Transferable Points Trump Airline Miles

Airline miles are outdated, but

Transferable points offer more flexibility and savings.

Choosing to earn credit card points instead of airline miles elevates your travel experiences.

Frequent Flyer programs have become Frequent Buyer programs.

Gone are the days of earning status through mileage alone. 

Instead, airlines have moved to dynamic pricing — award rates increase based on demand, meaning loyalty doesn’t stretch as far as it used to.

What was attainable through loyalty alone now requires serious spending. 

How This Limits Your Travel Flexibility

When you focus on earning miles with a single airline, you lock yourself in.

Imagine you’re loyal to United Airlines, using their co-branded United Explorer card to rack up United miles. 

When you’re ready to book your trip, the “Saver” rates are replaced by dynamic rates.

The outcome? You’re stuck paying higher rates—or settling for a subpar travel experience.

But, there's a better way;

Making Your Points Work for You

Here’s how transferable points can make all the difference:

1. Choose Transferable Points Over Airline Miles

• Earn flexible points like Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, and Chase Ultimate Rewards.

• With transferable points, you can book flights with partners like Virgin, Air France, or Delta—whoever gives the best deal.

2. Diversify Your Points Portfolio

• Think beyond one loyalty program. Use multiple cards to earn a mix of flexible points.

• Example: Use the Amex Gold for groceries (4x points) and Capital One Venture for general purchases (2x points).

3. Avoid Speculative Transfers

• Only transfer points when you know the flights you want are available.

• Moving points without a confirmed plan risks losing value over time due to devaluation.

4. Capitalize on Transfer Bonuses

Transfer bonuses can stretch your points even further. For example, a 40% transfer bonus turns 21,000 Chase points into 29,000 Virgin miles.

Example Savings:

Atlanta to London in Virgin Upper Class for $255

• Route: ATL - LHR in Virgin Upper Class

• Cost: 29K Virgin miles + $255 (instead of Delta’s 310K miles + $6!)

• Savings: Over $3,000

Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.

Where and how you book matters. 

On Airline Loyalty Programs

If you’re spending enough to qualify for the top airline status, you probably don’t need it.

For example, Delta’s Diamond Medallion status requires about $25,000 in annual spending, but transferable points often grant you similar benefits without the price of “loyalty.” 

Transferable points frees you from the constraints of dynamic airline programs and devaluations, allowing you to fly premium without committing to just one airline.

Transferable points are the smarter choice for free, flexible travel.
You can maximize value with every trip when you control how you spend and where you redeem.

If you’re looking to turn your regular spending into premium travel experiences, Freemium Traveler can help you get started.

Turn expenses into experiences.

Until next week,
Ade O.