Best and Worst Last-Minute Redemptions for Holiday Travelers
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An estimated 103 million people will be traveling between Christmas and New Years this year. 42.5 million people will travel by plane, a 3.5% increase over last year. The busiest day this holiday season is expected to be this Friday, December 23, and as we get closer to departure date, ticket prices are increasing. At the same time, many last-minute travelers are looking to use their miles to avoid spending a ton of money.
We've taken a look at some of the most notoriously busy routes and some oddly expensive ones to see where and when it makes sense to use points or miles rather than cash. You'll find more in-depth analysis below, but the bottom line is that you might want to save those miles and just pay for a ticket this holiday season.
Below is our analysis for several key routes, including the lowest fares available (as of publication time) on the given date.
New York - Los Angeles - December 23
| Airline | From | To | Cabin | Price (USD $) | Miles | Value Per Mile (Cents) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Airlines | JFK | LAX | Economy | $609 | 65,000 | 0.93 |
American Airlines | JFK | LAX | Business | $1,619 | 52,500 | 3.08 |
American Airlines | JFK | LAX | First | $2,569 | 85,000 | 3.02 |
Delta | JFK | LAX | Economy | $609 | 32,500 | 1.87 |
Delta | JFK | LAX | Delta One | $1,619 | 75,000 | 2.16 |
United | EWR | LAX | Economy | $765 | 25,000* | 3.06 |
United | EWR | LAX | Business | $1,619 | 50,000 | 3.23 |
JetBlue | JFK | LAX | Economy | $656 | 62,900 | 1.04 |
JetBlue | JFK | LAX | Mint | $849 | 84,100 | 1.00 |
*Enhanced availability exclusively for United elites and cardholders, including the United MileagePlus Explorer Card .
You won't be getting anywhere close to a decent value from your AAdvantage miles if you redeem them for an economy flight on American this time of year. However, the carrier's fully flat transcontinental business-class product for 52,500 miles makes for a great redemption for the holiday season, getting you more than 3 cents per mile in value. Similarly, you might want to avoid redeeming for JetBlue, even for a flat-bed seat in Mint — especially considering that you'll earn 6 points per dollar spent on paid fares, plus another 6x points if you pay with the JetBlue Plus Card.
Los Angeles - San Francisco - December 23
| Airline | Cabin | Price (USD $) | Miles | Value Per Mile (Cents) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
American Airlines | Economy | $227 | 7,500 | 3.03 |
American Airlines | First | $327 | 90,000 | 0.36 |
Delta | Economy | $221 | 20,000 | 1.11 |
Delta | First | $259 | 37,500 | 0.69 |
United | Economy | $226 | 10,000 | 2.26 |
United | First | $325 | 25,000 | 1.30 |
Virgin America | Economy | $219 | 9,963 | 2.20 |
Virgin America | First | $299 | 13,870 | 2.16 |
While there are some bad uses of miles on the NYC-LAX route, the absolute worst has to be on American Airlines from LAX-SFO. Please don't use your miles for first class on AA or Delta; a redemption of just above a third of a cent per mile is never worth it, so just buy your ticket with cash. However, there are some great economy redemptions available, like the SAAver economy award space for 7,500 miles on American Airlines.
Orlando - New York City - January 2, 2017
| Airline | From | To | Cabin | Price (USD $) | Miles | Value Per Mile (Cents) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Airlines | MCO | JFK/LGA | Economy | $353 | 65,000 | 0.54 |
American Airlines | MCO | JFK/LGA | First | $483 | 90,000 | 0.53 |
Delta | MCO | LGA | Economy | $300 | 25,000 | 1.20 |
Delta | MCO | LGA | First | $439 | 45,000 | 0.98 |
United | MCO | EWR | Economy | $452 | 25,000* | 1.81 |
United | MCO | EWR | First | $591 | 50,000 | 1.18 |
JetBlue | MCO | LGA | Economy | $300 | 23,100 | 1.04 |
If you happen to head to the land of Mickey for a last-minute family New Year's trip, there aren't many great options to return using miles. I recommend leaving a day early or spending an extra day or two on the ground, as prices come down pretty quickly. If you do have to fly on January 2, Delta isn't a bad option. Additionally, you can look at flights from Tampa and Daytona Beach, each about 1-1.5 hours away.
Miami - Chicago - January 2, 2017
| Airline | From | To | Stops | Cabin | Price (USD $) | Miles | Value Per Mile (Cents) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Airlines | MIA | ORD | Economy | $517 | 65,000 | 0.79 | |
American Airlines | MIA | ORD | First | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Delta | MIA | ORD | ATL | Economy | $740 | 60,000 | 1.23 |
Delta | MIA | ORD | ATL | First | $948 | 55,000 | 1.72 |
United | MIA | ORD | Economy | $531 | 25,000* | 2.12 | |
United | MIA | ORD | First | $913 | 50,000 | 1.83 | |
Frontier | MIA | ORD | Economy | $631 | N/A | N/A |
Miami on January 2, 2017 looks to have some of the worst availability throughout the entire holiday season. If you had a hole to burn your money/miles in, that would probably be a better use for it. Other routes that are commanding huge sums of miles on January 2 are on American Airlines Miami-Boston, Miami-New York and any Miami-to-hub routes (Charlotte, Philadelphia, Dallas, Los Angeles). That being said, there are other options on American and United if you don't mind connecting or leaving from West Palm Beach or Ft. Lauderdale instead.
Bottom Line
If you really want to use your miles instead of spending money, doing your research will help you get the best value. United's domestic one-way awards will always be between 10,000 to 25,000 miles for economy tickets and between 25,000 to 50,000 in business/first. American's domestic awards range from 7,500 to a whopping 65,000 miles in economy and 15,000 to 95,000 miles one-way in business or first class. Meanwhile, Delta doesn't offer a published award chart, but if you can find long-distance flights for 25,000 miles or less in economy or 50,000 miles in business or first, you probably aren't getting a terrible deal.
Have you ever scored a great last-minute flight redemption for the holiday? Share your experience in the comments below!
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Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.