The redemption
32 programs — bank, US airlines, international airlines (including LifeMiles, Turkish, and Asia Miles), and hotels.
Include taxes/fees you'd avoid by paying in points.
Usually just the $5.60-$50 phantom fees on awards.
The default is the lower number. Beating only the TPG headline is not a good redemption.
Use this only when the points are still at Chase, Amex, Citi, Capital One, or Bilt and a published bonus is running. Miles already transferred do not get it.
Use the value you'd accept as a fair redemption. 1.5¢ is a common floor for transferable points.
Fill in your points balance and the cash price — we'll tell you if this is a good deal or a bad one.
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How we got these numbers
Benchmark valuations are the median of three major sources published in 2026: The Points Guy monthly valuations, NerdWallet's annual airline mile valuations, and Frequent Miler's Reasonable Redemption Values (RRVs). When sources disagree, we use the lower number so the "good redemption" bar stays honest.
Points vs. Cash — Common Questions
Are points worth more than cash?
It depends on how you redeem them. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1 cent each for cash back but 1.25–2 cents each toward travel when transferred to partners. The calculator takes the specific redemption you are looking at and tells you the exact cents-per-point value.
How do I calculate cents per point?
Divide the cash price by the number of points required. A $500 flight that costs 50,000 points = $500 ÷ 50,000 = $0.01, or 1 cent per point. The calculator does this automatically and compares your result to the baseline value for your specific rewards program.
What is a good cents per point value?
For most programs, 1 cent per point is the floor — what you get for cash back. Good redemptions are 1.5 cents or more. Chase Sapphire Reserve points used for portal travel = 1.5 cents. Hyatt luxury properties often hit 2–3 cents. Airline first class transfer awards can reach 5 cents or more.
Should I use points or pay cash for a hotel?
Use points when the cents-per-point value beats the conservative floor (the lower of The Points Guy and the transfer value). Pay cash when the hotel is on sale, when the rate is under that floor, or when you want the points for a better award later.
How should I treat a transfer bonus?
Only if the points are still at the bank and the bonus is published. A 30% bonus means you transfer fewer bank points for the same partner award, so cents-per-point goes up. Miles you already moved do not get a second bonus. Set the bonus back to none when the promo ends. This page does not check whether award space exists.
Is the portal rate the same as The Points Guy?
No. TPG headlines are aspirational. A Chase portal might be 1¢, 1.25¢ on Sapphire Preferred, or 1.5¢ on some Reserve cards. The result lists those portal scenarios next to the award. If the portal fare is higher than the cash price you typed, the portal column overstates the points.