By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 10, 2026. Editorial Policy
Airline points vs. miles: there is no functional difference. “Miles” and “points” are two names for the same thing, a loyalty currency you earn and spend with an airline. American, Delta and United call theirs miles. Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska and Hawaiian, and Air Canada call theirs points. The name tells you nothing about value. The difference that does matter is between airline currencies, which are locked to one program, and transferable bank points, which can move to many.
I have bought and sold both since I started The Points King in 2017, and a price is set by which program it is and what you can do with it, never by whether the statement says points or miles. This page sorts out the names first, then the part that affects your wallet.
Which Airlines Use Miles and Which Use Points
| Program | Currency name | The Points Guy value, October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| American AAdvantage | Miles | 1.45 cents |
| Delta SkyMiles | Miles | 1.2 cents |
| United MileagePlus | Miles | 1.2 cents |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | Points | 1.25 cents |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | Points | 1.35 cents |
| Alaska and Hawaiian Atmos Rewards | Points | 1.55 cents |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Points | 1.5 cents |
| British Airways Club | Avios | 1.4 cents |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Virgin Points | 1.5 cents |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | Miles | 1.4 cents |
| Emirates Skywards | Miles | 1.2 cents |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Points | 1.25 cents |
Look down the right-hand column. The two highest values among the US programs belong to one “points” program and one “miles” program. The label and the value have nothing to do with each other.
Why Some Airlines Say Miles and Others Say Points
“Miles” is left over from how the programs started. You earned one mile for each mile you flew. Most large programs stopped working that way years ago and now award miles for dollars spent, so the word no longer describes anything.
| Program | Switched to earning by fare paid |
|---|---|
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 2009 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | 2011 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 2015 |
| United MileagePlus | 2015 |
| American AAdvantage | 2016 |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 2018 |
| British Airways | 2023 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 2026 |
Some programs changed the name to match. Virgin Atlantic renamed its miles “Virgin Points” in September 2020. Alaska and Hawaiian launched their combined program, Atmos Rewards, with points in August 2025. Others, like Delta and United, kept “miles” for a currency that is earned almost entirely by spending. Air China counts in kilometers instead, which I cover in my guide to Air China’s PhoenixMiles.
What Changed in 2026
- Air Canada Aeroplan moved to earning based on the fare paid on January 1, 2026, at a base of 1 point per Canadian dollar, Upgraded Points reported.
- Atmos Rewards is going the other way on choice. Since October 1, 2026, members can pick how they will earn from January 1, 2027: 1 point per mile flown, 5 points per dollar spent, or 500 points per segment, per One Mile at a Time.
- United now gives its cardholders at least 10% off award flights, from April 2, 2026.
- Chase changed Hyatt transfers to 4:3 on the Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred from October 1, 2026. Bank points change too.
The Difference That Matters: Airline Currency vs. Bank Points
When people ask about points vs. miles, they are often really asking about credit card points against airline miles. That is a real difference.
| Airline miles or points | Transferable bank points | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | AAdvantage miles, SkyMiles, Rapid Rewards points | Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou, Bilt |
| Where they can be spent | One airline and its partners | Many airline and hotel programs, by transfer |
| The Points Guy value, October 2026 | 1.2 to 1.55 cents for the six largest US programs | 1.85 to 2.2 cents |
| Direction of transfer | Cannot be moved back to a bank | One way, into an airline or hotel program |
| Main risk | One program’s price changes | Losing a transfer partner or ratio |
Bank points are worth more because they keep your options open. Once you transfer them to an airline they become that airline’s miles, and the transfer cannot be undone. The names are no help here either: Capital One calls its bank currency “miles,” and it is not an airline. For how this works with American Express, see can you transfer Amex points. For the two biggest bank programs compared, see Amex points vs. Chase points. For the earning side of the same choice, see airline miles vs. credit card points.
Which Should You Collect?
- You fly one airline most of the time: that airline’s miles or points. The benefits that come with its card, such as free checked bags, are worth more to you than flexibility. See our list of the top airline credit cards.
- You fly whoever is cheapest: transferable bank points. You choose the airline when you book, not when you earn.
- You want premium cabins abroad: bank points, because the best prices are often in a foreign program you would never earn in directly.
- You want simple: airline miles on a program whose miles do not expire. Delta and United both qualify.
Whichever you hold, check each booking against the cash price first. The method is in using airline miles vs. paying for flights, and the current values are in how much airline miles are worth in 2026.
If You Have Miles or Points You Will Not Use
Brokers, including The Points King, buy airline miles and bank points for cash. Airline and bank programs prohibit selling in their terms, and a program can take the balance back or close the account of a member who sells. Read the risks of selling miles and points first, then see our pages on selling airline miles and selling credit card points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a difference between airline points and miles?
No. They are two names for an airline’s loyalty currency. American, Delta and United use “miles.” Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska and Hawaiian, and Air Canada use “points.”
Are points or miles worth more?
Neither, as a category. Value depends on the program. The Points Guy’s October 2026 values run from 1.2 cents for Delta and United miles to 1.55 cents for Atmos Rewards points.
Does one mile still equal one mile flown?
Not at most large airlines. Delta and United have awarded miles by dollars spent since 2015, and American since 2016.
Can you convert airline miles into credit card points?
No. Transfers go one way, from a bank program into an airline or hotel program.
Are credit card points better than airline miles?
They are more flexible and are valued higher: 1.85 to 2.2 cents against 1.2 to 1.55 cents for the largest US airline programs, by The Points Guy’s October 2026 numbers. Airline cards make up for it with benefits such as free checked bags.
Why does Capital One call its points miles?
It is a brand name. Capital One miles are a bank currency that transfers to airline and hotel programs. They are not tied to one airline.
Sources
- The Points Guy: monthly valuations, October 1, 2026
- Upgraded Points: Aeroplan earning change, January 1, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: Atmos Rewards earning choice, October 1, 2026
- United: MileagePlus changes for cardholders, February 19, 2026
- InsideFlyer: Virgin Atlantic renames miles to Virgin Points, September 25, 2020
- InsideFlyer: AAdvantage moves to revenue-based earning, June 6, 2016
- Global Traveler: price-based loyalty programs, August 19, 2015
- The Points Guy: Flying Blue program changes, November 6, 2017
- Point Hacks: British Airways Avios earning changes, July 19, 2023
- Upgraded Points: Chase transfer partners, October 7, 2026
Update Log
- October 10, 2026: rewritten to answer the naming question directly, with a program-by-program table, October 2026 values, the years each program moved to earning by fare, and the 2026 changes.