By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 10, 2026. Editorial Policy
How to use airline miles in 2026 comes down to five rules of thumb. Work out the cents per mile before you book. Spend miles on flights, not on things. Learn how your program sets award prices. Read the change and cancellation rules first. And do not sit on a balance for years, because miles expire in some programs and buy less over time in all of them.
I have worked with miles and points for 15 years and have run The Points King since 2017. My company buys unused miles, so I think about what a balance is worth at every stage. These five rules are the ones I would give anyone before they redeem, sell or let a single mile lapse.
The 5 Rules at a Glance
| Rule | In one line |
|---|---|
| 1. Check the cents per mile | (Cash fare minus award taxes) divided by miles. Compare with your program’s average |
| 2. Flights, not things | Gift cards and merchandise return about half of what a flight does, or less |
| 3. Know the pricing model | Most U.S. airlines price awards dynamically. A few fixed charts remain, and they are where the value is |
| 4. Read the fees first | Changes and cancellations are free on most U.S. programs, but not on every fare or every foreign program |
| 5. Do not hoard | American miles expire after 24 months of inactivity, and five programs raised prices in the past year |
What Changed for Using Miles in 2026
- United: since April 2, 2026, United cardholders get at least 10% off United award flights, and 15% with Premier status, The Points Guy reported.
- American: miles can be redeemed for gift cards since March 2026, and on October 2, 2026 American announced cash-and-miles bookings on aa.com and in its app, rolling out over the following weeks.
- Flying Blue: on September 8, 2026 Air France-KLM split its awards into Light, Standard and Flex, with the cheaper Light awards losing changes and checked bags, per Thrifty Traveler.
- Air Canada Aeroplan: points are earned on dollars spent since January 1, 2026, and its award chart went up on June 1, 2026.
- British Airways: Avios prices rose in December 2025 and cash fees on awards rose on May 27, 2026.
- Southwest: award prices are variable since March 2025, and the airline now charges for checked bags and assigns seats.
Rule 1: Check the Cents per Mile Before You Book
Take the cash fare, subtract the taxes and fees you would pay on the award, and divide by the miles. A $420 fare that costs 30,000 miles plus $11.20 returns 1.36 cents per mile. Then compare that with what your miles are worth on average.
| Program | Average value, The Points Guy, October 2026 | Long-haul economy awards | Long-haul business and first awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| American AAdvantage | 1.45 cents | 1.69 cents | 3.87 cents |
| United MileagePlus | 1.2 cents | 1.74 cents | 3.35 cents |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1.2 cents | 1.24 cents | 2.40 cents |
| Alaska and Hawaiian Atmos Rewards | 1.55 cents | 1.75 cents | 3.99 cents |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1.5 cents | 1.27 cents | 2.63 cents |
The last two columns are averages of real redemptions logged by AwardWallet users, as of September 1, 2026. The gap between them is the single most useful fact on this page: premium cabins on long flights return about twice what economy does. Values for more programs are in how much airline miles are worth, and the cash-or-miles decision is covered in when to use miles vs. paying for flights.
Long-haul business and first class awards return the most per mile on every program here, which is why the third rule points you to the fixed charts that remain.
Rule 2: Spend Miles on Flights, Not on Things
| Redemption | Typical return | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Award flights | 1.2 to 1.7 cents per mile in economy on the large U.S. programs | NerdWallet, October 2026 |
| Hotels booked with American miles | About 0.8 cents in one example | Upgraded Points, August 2026 |
| American Airlines gift cards | 0.5 to 0.7 cents | AwardWallet and Upgraded Points, March 2026 |
| Merchandise | 0.3 to 0.5 cents | Upgraded Points, August 2026 |
A gift card is not a disaster for the last few thousand miles in an account you are closing out. As a plan for a real balance it gives up half the value or more. Our post on redeeming miles for merchandise goes through the numbers.
Rule 3: Know How Your Program Prices Awards
- Delta, United, Southwest and JetBlue have no award chart. The price in miles moves with the cash fare, so flexible dates matter most.
- American prices its own flights dynamically but still uses a chart for flights on partner airlines: 57,500 miles one way to Europe in business class, for example. See how to redeem AA miles.
- Alaska and Hawaiian publish a distance-based chart with minimum prices under Atmos Rewards. Our flight mileage calculator shows which distance band a route falls into.
- Delta gives holders of its Gold, Platinum and Reserve cards at least 15% off award flights it operates. See how to redeem Delta miles.
- United now gives cardholders at least 10% off its own award flights. Values are in our United miles to dollars guide.
Rule 4: Read the Change and Cancellation Rules First
| Program | Changing or cancelling an award |
|---|---|
| American | Free to cancel before departure. Miles go back to the account |
| Delta | Free on trips starting in the US, Canada or the Caribbean. Basic awards carry a penalty in miles |
| United | No change or cancellation fee. $125 to get miles back after a no-show |
| Southwest | No fees. You pay any difference in points when you rebook |
| Alaska and Hawaiian Atmos Rewards | Free, except Saver awards, which cannot be changed, or cancelled after 24 hours |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | CAD 75 to change and CAD 150 to cancel a Standard award online |
| British Airways | $55 per ticket, up to 24 hours before departure |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | EUR 70 to change or cancel. Light awards cannot be changed or refunded |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | $50 to change a partner award, $75 to cancel a Saver award |
From AwardWallet’s table of award change and cancellation rules, dated October 4, 2026. Sources disagree on JetBlue’s current fee after its October 2026 fare changes, so check jetblue.com before you book a JetBlue award.
The other cost to read for is carrier surcharges. United, Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, Southwest and JetBlue do not add them. British Airways adds substantial ones on its own flights, American passes on high surcharges on British Airways flights, and Delta adds them on awards that start in Europe, per AwardWallet.
Rule 5: Do Not Hoard
| Program | When miles expire |
|---|---|
| Delta, United, JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska and Hawaiian | They do not |
| American | After 24 months with no activity. Members under 21 and primary AAdvantage cardholders are exempt |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | After 18 months with no activity |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | After 24 months with no activity |
| British Airways (Avios) | After 36 months with no activity |
| Singapore KrisFlyer, ANA, Emirates | About three years after each mile is earned, whatever you do |
Expiry rules are from NerdWallet, August 6, 2026. Smaller programs keep their own clocks: Copa ConnectMiles lapse after 24 months with no activity, and Air China PhoenixMiles kilometers lapse after 36 months whatever you do. Expiry is only half of it. In the past 12 months Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Avianca and Air Canada all raised award prices. Miles are for a trip you plan to take, and a balance with no plan loses value quietly.
Using Miles for Hotels, Rental Cars and Cruises
Most large programs let you spend miles on hotels, cars and cruises through their own travel sites. The return is usually 1 cent per mile or less, below what the same miles earn on a flight. Delta’s hotel bookings return about 0.7 to 0.9 cents per mile, and American’s about 1 cent and sometimes half that. If the flight you want is unavailable, a hotel booking beats letting American miles expire. Otherwise keep the miles for flights.
Can You Use Airline Miles on Expedia, Kayak, Orbitz or Priceline?
No. Those sites sell cash fares, and Kayak is a search engine that sends you elsewhere to book. Award tickets are booked with the airline program itself, on its website, in its app or by phone. What you can do on a travel site is add your frequent flyer number to a cash booking so the flight earns miles. Expedia has a separate currency of its own, covered in using Expedia points for flights.
Using Your Miles for Someone Else
- Booking a ticket in their name: American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue and Atmos Rewards let you book an award for anyone, per AwardWallet. Singapore KrisFlyer limits you to five named nominees, and ANA and Korean Air limit awards to family.
- Pooling: JetBlue lets up to seven people pool points free of charge, and United lets up to five pool miles. Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways and Flying Blue have family or household accounts. American, Delta and Southwest have no pooling, according to The Points Guy and AwardWallet.
- Transferring miles to their account: the expensive way. American charges $5 per 1,000 miles, Delta $10 per 1,000 plus $30, and United $7.50 per 500 plus $30, per Thrifty Traveler. Book the ticket in their name instead.
If You Have Miles You Will Not Use
Brokers, including The Points King, buy airline miles for cash. Airline programs prohibit selling miles in their terms, and a program can take the miles back or close the account of a member who sells them. Read the risks of selling miles and points first, then see our page on selling airline miles for cash.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to use airline miles?
Award flights, and above all long-haul business or first class. AwardWallet’s redemption data shows premium cabins returning about twice the value per mile of economy on the same programs.
How do I know if an award flight is a good deal?
Subtract the award’s taxes and fees from the cash fare and divide by the miles. If the result is at or above your program’s average value, about 1.2 to 1.55 cents for the large U.S. airlines, it is a fair use.
Can I use my airline miles for hotels or rental cars?
Yes, through most programs’ own travel sites, but the return is usually 1 cent per mile or less.
Can I use airline miles on Expedia or Priceline?
No. Award tickets are booked directly with the airline program. Travel sites sell cash fares.
Can I use my miles to book a flight for someone else?
On American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue and Atmos Rewards, yes, for anyone. Some foreign programs restrict awards to named nominees or family. The rules for each program are in can I use airline miles to buy a ticket for someone else.
Do airline miles expire?
It depends on the program. Delta, United, JetBlue and Southwest miles do not. American miles expire after 24 months without activity.
Is there a fee to cancel an award ticket?
Usually not on U.S. airlines. American, United and Southwest do not charge one. Delta charges a penalty in miles on Basic awards.
From the typical-return table on this page: NerdWallet (October 2026) for flights, Upgraded Points (August 2026) for hotels and merchandise, AwardWallet and Upgraded Points (March 2026) for gift cards. The hotel figure is one example with American miles.
Sources
- AwardWallet: award ticket change and cancellation rules, October 4, 2026
- NerdWallet: when frequent flyer miles expire, August 6, 2026
- AwardWallet: point and mile values by redemption, September 1, 2026
- AwardWallet: booking an award for someone else, July 7, 2026
- The Points Guy: airlines that allow family pooling, June 26, 2026
- Thrifty Traveler: transferring airline miles to someone else, December 1, 2025
- AwardWallet: surcharges on award flights, July 20, 2026
- Upgraded Points: worst ways to use points and miles, August 14, 2026
- The Points Guy: United MileagePlus changes, updated April 24, 2026
- American Airlines: cash-and-miles bookings, October 2, 2026
- Thrifty Traveler: Flying Blue award changes, September 2026
- NerdWallet: how many miles for a free flight, November 14, 2025
- The Points Guy: monthly valuations, October 1, 2026