AutoSlash’s Favorite Credit Cards

The Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, and Ink Preferred all have the ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners. We use an average value that you can expect to get by utilizing your points for these transfer partners.

In the Chase Travel℠ portal, Points Boost allows you to redeem for airfare or hotels with point values ranging from 1.5 – 2 cents depending on cabin class or hotel. Specific flights and hotels that appear in Point Boost vary.

If you do not have at least one of these cards, Ultimate Rewards are worth exactly 1 cent per point.

You can also read our Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

It’s worth noting that some Capital One cards earn 2 miles per dollar on everything, making the 1.6 cent per mile value an understatement as you’d be earning a 3.2% yield on every day spend. However, this assumes you will learn how to utilize the Capital One airline and hotel transfer partners, most of which transfer 1:1.

The minimum value is 1 cent when used to book travel in their portal or to  cover previously paid for travel, however, our calculator assumes you will use Capital One’s air and hotel transfer partners when calculating a 1.6 cent per point value.

We also have a Guide to Capital One Miles.

It’s worth noting that some Capital One cards earn 2 miles per dollar on everything, making the 1.6 cent per mile value an understatement as you’d be earning a 3.2% yield on every day spend. However, this assumes you will learn how to utilize the Capital One airline and hotel transfer partners, most of which transfer 1:1.

The minimum value is 1 cent when used to book travel in their portal or to  cover previously paid for travel, however, our calculator assumes you will use Capital One’s air and hotel transfer partners when calculating a 1.6 cent per point value.

We also have a Guide to Capital One Miles.

Instant Transfers as well as solid transfer partners. The value would go up if they had any hotel partners with a fair exchange rate. ANA (an exception to instant transfers), Virgin, Air Canada and Avianca are top airline partners for maximizing your points. They can also transfer to Delta if you wish and while the rates aren’t ideal, they can transfer to Marriott and Hilton as well. 

The stated value also assumes you will take advantage of transfer partners rather than book via their booking portal, where they are only worth 1 cent (in most cases).

We’ve also created a Guide to American Express Membership Rewards.

It’s worth noting that some Capital One cards earn 2 miles per dollar on everything, making the 1.6 cent per mile value an understatement as you’d be earning a 3.2% yield on every day spend. However, this assumes you will learn how to utilize the Capital One airline and hotel transfer partners, most of which transfer 1:1.

The minimum value is 1 cent when used to book travel in their portal or to  cover previously paid for travel, however, our calculator assumes you will use Capital One’s air and hotel transfer partners when calculating a 1.6 cent per point value.

We also have a Guide to Capital One Miles.

The Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, and Ink Preferred all have the ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners. We use an average value that you can expect to get by utilizing your points for these transfer partners.

In the Chase Travel℠ portal, Points Boost allows you to redeem for airfare or hotels with point values ranging from 1.5 – 2 cents depending on cabin class or hotel. Specific flights and hotels that appear in Point Boost vary.

If you do not have at least one of these cards, Ultimate Rewards are worth exactly 1 cent per point.

You can also read our Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Hyatt award rates range from 5,000 to 75,000 points per night at their regular hotels and resorts. At all-inclusive resorts and Miraval, the prices can reach as high as 85,000 – 95,000 points per night.

 You can even book Suites for incrementally more points (Premium Suite costs twice as much as a room, for example). I tend to find these are one of the best ways to spend Chase Ultimate Rewards points which transfer 1:1. They are the only major hotel program in the US with fixed award charts making it a great program to be able to set goals for your redemptions..

We used to always get 2+ cents per point in value and had valued points at 1.7 cents on average, however the most recent valuation took a toll with some room rates roughly doubling at peak times.

They have a similar network to AA in terms of reach via the Star Alliance and also (unlike Delta) allow for booking First Class international awards in the Star Alliance network, but they charge noticeably more for Partner Awards and the rates keep (stealthily) rising. United partner Lufthansa tends to have good availability to Europe making it somewhat easier to use to Europe than American, which relies heavily on British Airways and BA charges incredibly steep surcharges on those awards.

Aeroplan does not pass along any fuel surcharges, making this a great program for Star Alliance flights.

Two huge additional benefits are a stopover on your trip for just 5,000 miles and a lap infant (under 2) is just $25 CAD.

One small negative is that they do have fees for cancelling an award ticket.