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Redeem rewards

Other ways to redeem rewards

While you’ll often get the best value from your points and miles by booking award travel, there are many other ways to use your rewards.

Redeeming through a travel portal

When you book travel through a credit card issuer or other platform’s travel portal, you can usually use your points and miles to offset the cash cost of a flight or hotel stay. Most travel portal redemptions will get you 1 cent per point or mile, though some offer higher-value redemptions. Beyond flights and hotels, some travel portals let you book car rentals, activities, vacation rentals or cruises. A major benefit of using a travel portal is that you can often use your points and miles to offset the entire cash cost or just a portion of it.

Cost through a travel portal
Paid with points:
20,000 points
× 1¢/point = $200 offset
Paid with cash:
$300
Total cost:
$500 value

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Redeeming for cash back or statement credits

Some rewards credit cards offer the option to redeem your points or miles for cash back, which can be issued as a check or a direct deposit. Additionally, some issuers offer the option to redeem points or miles for a statement credit. In this case, you effectively reimburse yourself for purchases you’ve made on the card, which lowers the amount you have to pay on your bill.

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Redeeming for experiences

Many major brands have recently expanded their redemption options to include unique experiences. You can redeem points and miles for sporting events, concerts, culinary classes, VIP travel packages and more. While some experiences are set at a fixed point value, others require you to bid in points or miles.

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Redeeming for gift cards and merchandise

Redeeming points and miles for gift cards and merchandise can be a good option for those who don’t travel often. You can redeem rewards at your favorite retail stores or on Amazon. However, these redemptions typically yield less than 1 cent per point or mile, which is less than our valuations for most programs.

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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.

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