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How Do We Value Reward Points?

On HelpMeBuildCredit.com after listing a welcome bonus we always like to give our readers an idea of the value for the bonus. For example, the Chase Sapphire card has a welcome offer of 60,000 points while the Amex Hilton card has a welcome bonus of 125,000 points. But, which offer is more valuable? A naive consumer will think that the Hilton welcome bonus must be much more valuable as it is so many more points. But in reality that is far from true. The Chase Sapphire points are worth a minimum of 1.25 cents per point towards travel and the value can go even much higher (as you will see below). While the Hilton points are only worth 0.5 cents per point and sometimes even less. So 60,000 Chase Ultimate reward points are worth much more than 125,000 Hilton Honors points.

When we value points we try to be as conservative as possible to determine a real true value of what a consumer can predict to truly get when redeeming the points.

But, it is very tricky as some point programs will require to be point savvy in order to receive the proper value. It also will sometimes depend on your preferred method of redeeming points.

Below we list a chart of how much we value each point currency and a brief explanation of how we reached that value.

Credit Card Issuer Programs 


Point Currency Approximate ValueCalculation Method
Chase, Ultimate Rewards1.50 cents per point1. You can transfer the points to many airlines and Hotel programs for a value ranging all the way up to 2.0 or even more. Plus the option of transferring too many airlines gives you the flexibility to find the best reward flights.
2. You can redeem the points on the Chase travel Portal for a value of 1.0 – 1.50 depending on which
3. Chase credit cards you have you can redeem the points for 1.0 cashback 
Amex, Membership Reward 1.50 cents per point
1. You can transfer the points to many airline and hotel programs to receive a value ranging up to 1.7 or even more. Plus the option of transferring too many airlines gives you the flexibility to find the best reward flights.
2. Amex very often has great deals where you can transfer points and receive up to a 100% bonus for all the points you transfer.
3. You can redeem the points for gift cards and receive 1.0 or more per point.   
Citi, Thankyou Points 1.45 cents per point
1. Citi has fewer partners to where you can transfer the points giving it a little lower redemption value.
2. You can redeem the points for cash back at 1.0 cents per point 
Capital One Points1.0 cents per points 1. Capital One points usually only transfer to airline and hotel programs at a 1-.75 ratio. 
2. You can redeem the points for travel at 1.0 cents each.

Airline Loyalty Programs

Point Currency Approximate ValueCalculation Method
United, MileagePlus1.3 cents per point1. A round trip ticket NYC-HNL is 45K United points in economy, average ticket NYC-HNL is $720  that gives you worth of 1.6PP
2. A one ticket from ORD-MCO is 12.5K points, Average ticket is $125 that gives worth of 1.0PP
3. A one-way ticket with swiss airlines, from BUD-ZRH, is 8K points, Average ticket is $110 that gives it a worth of 1.3PP
Delta, Skymiles
1 cents per point1. Round trip BOS-LAX cost 27,000 points in economy, the price for a ticket is $325 that gives you a worth of 1.25PP
2. Round trip in economy from various cities in the US (ex.IAD/ATL/JFK/BOS) cost 50,000 points plus about $60 in taxes, A average ticket is around $600, which gives you a worth 1.075 per point. 
 3. One way economy ticket from JFK-YYZ costs 7,000 points, A average ticket is around $110, which gives you a worth of 1.5 per point.
British Airways, Avios
1.2 cents per point
1. Round trip  with American airlines CVG-JFK is 15000 points in economy, the price for a ticket is $225 that gives you a worth 1.5PP  
2. One way LAS-CLT with American airlines is 7.5K points price for a ticket is average $100 that gives you a worth 1.2PP. 
3.  Round trip ticket economy from TLV-LHR costs 20K points +$200 in taxes, the price for a ticket is an average of $400 that gives you a worth of 1.0PP.
American Airlines, AAdvantage1.0 cents per point.
1. One way  DFW-CLE is 12500 points, the price for a paid ticket is $125 that u gives you worth of 1.0PP.
2. Round trip PHL-ZRH is 60000 points, paid ticket is about $600  that u gives you a worth of 1.0PP.
3. A One-way ticket EWR-MIA in business is 25K points, the average price for a paid ticket is $375, that gives you a worth of 1.5PP.
Jet Blue, True Blue1.0 cents per pointThe standard redemption value for True Blue points is 1.0. For example, a $400 flight will cost 40,000 points. Sometimes they run rewards sales where you can find a better value.
Southwest, Rapid rewards1.0 cents per pointThe standard redemption value for rapid Reward points is 1.0. For example, a $400 flight will cost you 40,000 points. Sometimes they run rewards sales where you can find a better value.
Lufthansa, Miles And More1.5 cents per point1. Round trip  ORD-MUN in business  is 120,000 plus about $500 in taxes, a paid ticket is about $2800, that gives a worth of 2.0PP
2. They have expanded availability on the Miles and More group which includes airlines like Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Lot polish.
That gives their points worth over the Star Alliance points.
3. One way ticket in economy flying in Europe is 17K points, occasionally tickets in the EU could be very expensive you could have a worth of 1.5PP.

ANA  1.2 cents per point
1. Round trip with united airlines ticket from NYC-TLV cost 65,000 points in economy  average ticket to TLV is $1000 that gives you a worth of 1.5PP
2. Round trip ticket from NYC-BRU cost 55,000 points in economy  average ticket to TLV is $600 that gives you a worth of 1.2PP
Avianca, Life Miles
1.25 cents per point
1. Round trip with Swiss airlines ZRH-MIA is 60,000 points in Economy, Price for a paid ticket is about $800 which gives a worth of 1.35PP 
2. One way tickets with United Airlines, from various cities in the USA in a some mileage distances to the other city, cost just 6,000 points, this could give a very nice return when sometimes these last-minute tickets are quite pricey. ( could get 1.5+ PP)
 3. One way ticket economy from VIE-BUD with Austrian airlines cost 8000 points+$20 paid ticket is about $120, that gives you a worth of 1.1 PP

Qantas, Frequent Flyer
1.2 cents per point
1. Round trip with Elal TLV-NYC  Premium economy is 140,000 points, the price for a paid ticket is about $1900 which gives a worth of 1.35PP. 
2. One way ticket economy from JFK-YYZ with west jet airlines is 8,000 points, paid ticket is about $100 that gives a worth of 1.2 PP.
Singapore, KrisFlyer 1.3 cents per point1. Round trip SIN-FRA Economy is 76,000 points, the price for a paid ticket is $760 that gives a worth 1.0PP
2. Round trip SIN-FRA Business is 140,000 points , the price for a paid ticket is about $3200, which gives you a worth of  2.2PP. 
3. Round trip ticket economy  ‘anywhere’ in the USA is 25K points, with many destinations, this could be a nice bargain.

Hotel Loyalty Programs

Point Currency Approximate ValueCalculation Method
Hyatt, World Of Hyatt1.4 cents per point
1. A night at the Park Hyatt Zurich is about $530 instead you could use 30,000 points that is about a worth of 1.75 PP
2. A night at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay Florida is 12K points, a paid night is average $170 that gives a worth of 1.4PP
3. A night at the Hyatt Regency Miami  Florida is 12K points, a paid night is average $135 which gives a worth of 1.1PP

 Hilton Honors
0.5 cents per point1. A night at the Hilton in the Bahamas is 50,000 points, a paid night is about $250, that gives you a worth of 0.5 PP 
2. A night at the Waldorf Hilton in London is 72,000 points, a paid night is about $350 that gives a worth of about  0.5PP
Marriott, Bonvoy 0.6 cents per point1. A night at the Marriott Las Vegas is 40,000 points, a paid night is about $400 that gives a worth of about  1.0PP 
2. A night at the Ritz Carlton Manhattan is 85,000  points, a paid night is about $700 that gives a worth of about  0.8PP 
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