule of thumb for airline miles is: one mile = one cent.
Using the method above, here are the averages for most major airlines across the world:
Airline | Value of Single Mile |
---|---|
Aegean Miles+Bonus | 1.4 cents |
Air Canada Aeroplan | 1.4 cents |
Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 1.3 cents |
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan | 1.8 cents |
American Airlines AAdvantage | 1.0 cent |
Asiana Club | 1.4 cents |
Avianca Lifemiles | 1.4 cents |
British Airways Executive Club | 1.3 cents |
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1.2 cents |
Delta SkyMiles | 1.3 cents |
Emirates Skywards | 1.0 cent |
Etihad Guest | 1.2 cents |
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | 1.3 cents |
JetBlue TrueBlue | 1.6 cents |
Korean Air SkyPass | 1.5 cents |
Lufthansa Miles & More | 1.2 cents |
Malaysia Airlines Enrich | 0.9 cent |
Qatar Privilege Club | 0.9 cent |
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1.4 cents |
Southwest Rapid Rewards | 1.5 cents |
United Mileage Plus | 1.1 cents |
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1.2 cents |
Using Miles Internationally
Your miles go even further overseas. International airline miles have a value of $.01–$.05 more than with domestic flights.
Here's another example using American:
Round-trip economy ticket from Indianapolis to London Heathrow = $2,673 or 60,000 points
60,000/$2,673 = $0.04 cents per mile
You'll typically earn 10% less value using airline miles on weekend flights. That can work out to 1–5 cents more versus weekday flights.
Note: Most airline's websites have fare calendars that show the miles needed to fly out on each day in a week, month, or more. Use these calendars to compare days and find the cheapest options.
Using Miles for Business and First Class
While business and first-class tickets generally cost more than economy tickets, you can sometimes get a better mileage value with a higher-class ticket.
American Airlines has a point redemption of 1.0 cent for economy tickets but almost 1.5 cents for business class.
Airline | Economy | Business |
---|---|---|
American Airlines | 1.0 cent | 1.5 cents |
Delta | 1.3 cents | 1.2 cents |
JetBlue | 1.6 cents | 1.5 cents |
Southwest | 1.5 cents | 0.9 cents |
United | 1.1 cents | 1.2 cents |
What Airline Miles Don't Cover
Using miles doesn't mean that your entire flight will be free. Airline miles don't cover certain taxes and fees, including:
- Air passenger duties
- Passenger service fee
- Airport security charges like the U.S. 9/11 security fee
- Passenger facilities charges
- Transportation taxes
Branded Miles vs. Non-Branded Miles
Branded airline card offer perks you won't get with other cards like:
- Free checked bags
- Priority boarding
- Mileage bonuses
But unless you frequently travel on one airline, a non-branded travel reward program like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Awards is usually a better option.
These reward programs allow you to use your points and miles toward several airlines. They also give you the freedom to use the points and miles for hotels, car rentals, and other travel experiences.
Read on to learn more.
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Points toward travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program are worth 1.25 cents/point if you're a Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholder.
If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, your points are worth 1.5 cents/point.
Use Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book airline tickets directly through the Ultimate Rewards website. You can also transfer at a 1:1 ratio to:
- Aer Lingus
- British Airways
- Flying Blue (loyalty program of Air France & KLM)
- Iberia
- JetBlue
- Singapore Airlines
- Southwest
- United Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
American Express Membership Rewards
Travelers can also use their American Express Membership Rewards points to book flights. They can book through American Express Travel or transfer at a 1:1 ratio to:
- Asia Miles (Cathay Pacific)
- British Airways Executive Club
- Iberia Plus
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue
- Alitalia MilleMiglia
- Delta SkyMiles
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- ANA Mileage Club
- Singapore KrisFlyer
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Virgin America Elevate
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Aeromexico Club Premier is 1:1.6
- El Al is 1000:20
- JetBlue TrueBlue is 250:200
Best Ways to Redeem Airline Miles
Once you have an idea of what your points are worth, it's time to redeem them for that next getaway. Before you book, consider these tips:
Check the Math
Compare the cost of that flight in miles and in dollars to make sure you're actually getting a good deal. Sometimes, the mile redemption per cent is so low. If so, pay to book your flight and save the miles for a better redemption.
Take Advantage of Partner Airlines
Your miles don't necessarily restrict you to that airline. Delta, for example, has over 20 partner airlines, including Aeromexico, Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, and Korean Air. You can use your Delta SkyMiles on any of these partner airlines. Most of the other major airlines also have partner airlines.
Use Other Redemption Options
The best value usually comes when you use your miles for flights. However, you can also trade miles for other travel like:
- Hotels
- Car rentals
- Experiences
These might be a good option if you don't fly often or your miles are about to expire.
Watch Expiration Dates
Speaking of miles expiring, be sure to track the expiration date of your miles so you don't lose out.
Bottom Line
Airline miles can save money on your next trip, especially when booking international and higher-class tickets. Unless you're a frequent flyer with loyalty toward one airline, your miles will go farther with a non-branded card such as American Express or Chase.
Write to Lindsey Thompson at feedback@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs.
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by Chase. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Chase. This site may be compensated through the Advertiser's affiliate programs.