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Quick Points: Maximize your points and miles with TPG's calculator

Kyle Olsen
Kyle Olsen
Points and Miles Expert
Kyle Olsen is the former points and miles reporter at TPG. He specializes in maximizing points and miles, elite status and credit cards so readers travel more comfortably and at a lower cost.
Feb. 11, 2022
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3 min read
Terminal 3 and Terminal G: San Francisco (SFO)
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At TPG, we oftentimes are asked by readers how to decide to use points and miles or cash when booking travel. Recognizing that every traveler's situation is different and that the value of points and miles varies significantly throughout the various programs, we understand how difficult it can be when deciding whether you should be using hard-earned cash or your equally hard-earned points and miles.

With this in mind, we'd like to remind you of another tool to help guide you when navigating these decisions — TPG's points and miles calculator. The calculator is powered by our data-driven valuations, which are updated monthly, so you are never left in the dark.

Related: TPG releases brand-new points calculator to make award bookings easier

Why you should use the points and miles calculator

The purpose of the calculator is to provide a valuation basis for you to understand how much your points and miles are worth. We want you to be able to maximize your rewards, and that starts with knowing their approximate value. With the points and miles calculator, you are in the captain's seat and can decide what's best for you— using your rewards now or saving them for a future trip.

By knowing when to use your Hilton points, you can get more than 1 cent per point at the Hilton Moorea. (Photo by Kyle Olsen/The Points Guy)

How to use the points and miles calculator

Using the calculator is easy. Select whether you would like to calculate the value of airline miles or hotel points and then choose a program. Make sure to enter the fields completely, especially the fees column as some airlines have hefty fuel surcharges.

The landing page of the points and miles calculator. (Screenshot courtesy of www.2hotmovs.com)

Here's an example of using 60,000 United miles for a business class award from the continental U.S. to Europe.

Related: How to get maximum value from the United MileagePlus program

(Screenshot courtesy of www.2hotmovs.com)

In this case, 60,000 United miles are worth $678 according to our valuations. As the one-way cash price of this flight is $3,467, your 60,000 miles save you $2,783, which is a steal of a deal. You are getting roughly 5.8 cents per mile, which is more than five times our current valuation.

Verdict: (Definitely) book with miles.

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Bottom line

The points and miles calculator allows you to see how much your rewards are worth, which lets you make informed, confident decisions when making travel arrangements. We also advise that you run calculations before transferring points to an airline or hotel program.

Start getting the most from your rewards with our points and miles calculator today.

Featured image by Kyle Olsen/The Points Guy
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.