{"id":53036,"date":"2020-11-09T17:30:15","date_gmt":"2020-11-09T22:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=53036"},"modified":"2026-04-08T13:38:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T13:38:41","slug":"when-to-redeem-points-at-a-fixed-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/when-to-redeem-points-at-a-fixed-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I\u2019m So Excited About Flexible Point Currencies Right Now"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><em>Note that some of the promotions mentioned in this post have expired. However, we still remain bullish on flexible point currencies right now due to low cash prices for travel.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With global travel plans on pause for many, hotels and airlines are doing everything they can to attract new business. We\u2019re seeing especially generous promotions and some of the lowest prices in recent memory.<\/p>\n<p>When the cost to buy travel with cash is lower than normal, your strategy for using rewards should change too. In our Facebook group, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/awardtravel101\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Award Travel 101<\/a>, we discuss these topics daily. (If you haven\u2019t joined yet, head on over and tell \u2018em Joe sent you!)<\/p>\n<p>Today, I want to share some insights from a recent Award Travel 101 conversation (check <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AwardTravel\/videos\/776184672946490\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">out the video<\/a>) about <em><strong>flexible points<\/strong>\u2014<\/em>and why it's more important than ever that you know how to redeem them for maximum value.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_light_blue no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Page Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#What_Are_Flexible_Points\">What Are Flexible Points?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#What_is_different_in_the_COVID-19_era\">What is different in the COVID-19 era?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Using_Flexible_Points_for_a_Hotel_Stay\">Using Flexible Points for a Hotel Stay<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#1_Transfer_Chase_Points_to_World_of_Hyatt\">1. Transfer Chase Points to World of Hyatt<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Redeem_Chase_Points_Through_the_Chase_Travel_Portal\">2. Redeem Chase Points Through the Chase Travel\u2120 Portal<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Redeem_Capital_One_Points_for_a_Statement_Credit\">3. Redeem Capital One Points for a Statement Credit<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4_Pay_Yourself_Back_with_Chase_Available_for_a_Limited_Time\">4. Pay Yourself Back with Chase (Available for a Limited Time)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Using_Flexible_Points_for_a_Flight\">Using Flexible Points for a Flight<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#1_Transfer_Points_to_a_Frequent_Flyer_Program\">1. Transfer Points to a Frequent Flyer Program<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Buy_a_Flight_with_Cash\">2. Buy a Flight with Cash<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Redeem_Points_as_Cash_Portal_Booking\">3. Redeem Points as Cash (Portal Booking)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Our_Take\">Our Take<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2><span id=\"What_Are_Flexible_Points\">What Are Flexible Points?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Flexible rewards are points or miles that give you more than one way to redeem. The most common ways to use points are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Cashback<\/strong> \u2014 Exchange your points for cash.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Statement Credit<\/strong> \u2014 Use rewards to get reimbursed for a travel purchase.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Travel Portals<\/strong> \u2014 Pay for travel with points (usually through a specific \u201cportal\u201d or travel website).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Transfer Points<\/strong> \u2014 Move your flexible points directly to a partner airline or hotel loyalty program.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We cover each of these in much more detail in our beginner's post on the <a href=\"\/travel\/types-of-rewards-points\/\">types of rewards points<\/a>. With flexible rewards, you have the choice of <strong>more than one<\/strong> of the methods above. Most of the time, one of those choices is a lot better than the others.<\/p>\n<p>In this post, I'll show you how to make the right decision every time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/credit-cards\/best-flexible-rewards-points-travel\/\">What Are the Best Flexible Rewards for Free Travel?<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"What_is_different_in_the_COVID-19_era\">What is different in the COVID-19 era?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The conventional wisdom is that the fourth option\u2014transferring points to other loyalty programs\u2014is usually the best choice. When you see stories about using points for <a href=\"\/airlines\/use-emirates-skywards\/\">luxury travel like Emirates<\/a> and <a href=\"\/airlines\/virgin-atlantic-flying-club\/sweet-spots\/#Fly_ANA_First_Class\">ANA first class<\/a> or Qatar QSuites, those redemptions often take advantage of transfer partners.<\/p>\n<p>But right now, paid travel is cheaper than ever. And that means the other three ways to redeem your points are much more likely to be the right choice. Let\u2019s take a look at some examples.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Using_Flexible_Points_for_a_Hotel_Stay\">Using Flexible Points for a Hotel Stay<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>With borders closed to Americans, it's hard to get too excited about getting outsized value from overseas trips. However, flexible point currencies still quite valuable\u2014just in a different way than before. That's because we have seen cash prices plummet for flights and hotels.<\/p>\n<p>Let's start by assuming that you have two of the most popular types of flexible rewards:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Chase Ultimate Rewards<\/li>\n<li>Capital One Rewards<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Now is an especially good time to start collecting Chase Ultimate Rewards\u2014thanks to the <a href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/chase-ink-offers\/\">high-value welcome offers on the Ink Business cards<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"3006145\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Ink Business Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Credit Card<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/61a11a52-f743-4f5b-b43d-c09fba53aecd.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Ink Business Preferred\u00ae Credit Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a class=\"qs-learn-more\" data-ccid=\"3006145\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/ink-business-preferred\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><span class=\"qs-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"3006145\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005142&type=3&u1=dd01d6c4a28c3f429914a43402a7df6f&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Ink Business Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Credit Card<\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$95<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"hl\">Highlights<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">The most valuable Ultimate Rewards signup bonus on offer and our top pick for small business rewards cards. Business owners earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn up to 450,000 points per year on a wide range of 3X bonus categories.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-hl\"><?xml version=\"1.0\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ??>\n<html><body><ul><li>Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.<\/li><li>Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases<\/li><li>Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9\/30\/27.<\/li><li>With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.<\/li><li>Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open<\/li><li>Go further when you book with Chase Travel&#x2120;. Enjoy competitive rates, seamless booking and premium benefits.<\/li><li>Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.<\/li><li>Receive complimentary access to DashPass by DoorDash.<\/li><li>Member FDIC<\/li><\/ul><\/body><\/html>\n<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year<\/li>\r\n<li>1X point per $1 on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/InkPreferred\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-4-17fe2c9156#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"3006151\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/dfed8cb4-d376-4c8b-aed4-1997afa3d66a.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a data-ccid=\"3006151\" class=\"btn-use qs-how-apply\" title='Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card' href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-COV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card<\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$95<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"hl\">Highlights<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">Following the revamp of Capital One's rewards program and the addition of airline transfer partners, the Capital One Venture has catapulted into our list of top travel rewards cards. The ability to earn at least 2X miles on every purchase provides a decent return on spending. Plus the card offers some great perks.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-hl\"><ul><li>Earn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening<\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles on all other purchase<\/li>\r\n<li>Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre\u2714<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> (up to $120)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>No foreign transaction fees<\/li>\r\n \t<li>$95 annual fee<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment <\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per dollar on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/Venture\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-4-17fe2c9156#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<p>Take for example the following domestic travel hotel stay. An upcoming weekend getaway to Dallas, TX at the Grand Hyatt DFW\u2014which is a Category 5 property located in the airport terminal.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Transfer_Chase_Points_to_World_of_Hyatt\">1. Transfer Chase Points to World of Hyatt<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Category 5 properties cost 20,000 Hyatt points per night. World of Hyatt is a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, so you'd need to transfer 40,000 Chase points for a two-night stay.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_53040\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/289\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-53040 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20a-1024x493.png\" alt=\"flexible points\" width=\"600\" height=\"289\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20a-1024x493.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20a-300x145.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20a-1536x740.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20a-2048x987.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Grand Hyatt DFW on points<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>That means the 100,000-point signup bonus from the <a data-ccid=\"3006145\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/ink-business-preferred\/\">Ink Business Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Credit Card<\/a> would get you five nights at this excellent hotel.<\/p>\n<p>But let's look at the other options to redeem points at this property.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Redeem_Chase_Points_Through_the_Chase_Travel_Portal\">2. Redeem Chase Points Through the Chase Travel\u2120 Portal<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Instead of transferring points directly to Hyatt, you can also redeem Chase points for a fixed value through the Chase Travel Portal. When the cash price is relatively low\u2014like in this case\u2014you'll spend fewer points with this method.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_53042\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/419\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-53042 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20-1024x715.png\" alt=\"flexible points\" width=\"600\" height=\"419\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20-1024x715.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20-300x210.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20-1536x1073.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20-2048x1431.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Grand Hyatt DFW cash rate (which is better?)<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>The value of each point depends on which Ultimate Rewards cards you hold, and the specific redemption. For example, a two-night stay for $282.72 would cost:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>18,848 Ultimate Rewards points<\/strong> at 1.50 cents per point.<\/li>\n<li><strong>22,618 Ultimate Rewards points<\/strong> at 1.25 cents per point.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Related:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/chase-travel-portal\/#How_Much_Are_Chase_Points_Worth\">How Much Are Points Worth in the Chase Travel Portal?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>But there are a couple of major drawbacks to booking hotels through a third-party like Chase (rather than directly with Hyatt).\u00a0First, you won't earn points from your stay. Hyatt's Bonus Journey's Promotion offered triple base points on paid stays booked through Hyatt (through February 28, 2021). That's 15 points per dollar spent!<\/p>\n<p>Also, Hyatt doesn't award credit towards elite status or provide perks to elites unless you book direct.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Redeem_Capital_One_Points_for_a_Statement_Credit\">3. Redeem Capital One Points for a Statement Credit<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Capital One Rewards are the perfect solution if you care about earning Hyatt points and elite status. With Capital One, you aren't required to book through a third-party website like the Chase Travel Portal. Instead, you simply book your stay directly with Hyatt and pay with your <a data-ccid=\"3006151\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/venture-card\/\">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Then, just redeem your Venture Miles within 90 days for a statement credit that cancels out the cost of your Hyatt stay.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>28,272<\/strong> <strong>Venture Miles<\/strong> would cover a two-night stay for $282.72<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While this is more expensive than redeeming through the Chase Travel Portal, it might be a better choice after you account for Hyatt elite status, and the points you'll earn from your stay.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"4_Pay_Yourself_Back_with_Chase_Available_for_a_Limited_Time\">4. Pay Yourself Back with Chase (Available for a Limited Time)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Groceries are a necessary item in most of our budgets, where travel may not be. But, instead of using cash to buy groceries and points on travel, what if you were able to do the reverse? That's possible for a limited time thanks to Chase's Pay Yourself Back (PYB) tool.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s been plenty of buzz relating to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/chase-pay-yourself-back\/\" rel=\"noopener\">this feature that Chase implemented<\/a> as a part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This option was originally valid through September 30, 2020, but it has recently been extended <strong>through September 30, 2021<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If you decided to use points to PYB, you\u2019d be able to redeem your points at the same rates listed in &#8220;option 2&#8221; above. For example, $300 worth of grocery store purchases would cost:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>20,000 Ultimate Rewards points<\/strong> at 1.50 cents per point.<\/li>\n<li><strong>24,000 Ultimate Rewards points<\/strong> at 1.25 cents per point.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Then, you could take that $300 and pay for your stay directly with Hyatt.<\/p>\n<p>But there are other variables that could reduce it even further. Paying cash will allow you to earn points in the process too. In fact, with so many stackable promotions right now, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/award.travel\/tools\" rel=\"noopener\">we created a tool<\/a> that can quickly determine whether you should transfer points to Hyatt or utilize the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/chase-pay-yourself-back\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Pay Yourself Back feature<\/a>. Here's our recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/live\/?v=776184672946490&ref=watch_permalink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook video<\/a> with more info on the tool!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54552\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/award.travel\/tools\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-aspectratio=\"570\/400\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-54552 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/at_201_33c.png\" alt=\"Transfer or Pay Yourself Back?\" width=\"570\" height=\"400\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/at_201_33c.png 570w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/at_201_33c-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 570px) 100vw, 570px\" \/><\/a><center><em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/award.travel\/tools\" rel=\"noopener\">Transfer or Pay Yourself Back? Check out our new tool to determine which provides a higher return!<\/a><\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Using the example provided above, two nights would cost me just shy of 13K after returning over 6K points from the credit card, promotional offer, base earnings, and my Globalist status.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Using_Flexible_Points_for_a_Flight\">Using Flexible Points for a Flight<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Flexible points can create the same opportunities with cheap airfare. Let's take a look at flights to Dallas for the same weekend. For this example, we'll add another flexible currency, Amex Membership Rewards to the mix.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"4028085\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Gold Card<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img data-aspectratio=\"150\/104\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/CardArt-AmexGoldCard.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"American Express\u00ae Gold Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a class=\"qs-learn-more\" data-ccid=\"4028085\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-gold-card\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><span class=\"qs-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"4028085\" href=\"https:\/\/www.americanexpress.com\/us\/credit-cards\/card-application\/apply\/prospect\/terms\/gold-card\/91101-10-0\/?print#terms-details\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><br>(Terms apply)<\/span><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nAs High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Gold Card<\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nAs High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$325<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"hl\">Highlights<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">The American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Gold Card stands out for its robust rewards, especially for food enthusiasts. It offers 4X points on dining worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1X) and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1X), and 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>. Cardholders can take advantage of multiple annual dining credits at select locations and up to $120 in Uber Cash credits for U.S. rides and Uber Eats (received as $10 monthly credits), just add your American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Gold Card to your account in the Uber app and select it as the payment method. Enrollment required for select American Express benefits.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-hl\"><?xml version=\"1.0\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ??>\n<html><body><ul><li>You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards&#xAE; Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.  Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.<\/li><li>Earn 4X Membership Rewards&#xAE; points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.<\/li><li>Earn 4X Membership Rewards&#xAE; points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.<\/li><li>Earn 3X Membership Rewards&#xAE; points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.<\/li><li>Earn 2X Membership Rewards&#xAE; points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.<\/li><li>Earn 1X Membership Rewards&#xAE; point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.<\/li><li>$120 Uber Cash on Gold:  Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That's up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards&#xAE; points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.<\/li><li>$84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express&#xAE; Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.<\/li><li>$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express&#xAE; Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.<\/li><li>$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express&#xAE; Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.<\/li><li>Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.<\/li><li>No Foreign Transaction Fees.<\/li><li>Annual Fee is $325.<\/li><li>Terms Apply.<\/li><\/ul><\/body><\/html>\n<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul><li>4X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>4X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)<\/li>\r\n        <li>3X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com<\/li>\r\n        <li>2X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel booked on amextravel.com<\/li>\r\n        <li>1X on other eligible purchases<\/li>\r\n        <\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/GoldAmex\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-4-17fe2c9156#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Transfer_Points_to_a_Frequent_Flyer_Program\">1. Transfer Points to a Frequent Flyer Program<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you decide to transfer miles, here is how the costs will break down:<\/p>\n<p><img data-aspectratio=\"826\/366\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"Screen-Shot-2020-10-19-at-5.19.03-PM\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-53696 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-19-at-5.19.03-PM.png\"  width=\"826\" height=\"366\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-19-at-5.19.03-PM.png 747w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-19-at-5.19.03-PM-300x133.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 826px) 100vw, 826px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>46,000 Amex Membership Rewards<\/strong> \u2013 Transferred to Delta Skymiles<\/li>\n<li><strong>41,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards<\/strong> \u2013 Transferred to United Mileage Plus<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You'll notice I didn't include a flexible-points price for the American Airlines option in the middle. Both Amex and Chase points can be transferred to British Airways Executive Club, and British Airways points are a great way to book short, nonstop domestic AA flights. (We've <a href=\"\/airlines\/british-airways-club\/book-american-airlines-with-avios\/\">covered this in strategy in more detail here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>However, to book those flights, you need American to offer <em><strong>AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Saver<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>award space. If AA.com were showing this flight priced at 25,000 miles for a round trip, we could book it using 18,000 British Airways Avios points\u2014transferred from either Amex or Chase. But with the price at 30,000 miles, that option is off the table.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/airlines\/what-flights-can-i-book-with-miles\/\">Which Flights Can I Book with Miles?<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Buy_a_Flight_with_Cash\">2. Buy a Flight with Cash<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Of course, there's the option to pay cash earning 5X on a card like the <a data-ccid=\"4028089\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-platinum\/\">American Express Platinum Card<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a> (on $500,000 of airfare purchases per calendar year booked directly with airlines) or the Citi Prestige<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_53038\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/347\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-53038 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20c-1024x592.png\" alt=\"flexible awards\" width=\"600\" height=\"347\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20c-1024x592.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20c-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20c-1536x888.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20c-2048x1184.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Why use 30K miles when you're only getting less than 2\/3 of a cent in return?<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>However, if we're trying to conserve cash, you could use the <a data-ccid=\"3006151\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/venture-card\/\">Capital One Venture<\/a> to book direct with American Airlines. Just like in the previous example, you'd redeem your points for a statement credit after making your purchase.<\/p>\n<p>The flight above would cost:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>19,420 Venture Miles <\/strong>\u2014 Redeemed for a statement credit with the <a data-ccid=\"3006151\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/venture-card\/\">Capital One Venture<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Capital One has made huge strides in creating greater value for members by offering <a href=\"\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/capital-one-transfer-partners\/\">airline and hotel transfer partners<\/a>. But in this case, &#8220;erasing&#8221; your charge is going to be the best option.<\/p>\n<p>I'd much rather save my American Airlines AAdvantage miles for one of these <a href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/best-ways-to-use-american-miles\/\">higher-value awards<\/a>. But is there yet another way that beats Capital One?<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Redeem_Points_as_Cash_Portal_Booking\">3. Redeem Points as Cash (Portal Booking)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Utilizing your <a data-ccid=\"4048084\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/sapphire-reserve\/\">Chase Sapphire Reserve<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a> through the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/chase-travel-portal\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Chase Travel Portal<\/a>, we can get an even better return on points.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_53039\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/400\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-53039 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20d-1024x682.png\" alt=\"flexible points\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20d-1024x682.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20d-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20d-1536x1023.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/at_201_20d-2048x1364.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Under 13K R\/T plus earn miles!<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>You can also redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for 1.0 cents per point (<a href=\"\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/amex-travel\/\">Amex Travel<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Portal<\/a>). That would still be a lot cheaper than transferring Membership Rewards to Delta, but it doesn't measure up to booking with Chase.<\/p>\n<p>With flights, you don't have to worry about earning elite status. Flights booked through third-party sites like Amex and Chase are still eligible to earn frequent-flyer miles and credit towards elite status.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Our_Take\">Our Take<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It's important to realize that not all award currencies are created equal. However, flexible point currencies such as American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Points, and Chase Ultimate Rewards provide us all with opportunities to do more for less! When you have multiple options, you are no longer at the mercy of the individual program.<\/p>\n<p><em>Which program do you find to be most valuable?<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Low cash prices and increased earning opportunities are making flexible points more valuable than ever before. With these points, you have a choice between transferring to airline and hotel partners or redeeming for a fixed, cash value. The conventional wisdom is to transfer points for higher value. Today, I\u2019ll explain why that advice might not be true right now\u2014and how to make the right choice on your next redemption.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":53140,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[12067],"tags":[15900,12624,12629],"coauthors":[36398],"class_list":["post-53036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-booking-travel","tag-covid-19","tag-paid-travel","tag-using-points"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53036"}],"version-history":[{"count":64,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53036\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":255459,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53036\/revisions\/255459"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53036"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=53036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}