Loyalty programs, decoded
Complete guides to every major points currency, airline mile, and hotel program — plus the transfer partner sweet spots that turn ordinary spending into outsized travel value.
Transferable points programs
Transferable points are the most valuable currencies in the rewards world — they can move to multiple airline and hotel partners, giving you flexibility no single co-brand can match.
14 airline and hotel transfer partners including Hyatt, United, Southwest, and Air Canada Aeroplan. The most beginner-friendly program.
22 airline and hotel partners — the largest transfer network. Excellent for international business class redemptions via Air France, ANA, and Virgin Atlantic.
17 transfer partners and growing. Strong for Turkish Airlines (Star Alliance), Air Canada, and British Airways awards. Most partners transfer at 1:1.
17 transfer partners including Singapore KrisFlyer, Turkish Airlines, and Choice Hotels. Underrated for premium-cabin international redemptions.
The only points program that earns on rent. 17 transfer partners including American AAdvantage — the rare way to top up AA miles.
Newer program with a growing partner list. Includes Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, and British Airways Avios.
Airline loyalty programs
Each guide covers how to earn miles, the best ways to redeem them, transfer partners that feed the program, and the sweet spots that punch above the program’s average value.
U.S. airline programs
The four largest U.S. carriers and the regional programs worth knowing.
International airline programs
Programs accessible via transferable points — often the best way to fly premium cabins.
Hotel loyalty programs
Hotel points often deliver higher per-point value than airline miles when redeemed at premium properties. These guides cover earning structures, status benefits, and the redemptions worth holding points for.
By hotel program
Each program has its own award chart logic and elite benefits. Pick the one that fits where you travel.
Points valuations
How much each major currency is worth in cents per point. These values are what we use when comparing welcome bonuses and redemption opportunities.
WeDoPoints valuations
Cents-per-point value at strategic redemption — not portal value
| Currency | Value | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
|
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Transferable
|
2.0¢ | Hyatt redemptions, United Polaris |
|
Amex Membership Rewards
Transferable
|
2.0¢ | ANA First, Air France business |
|
Bilt Rewards
Transferable
|
2.0¢ | AA business class, Hyatt |
|
Capital One Miles
Transferable
|
1.85¢ | Turkish, Aeroplan, BA Avios |
|
Citi ThankYou Points
Transferable
|
1.75¢ | Singapore KrisFlyer, Turkish |
|
World of Hyatt
Hotel
|
1.9¢ | Park Hyatt, Andaz properties |
|
American AAdvantage
Airline
|
1.6¢ | Qatar Qsuite, Cathay First |
|
United MileagePlus
Airline
|
1.4¢ | Polaris business, partner awards |
|
Delta SkyMiles
Airline
|
1.2¢ | Delta One, partner economy |
|
Marriott Bonvoy
Hotel
|
0.7¢ | Off-peak premium properties, 5th night free |
|
Hilton Honors
Hotel
|
0.5¢ | Premium properties, 5th night free |
How we value points
Our valuations represent strategic redemption value — not the 1¢ baseline you’d get redeeming through a travel portal. We weight by award availability, transfer partner usefulness, and real-world bookings our team has made.
Top sweet spot redemptions
Specific redemptions that punch far above the program’s average value. These are the bookings worth holding points for — and the reason transferable points beat cash back.
U.S. to Europe in business class
Aeroplan prices Star Alliance partner business class to Europe at 60,000–70,000 points one-way — booking Lufthansa, Swiss, or Austrian for what would be a $4,000+ cash ticket.
Park Hyatt at Category 1–4
Hyatt’s award chart is unusually generous at the low end. Category 4 properties at peak pricing cap at 18,000 points per night — often when cash rates exceed $400.
Qatar Qsuites to Doha
Qatar’s award space, when available, books for 70,000 AA miles in business class — including the Qsuite product widely considered the best business class in the world.
ANA First Class to Japan
Virgin Atlantic prices ANA First Class round-trip from the U.S. to Japan at 110,000–120,000 points — for tickets that retail above $20,000. The best single redemption in points and miles.
Points & miles FAQ
The questions we hear most often about earning and redeeming points. For more, see our full FAQ page.
What’s the difference between transferable points and airline miles?
Transferable points (Chase UR, Amex MR, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou, Bilt) can be moved to multiple airline and hotel partners — giving you flexibility. Airline miles and hotel points are tied to one specific program. Transferable points are almost always more valuable because of that optionality. Start by earning transferable points before chasing specific airline miles.
How much is a point actually worth?
It varies wildly by program and how you redeem. Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards points are typically worth 2.0¢ when transferred to partners. Airline miles can be worth anywhere from 1¢ for domestic economy to 8¢+ for international business class. See our valuations table above for current values.
Do points expire?
Most transferable points (Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi) don’t expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. Airline miles often expire after 18–24 months of inactivity, though even minor activity (a portal purchase, a transfer) usually resets the clock. Hotel points typically expire after 24 months of inactivity. Full guide on expiration rules.
When should I transfer points to an airline?
Only when you have a specific booking lined up. Transfers are one-way — once you move points from Chase to United, you can’t move them back. Confirm award availability first, have all passenger details ready, then transfer and book immediately. Transfers are usually instant for major partners, but can take up to 24 hours occasionally.
What’s a “sweet spot” redemption?
A redemption that gives outsized value relative to the cash price — typically because of how a specific program prices its awards. Examples include 70,000 AA miles for Qatar Qsuites (cash price $7,000+) or 15,000 Hyatt points for a Category 4 property (cash price $400+). See our sweet spot section above for the best ones.
How do I find award availability?
Searching directly on each airline’s website is slow and incomplete. We recommend tools like Seats.aero, Point.me, and AwardHacker that search multiple programs at once. For hotels, the chains’ own websites are usually accurate. Our full guide on finding awards covers the tools and strategy.