How Much Are Points and Miles Worth in 2025?
Author: Chris Hutchins
September 10, 2025
Duration: 1:06:42
#245: Ever wonder what points are really worth? I'll break down the different types of points, how to calculate their value, and the biggest mistakes people make along the way. You’ll also learn when cash back might be the smarter choice and my personal card strategy for maximizing credit card rewards.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/what-are-your-points-worth
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Resources Mentioned
Credit Cards
Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® card
Robinhood Gold Card
Bilt World Elite Mastercard® (Rates and Fees here)
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect
Bank of America® Premium Rewards®
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
American Express® Gold Card
American Express® Business Gold Card
American Express® Green Card
Amazon Prime Visa Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
Citi® Double Cash Card
U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa
Gemini Credit Card
Expert Points Valuations
The Points Guy
One Mile at a Time
Frequent Miler
Award Search Tools
Points Path Chrome Extension
Award Wallet
Gondola (Get $50 here)
Award Ticket Change and Cancellation Fees
ATH Podcast
Free Webinar: 5 Must-Know Tax Moves for Business Owners
Chris’ Card Value Optimization Tool
Membership
Ep #244: How I Saved $10,000+ on Luxury Hotels
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Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@chrishutchins.com
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(00:50) Why We’re in the Golden Age of Points and Miles
(04:06) The Different Types of Points
(06:04) Unlocking Value With Transfer Bonuses
(07:58) Fake Points and What to Avoid
(08:34) Why Knowing the Value of Points Matters
(10:12) Comparing Points vs. Cash Back
(13:26) Quick Episode Overview
(14:38) Calculating the Floor Value of Points
(16:47) Expert Points Valuation
(19:26) Tools and Data for Valuing Points
(21:55) Booking Domestic vs. International vs. Business Class Flights
(24:27) Flight and Hotel Redemption Takeaways
(29:33) Leveraging Gondola to Book Hotels
(32:24) How to Get More Value From Hotel Points
(34:17) Why Hotel Points Still Hold Value
(35:12) Minimums, Maximums, and Ranges
(36:20) How to Calculate Your Personal Value
(41:18) Chris’ Rule of Thumb for Booking Award Flights
(44:06) Key Caveat of Award Redemptions
(46:20) Value of Earning Points vs. Cash Back
(49:40) When Should You Buy Hotel and Airline Points?
(52:46) The Bottom Line on Buying Points
(53:31) How to Value Transferable Points
(55:17) The Psychology Behind Buying Points
(56:34) Leveraging Chris’ Card Optimizer Tool
(58:54) Earning Points Across Other Major Categories
(01:01:45) Cash Back Cards That Earn More Than 2%
(01:05:56) Recap: Point Purchases on Cards
(01:07:31) Recap: What Your Points Are Worth
(01:08:51) Making the Case for Earning Points Everywhere
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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