Domestic Airfare Points Rankings

Citi points are increasing in value with the addition of American Airlines as a transfer partner, though limited partner-transfer cards still hold them back.

• Only the Strata Premier and Strata Elite are worth it; they’re the only Citi cards with transferable miles to all partners and a 60k–80k point signup bonus.
• You can combine cash back points from other Citi cards with Strata Premier or Elite and then transfer to partners, but none of the cash back cards offer strong bonuses.
• Citi has expanded its transfer partner network, adding several high-value options it once lacked.
• Points are flexible with many airline partners, and Citi is the only credit card system that transfers to American Airlines.

Chase Ultimate Rewards is our most valued point system.

• These points are the most flexible of any credit card points. You can transfer points to their partners (the most valuable way to redeem)
• Or you can book travel directly through the Chase portal, including cruise, car rental, or specialty hotels.
• 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” on your Chase Ultimate Rewards points when you have either of Chase’s Sapphire cards by taking advantage of Points Boost.
• 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.

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 every 7 years rule, so ultimately, there will be more of a limit to how many you can collect via sign-up bonuses.
• There is only one no-fee card that allows you to earn and keep Membership Rewards points - the Blue Business Plus card.
• 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.

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.

Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines have some great sweet spots, but understanding their award charts is key.

• A key factor in their value is whether either airline flies from your home airport.
• Alaska often has the best pricing available for international business class. Using an award search tool will help maximize.
• Their award chart also allows for some great finds on short-haul domestic flights.
• The one downfall of the program is that only Bilt and Marriott are transfer partners, making collecting points or topping up more difficult
• One-way award tickets with a stopover allows you to visit two destinations for the price of one.

Southwest airlines carries the most passengers in North America.

• Their points are among the easiest to earn, plus they have solid value.
• They’re partnered with Chase Ultimate Rewards, our favorite point partner ecosystem.
• Southwest is moving to reserved seating in early 2026 and now charges for bags, two features that once made them unique.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards aren’t the most glamorous, but they’re the utility points that just work.

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

• Delta offers many cards, making initial collection relatively easy. But the Amex 1/7 Rule 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.

JetBlue is particularly attractive if you live in New York City and it’s a convenient hub to your frequent destinations.

• More limited routes that all run through one hub make it a less attractive utility airline option than American or Southwest.
• Points are relatively easy to collect with good transfer options and a nice airline. We just hate layovers.

Capital One is a flexible point system we use for travel items that other systems don't cover

• Partner transfers are niche airlines and hotel brands, making the points more difficult to maximize
• Using an award search tool such as PointsYeah makes finding flights with those airlines more realistic
• Simple redemptions for erasing travel can be useful for cruises & rental cars (at 1¢/point so value isn’t maximized)
• Capital One is particularly attractive to businesses with large spending

Bilt Rewards are quickly becoming valuable in the points and miles world, but only if you’re a renter.

• Earn up to 100,000 points in rewards from your monthly rent payments by putting it on the Bilt Mastercard
• There is no annual fee or extra charge for doing this as Bilt acts as an intermediary and sends a check if your landlord doesn’t accept credit cards or charges a fee for using one
• You can then cash those points in for high value redemptions
• Bilt has an impressive array of transfer partners that rivals Chase and American Express, so you can turn that rent payment into free airfare and/or hotel stays pretty easily

United is a solid option 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 60,000 points to South America and 80,000 to Europe.
• 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.

The U.S. Bank Loyalty System is a fixed-value travel program with limited upside.

• Points redeem at 1.5 cents each toward travel when booked through their portal with certain cards (this is being changed to 1 cent per point on the Altitude Reserve on December 15, 2025).
• U.S. Bank does not currently have transfer partners, but they announced the Altitude Reserve will have some starting in December, 2025 (they have not announced who)
• U.S. Bank points work fine for people who want a simple rebate toward flights, but it’s not a strategic program for maximizing travel value.