Points & Miles Value Calculator
Work out the cents-per-point value of a credit-card or airline redemption and see whether it beats cashing the points in.
How it works
Value per point (¢) = (cash value − fees) ÷ points × 100 · Compare against your cash-out rate
The only honest way to judge a points redemption is cents per point: the cash value of what you booked, minus any fees you paid on top, divided by the points spent. That single number lets you compare a flight, a hotel night and a straight cash-back offer on the same scale. If a redemption comes in below your card's plain cash-out rate — often about 1 cent per point — you are better off taking the cash and paying for the booking directly.
Worked example
Booking a $600 flight for 40,000 points plus $25 in taxes: net value is $575, so 57,500 cents ÷ 40,000 = about 1.44¢ per point. That beats a 1¢ cash-out, which would give only $400 for the same points.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good cents-per-point value?
It depends on the program, but roughly: under 1¢ is poor, around 1–1.5¢ is average, and 2¢ or more is an excellent redemption. Always compare against your own cash-out baseline rather than a universal figure.
Should I subtract the taxes and fees?
Yes. The cash you pay out of pocket on an award booking reduces the value the points actually delivered, so netting it out gives the true cents-per-point you earned.
Why compare to cashing out?
Because cashing out is the risk-free alternative — if a redemption is worth less per point than plain cash-back, you have effectively overpaid in points for something you could have bought more cheaply with the cash.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.