Travel Value of Points and Miles - Determining Their True Worth in July 2025
In the world of travel rewards, there's been a flurry of exciting developments for loyal customers. Here's a roundup of the latest news:
Loyalty Program Transfer Bonuses
American Express Membership Rewards is offering a 30% bonus on transfers to Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Iberia, as well as a 20% bonus to Marriott Bonvoy. Meanwhile, Chase Ultimate Rewards is providing a 20% bonus on transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan, a 50% bonus to Marriott Bonvoy, a 20% bonus to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and a 50% bonus to Accor Live Limitless. Citi ThankYou Rewards is also offering a 20% bonus on transfers to Air France-KLM Flying Blue and a 50% bonus on transfers to Accor Live Limitless.
Point Purchase Opportunities with Bonuses
There are also new chances to purchase points with attractive bonuses. American Airlines AAdvantage is offering up to a 35% discount, Avianca LifeMiles is providing up to a 160% bonus, Etihad Guest is offering up to a 40% bonus, Garuda Indonesia is offering a 35% bonus, Hilton Honors is offering up to a 100% bonus, IHG One Rewards is offering up to a 100% bonus, JetBlue TrueBlue is offering up to a 125% bonus, Marriott Bonvoy is offering up to a 40% bonus, Southwest Rapid Rewards is offering up to a 50% discount, United Airlines is offering up to a 30% discount or 60% bonus, and World of Hyatt is offering a 20% discount.
JetBlue's "25 For 25" Promotion
JetBlue Airways has launched a promotion called "25 For 25", offering up to 350,000 bonus TrueBlue points and 25 years of Mosaic status for flying to 25 destinations between June 25 and December 31, 2025.
Refreshed Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has been refreshed, offering 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases, 5x points on Lyft rides, 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly, 3x points on all dining purchases worldwide, a $300 annual travel credit, $500 annual The Edit credit, $300 annual dining credit, $300 annual StubHub and viagogo credit, $120 in annual Lyft in-app credits, and complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status.
New Lounges for Delta and Capital One
Delta's premium-only Delta One Lounge has opened at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, offering seating for up to 221 people and featuring an a la carte dining menu and a fully covered outdoor terrace. Access is limited to travelers flying in Delta One or in business and first class on SkyTeam partner airlines, and Delta 360° members with a same-day Delta first class ticket. Capital One has opened its first lounge in New York City, located on the lower level of JFK's Terminal 4 retail hall. It spans 13,500 square feet and offers premium food and beverage offerings, and unlimited complimentary access to those with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Business Card.
Highest-Valued Flexible Points Programs
As of July 2025, the highest-valued flexible points programs and related travel rewards credit cards include:
- Flying Blue (Air France-KLM’s loyalty program)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
These programs and cards stand out for a combination of flexibility, valuable earning rates, premium travel benefits, and broad redemption options.
Points Boost Feature from Chase
Chase has also launched the new Points Boost feature on June 23, 2025, which applies to credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points and could provide a higher value for your points, depending on what type of travel you're booking.
New Chase Sapphire Reserve Business Card
Chase has introduced the new Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card, offering 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases, 5x points on Lyft rides, 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly, 3x points on advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines, over $1,800 worth of annual statement credits, airport lounge access, IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, and excellent travel and purchase protection.
Valuations of Points and Miles
In the July 2025 Points and Miles Valuations, World of Hyatt Points have the highest value among hotel loyalty programs, with a value of 1.5 cents per point. American Express Membership Rewards Points have the highest value among flexible point programs, with a value of 2.2 cents per point. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles have the highest value among airline loyalty programs.
[1] Source: Upgraded Points [2] Source: The Points Guy [3] Source: NerdWallet
- Exciting developments in travel rewards have been rapidly unfolding, such as transfer bonuses from American Express, Chase, and Citi on their respective loyalty programs.
- Some programs, like American Airlines AAdvantage and Marriott Bonvoy, are offering attractive point purchase bonuses, making it an opportune time for customers to acquire more points.
- Airline lounges are being expanded, with Delta opening a premium-only Delta One Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Capital One debuting its first lounge at New York City's JFK airport.
- In the ever-evolving landscape of travel rewards, the Advantage Travel Rewards Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card remain high-valued flexible points programs for their flexibility, earning rates, and premium travel benefits.
