What are credit card points worth?
The answer depends on how you use them. Cash back has a stated redemption rate. A flight or hotel award has a value tied to the cash purchase it replaces, after taxes and fees. The three quick examples are illustrative scenarios. The separate award examples are dated API snapshots from Seats.aero and Rooms.aero, with source links and the provider’s last-check time. They are not booking guarantees.
Why include points left over?
Using fewer points leaves something in your account. The comparison values those remaining bank points at the cash-out rate you enter, so every option starts with the same balance. Each option is a separate use of that balance; you cannot add the flight and hotel totals together.
Where do I find flight and hotel prices?
Check award space with the airline or hotel program and compare it with a cash booking for the same trip. Seats.aero and Rooms.aero can help you find award options. The award examples on this page were retrieved from those APIs on the date shown. They are cached records, not a live search. Always recheck the price and availability before transferring points.
How to choose which credit card to use
For a purchase you already planned, compare the cash value of the rewards on cards you hold. Multiply the purchase amount by each applicable reward rate. This calculator uses integer cents and rounds each reward to the nearest cent, with half cents rounded up.
How to calculate cash back
Multiply your purchase amount by the cash back rate divided by 100. A $250 purchase earns $5 on a 2% card and $2.50 on a 1% card. The difference is $2.50. If both cards are paid in full and no other benefit changes the choice, the higher reward rate earns more.
How do points compare with cash back?
Use the comparison above to estimate a redemption value after fees, then convert your earning rate to a cash-equivalent percentage. At one cent per point, two points per dollar is equivalent to 2%. A higher redemption value is only useful if you can actually redeem at that value. This tool does not assume premium travel redemptions.
What could change the answer?
A welcome bonus, a spending cap, a merchant offer or purchase protection can matter more than a small difference in rewards. This calculator compares base rewards only. Use the bonus tracker to see how a planned purchase fits your bonus target.
What if I carry a balance?
Interest can exceed the value of rewards. This comparison does not calculate interest or account for the loss of a purchase grace period. The payoff planner compares repayment strategies using your balances, rates and monthly budget. Read the CFPB explanation of grace periods to understand interest on new purchases.