United is our favorite point system for international flights, especially for business class.

• United has ample cards for collecting large sums of points.
• International business class seats can be found for as low as 120,000 points.
• They’re a partner in our favorite rewards system, making top offs from Chase Ultimate Rewards both easy and a good value.
• United is also a decent option for domestic flights and standard international fares, but we generally use Southwest, American or Delta for those.
• We save our United points for those long international flights where business class is a difference maker.

Chase Ultimate Rewards is our most valued point system.

• These points are the most flexible of any credit card points. You can book travel items directly through the Chase portal, including cruise, car rental, or speciality hotel. (Or transfer points to their partners).
• The quality of their transfer partners (Hyatt, United & Southwest) is unmatched. As is the value you can get when you transfer.
• You can get a “multiplier effect” (either 1.5x or 1.25x) on your Chase Ultimate Rewards points when you have either of Chase’s Sapphire cards.
• We view Ultimate Rewards as the points “savings account” to top off a partner reward system for a flight or hotel. Or to book travel items directly through the Chase travel portal.

American Airlines is a great utility point system.

• Points are relatively easy to collect, though we don’t love the bank partners or transfer options as much.
• We love direct flights, and American can be a good option for finding those with points.
• Rewards flights start at 7500 miles each way.
• You can use AA miles to travel with eligible Oneworld partner airlines worldwide.

Delta is a good point system for both domestic and international flights.

• Delta offers many cards making initial collection relatively easy. But Amex’s “one bonus per card per lifetime” limits that ability over time.
• Delta is part of the Amex partner reward system and is a decent transfer value.
• We save Delta points for specific flights, perhaps direct domestic or best value international.
• We use easier-to-collect point systems such as Southwest and American ahead of Delta.

Amex points are great in theory. We just find them harder to collect and more expensive to hold than Chase points.

• If you’re in the points game long enough, you’ll dabble in both main systems (Chase & Amex).
• Amex has a one card bonus per lifetime rule, so ultimately, there will be more of a limit to how many you can collect via sign-up bonuses.
• You’ll need to keep a “fee” card to hold your points.
• Delta and Hilton are solid transfer values and having Amex points gives you top-off flexibility if you are invested in either of those systems.
• We do find Amex travel a higher quality of service over the Chase travel portal.

• Car Rentals, cruises, and vacation home rentals top our list of uses for Capital One Miles
• Partner transfers are niche airlines and hotel brands, making the points less attractive
• Point redemptions are so similar to cash that they can be less satisfying for the hobbyist
• Capital One is particularly attractive to businesses with large spends

If you live in the United States, Air Canada is a complicated alternative to United Airlines.

• Similar to United, you can access Star Alliance international flights through Air Canada, but generally at higher point totals
• You cannot book flights between two U.S. cities
• Air Canada can be useful for international flights that naturally route through Canada.
• Aeroplan allows up to two stopovers per flight for 5,000 points each

The greatest value when using Avios for rewards travel is the ability to transfer them to one of their many partners

• American Airlines isn’t a transfer partner of any major credit card rewards program, but you can use Avios to book an AA flight, even a domestic one in the US
• By tapping into their extensive transfer partner network, you can avoid BA’s hefty surcharges, which is the program’s biggest pain point
• Using Avios for short haul flights, anywhere in the world BA or a partner flies, offers tremendous value with its distance based award chart
• Executive Club partners with Chase and Amex, adding to the value of the program
  
  

There are no credit card transfer partners for Miles and More, making it a program we rarely recommend

• While Miles and More miles are difficult to earn, they can be redeemed on Lufthansa or any of its 40 partner airlines
• Fuel surcharges on Lufthansa are amongst the highest of airline loyalty programs
• If you have Miles and More miles, they are best used on United or Air Canada flights within North America or flights within Europe
• You cannot even search award availability unless you have at least 7000 miles in your account

We don’t recommend actively collecting Flying Blue points, but their monthly Promo Rewards are worth monitoring

• They are partners with all major point systems, making it easy to jump on a Promo Reward or top off
• You can transfer Flying Blue Rewards to all SkyTeam partner airlines
• Flying Blue offers free stopovers to Paris or Amsterdam to maximize your point redemption
• United is still our go-to for international flights, but Flying Blue Rewards offer competitive redemptions on long haul flights