Understand rewards
How to use points and miles
There are four main ways to use points and miles, and how many options you have depends on what type of rewards you’ve earned.
Redeeming within a loyalty program
If you’ve earned points or miles with an airline or hotel brand, such as Delta SkyMiles or Hilton Honors points, you can book a flight or hotel through that loyalty program.
Transferring your points and miles
If you’ve earned flexible points or miles with an issuer like Chase or American Express, you can transfer them to any of the issuer’s loyalty program partners. For example, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to your Marriott Bonvoy or JetBlue TrueBlue accounts, among others. Because of their flexibility, transferable points and miles often yield the most valuable redemptions. Keep in mind that transfers can’t be undone once initiated.
American Express Membership Rewards
Marriott Bonvoy
JetBlue TrueBlue
Delta SkyMiles
American Express Membership Rewards
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Redeeming through a portal
If transferring points and miles feels complicated or you don’t have enough rewards with a specific loyalty program, you can also redeem through a travel portal, such as Capital One Travel or the Bilt Travel Portal. This approach is the simplest and often yields the most options, but it may cost more points and miles than transferring.
Redeeming for non-travel
Points and miles can also be redeemed for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, retail purchases at stores like Amazon, tickets to sporting events or concerts and more. Redeeming rewards for non-travel purchases typically won’t yield the most value, but it can help you save money on routine spending.
Editorial disclaimer: Editorial content is not influenced by nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to or after publication.
