Guides
Straight answers on selling miles and points: how it works, what they are worth, and when it makes sense.
The 10 best airline miles programs, ranked
Every major program scored on award prices, surcharges, earning, partners, flexibility and expiry for US travellers, with the reasons behind each score.
Read the guideHow much are airline miles and points worth?
Cents-per-point values for 22 airline programs and 4 bank currencies, from six published valuations, with a calculator for your balance.
Read the guideDo airline miles expire?
Every program's expiry rule in one table, checked against the airlines' own terms, with who is exempt and how to stop a balance lapsing.
Read the guideWhich credit card points transfer to which airline?
The full matrix of Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, Bilt, Wells Fargo and Marriott transfers into 22 airline programs, with ratios and caveats.
Read the guideTransferred points to the wrong airline? What you can do
Why Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, Bilt, Wells Fargo and Marriott will not reverse a transfer, what the airline lets you do with the miles, and how to sell them, with a page for every transfer route.
Read the guideAirline credit cards: the complete guide
Every US airline card by program: the banks that issue them, typical sign-up bonuses, point multipliers, airline perks, shopping protections and how to apply.
Read the guideAirline award charts and sweet spots
How each of 22 programs prices awards, representative one-way prices, fees and surcharges, and the redemptions that return the most per mile.
Read the guideHow many miles it takes to fly from the US
Every program's one-way price to Japan, Europe and Hawaii by cabin, from its own award chart, with surcharges and the bank points that transfer in.
Read the guideHow to earn miles in every program
Joining, earning on partner flights, which program to credit a flight to, claiming miles after a flight and the non-flying ways each program lists.
Read the guideHow to claim missing miles, by program
Where to file, the deadline, what you need, partner flights and flights before joining, for every program, from the airlines' own claim pages.
Read the guideHow award availability works
Saver and standard seats, booking windows, holds and waitlists for every program, and how to find the seats.
Read the guideAward change and cancellation fees
What each program charges to change or cancel an award, the deadline, and whether taxes are refunded.
Read the guideHow to buy airline miles, and what they cost
Which programs sell miles, the standard price, yearly limits, fees and the promotions running now, from each airline's own buy page.
Read the guideAirline elite status: miles versus tier points
How status credit differs from the miles you spend, and every program's tiers, requirements, benefits, upgrades and routes to status.
Read the guideEvery program question, answered per airline
Hundreds of questions about joining, earning, status, awards, fees, cancellations, sharing and expiry, answered for each program from the airline's own pages.
Read the guideHow miles affect airline profits
Loyalty revenue, card deals and the miles liability, from the airlines' own annual reports and filings.
Read the guideAirline alliances explained
Star Alliance, oneworld and SkyTeam: every member, the elite tiers, recent changes and the best miles for booking each alliance.
Read the guidePoints and miles glossary
Plain-English definitions of award charts, dynamic pricing, fuel surcharges, sweet spots, transfer partners and every other term you will meet.
Read the guideHow to Sell Airline Miles for Cash
A plain-English guide to selling airline miles: how it works, what miles are worth, how long it takes to get paid, and what to check before you sell.
Read the guideHow Much Are Airline Miles Worth?
What airline miles are really worth: how cents-per-mile works, why value differs by program, typical redemption values, and what miles sell for in cash.
Read the guideHow to Sell Credit Card Points: Chase, Amex, Capital One and Citi
How to sell Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One miles and Citi ThankYou points for cash, what they are worth, and how selling compares to cashing out.
Read the guideHow to Transfer Credit Card Points to Airlines
How transfers from Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi and Bilt to airline programs work: ratios, timing, fees, what cannot be undone, and when transferring beats cashing out or selling.
Read the guideHow to Book Partner Awards
How to use one airline's miles to fly another: alliance and non-alliance partners, where to find the seats, which programs price partners best, surcharges, and how to book by phone when the website will not.
Read the guideDynamic Pricing vs Award Charts
What dynamic award pricing is, which programs have dropped their charts and when, which still publish one, and what it means for the value of the miles you hold.
Read the guidePooling, Transferring and Inheriting Miles
Which programs let families pool miles, what person-to-person transfers cost, who can fly on your award, what happens to miles when a member dies, who owns the miles, and how the IRS treats them.
Read the guideEarn Airline Miles with Uber, Lyft and Everyday Partners
Which airline programs pay miles on Uber, Lyft, Uber Eats, Grab and other everyday services, at what rate, how to link your account, and the partnerships that have ended.
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