What are points and miles worth? TPG’s valuations for October 2024

One of many questions individuals typically ask us is, “How a lot is some extent or mile price?”

The true reply varies from level to level and individual to individual. It additionally is dependent upon your journey objectives and the way a lot you maximize a specific loyalty forex. Nonetheless, some rewards credit cards are price greater than others, and our purpose is to offer you a way of how they stack up.

Traditionally, TPG has valued factors and miles based mostly on a mix of things: the value at which we’d buy the miles, award prices in this system (factoring in availability and costs) and our experience in this system’s internal workings. Nevertheless, we now use intensive knowledge for the highest six U.S. airline loyalty applications to raised estimate the worth it’s best to intention to get out of your rewards. Learn our explainer put up on our data-driven valuations for a full methodology breakdown.

Word: These valuations are usually not offered by card issuers.

The largest information spotlight within the final month for award vacationers was the Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways merger. The U.S. Department of Justice opted not to block the merger in August, and the U.S. Department of Transportation approved the merger in September. Quickly after, we discovered particulars of what the merged Alaska-Hawaiian loyalty program might seem like.

The DOT requires the airways to protect their present Important Air Service routes, present ranges of service throughout the Hawaiian Islands, and present ranges of service between Hawaii and the continental U.S. Nevertheless, the DOT additionally requires the airways to ensure that households with kids can sit collectively with out added charges, that the airways will not devalue frequent flyer rewards as a part of the merger and that the airways will not take away any advantages from every elite standing tier whereas combining the applications.

Now you can transfer Hawaiian miles to Alaska Airlines at a 1:1 ratio, making it simpler than ever to earn Alaska miles. We elevated our valuation of Hawaiian miles to 1.2 cents every due to the flexibility to switch Hawaiian miles to Alaska at a 1:1 ratio and the requirement that the airways won’t devalue frequent flyer rewards as a part of the merger.

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Now is an effective time to earn extra Hawaiian miles, particularly in the event you’ve struggled to earn sufficient Alaska miles to make your required award bookings. For instance, TPG Managing Editor Clint Henderson lately applied for two Hawaiian Airlines cards to safe rewards he’ll later switch to Alaska Mileage Plan. Nevertheless, it’s possible you’ll not wish to earn extra rewards than you propose to make use of throughout the subsequent few years. In any case, the DOT solely required that the airways not devalue frequent flyer rewards as a part of the merger.

Associated: Capitalize on Alaska-Hawaiian merger: Potential strategies to maximize your miles, elite status and more

Listed below are a number of the finest choices in the event you’re in search of a brand new travel rewards card that earns transferable factors.

Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one in all our favourite journey rewards playing cards, particularly in the event you’re simply getting began with factors and miles. The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked presently provides a welcome bonus of 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, plus a $300 assertion credit score on Chase Journey℠ purchases throughout the first 12 months. Per our valuations, this welcome bonus is price as much as $1,530 in the event you leverage the Ultimate Rewards transfer partners or $1,050 in the event you redeem by way of Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents per level.

The cardboard comes with a $95 annual payment however provides many perks, together with a $50 annual hotel credit for reservations made by way of Chase Journey and a ten% anniversary factors bonus based mostly in your earlier 12 months’s spending. For extra particulars, take a look at our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review.

Official software hyperlink: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a compelling possibility because of its nice incomes charges and included perks. The cardboard presently provides a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. As a result of worth you will get when redeeming with the Capital One transfer partners, our valuations peg the worth of this welcome bonus at $1,388.

You will earn at the very least 2 miles per greenback spent on purchases and get entry to quite a lot of helpful advantages, together with a $300 annual credit for bookings by way of Capital One Travel, 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary and limitless complimentary entry to Capital One airport lounges for you and as much as two company per go to. Take a look at our Capital One Venture X card review for extra particulars.

Be taught extra: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a welcome supply of 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.

If you happen to plan to switch your miles to Capital One’s lodge or airline companions, this welcome supply is price round $1,388. The annual payment for the Capital One Enterprise card is $95 — an inexpensive quantity for a card with such a beneficiant welcome supply. See our Capital One Venture card review for extra particulars.

Be taught extra: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Platinum Card from American Categorical

With the present welcome supply on The Platinum Card® from American Express, you may earn 80,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Nevertheless, it’s possible you’ll be focused for the next supply by way of the CardMatch tool. (This supply is topic to vary at any time.)

Our valuations peg 80,000 Membership Rewards factors at $1,600 based mostly on the worth you will get when leveraging the Membership Rewards transfer partners. The Amex Platinum Card is filled with advantages (enrollment is required for choose advantages), so learn our Amex Platinum review for all the small print. The Amex Platinum Card has a $695 annual payment (see rates and fees).

Official software hyperlink: The Platinum Card from American Express

American Categorical Gold Card

One of the fashionable playing cards with TPG staffers, the American Express® Gold Card provides 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Plus, obtain 20% again in assertion credit on eligible restaurant purchases (as much as $100 again) throughout the first six months of card membership. Based mostly on our valuations, this welcome supply is price $1,300. However verify the CardMatch tool to see in the event you’re focused for a fair greater supply. (This supply is topic to vary at any time.)

The Amex Gold Card is nice for a lot of on a regular basis purchases. You will earn 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) and 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback). The cardboard has a $325 annual payment (see rates and fees) however provides eating credit (enrollment required) and Uber Money every month on U.S. purchases. You will need to add your Amex Gold to the Uber app to obtain this profit. Redeem with any Amex card. Phrases apply. For extra particulars, take a look at our Amex Gold review.

Official software hyperlink: American Express Gold Card

The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express provides new cardholders the flexibility to earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases along with your card within the first three months of card membership. Per our valuations, this welcome supply is price $3,000.

You will discover many lesser-known Amex Enterprise Platinum perks just like (however barely completely different from) these of the non-public model. For extra particulars, take a look at our Amex Business Platinum review. Then, take a look at our comparability of the Amex Platinum and the Business Platinum to see which card higher suits your pockets.

Official software hyperlink: The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise

The Capital One Venture X Business card provides a welcome bonus of 150,000 miles after you spend $30,000 within the first three months from account opening. Whereas that is a big spending requirement, these rewards can go a good distance towards your subsequent journey. Our valuations peg the worth of this welcome bonus at $2,775.

The Enterprise X Enterprise options perks which might be almost an identical to these on the non-public model of the cardboard — together with a $300 annual credit score for bookings by way of Capital One Journey, intensive airport lounge entry and 10,000 bonus miles annually after your cardholder anniversary. For extra particulars, take a look at our Capital One Venture X Business review.

Be taught extra: Capital One Venture X Business

Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card provides a welcome bonus of 90,000 bonus factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first three months from card opening. Based mostly on our present valuation of Chase Final Rewards factors, this welcome bonus is price $1,845.

The Ink Enterprise Most well-liked is usually a nice possibility for enterprise homeowners who wish to profit from a beneficiant welcome bonus however may not meet greater spending necessities. Enterprise homeowners may admire that the Ink Enterprise Most well-liked provides 3 factors per greenback on the primary $150,000 in mixed purchases every account anniversary 12 months on journey; transport purchases; promoting purchases with social media websites and search engines like google; and web, cable and cellphone companies. For extra particulars, take a look at our Ink Business Preferred Credit Card review.

Official software hyperlink: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Gold Card, click on here.