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Points & Miles Valuations
By Joe
In October 2026, Roaming Cactus publishes one cents-per-point figure for each of ten major points and miles programs. Each row lists three published source figures and the date we last checked them. Use the Roaming Cactus figure as a conservative benchmark when you compare a specific award before you redeem.
October 2026 points and miles valuations (cents per point)
The table below lists our October 2026 valuations in cents per point. For each program you see the Roaming Cactus figure, the three source figures beside it, and the date we last checked those sources. Use the Roaming Cactus number as a floor when you ask whether a given redemption beats cash. The sources are The Points Guy’s monthly valuations, AwardWallet’s average values from member bookings, and Frequent Miler’s Reasonable Redemption Values. All three sources were found for every program listed this month. Figures were checked between October 17 and October 20, 2026. A program without a verifiable source would appear as Not rated; none does this month.
10 programs shown.
| Chase Ultimate Rewards Transferable | 1.5¢ | 2.05¢ | 2.07¢ | 1.5¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 1.5¢ | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Membership Rewards Transferable | 1.5¢ | 2.0¢ | 2.03¢ | 1.5¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 1.5¢ | Checked | |
| United MileagePlus Airline | 1.2¢ | 1.2¢ | 2.09¢ | 1.3¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 1.2¢ | Checked | |
| Delta SkyMiles Airline | 1.1¢ | 1.2¢ | 1.37¢ | 1.1¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 1.1¢ | Checked | |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Airline | 1.25¢ | 1.25¢ | 1.52¢ | 1.3¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 1.25¢ | Checked | |
| Marriott Bonvoy Hotel | 0.73¢ | 0.75¢ | 0.93¢ | 0.73¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 0.73¢ | Checked | |
| World of Hyatt Hotel | 1.5¢ | 1.65¢ | 2.19¢ | 1.5¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 1.5¢ | Checked | |
| Hilton Honors Hotel | 0.35¢ | 0.4¢ | 0.62¢ | 0.35¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 0.35¢ | Checked | |
| Capital One Miles Transferable | 1.45¢ | 1.85¢ | 2.09¢ | 1.45¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 1.45¢ | Checked | |
| Citi ThankYou Points Transferable | 1.5¢ | 1.9¢ | 2.35¢ | 1.5¢ | Checked | No prior month | October 2026 1.5¢ | Checked |
Highest-value points right now
Roaming Cactus cents per point this month, highest first.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards: 1.5¢
- Amex Membership Rewards: 1.5¢
- World of Hyatt: 1.5¢
- Citi ThankYou Points: 1.5¢
- Capital One Miles: 1.45¢
- Southwest Rapid Rewards: 1.25¢
- United MileagePlus: 1.2¢
- Delta SkyMiles: 1.1¢
- Marriott Bonvoy: 0.73¢
- Hilton Honors: 0.35¢
How much are points worth? Quick answers by program
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Chase Ultimate Rewards are valued at 1.5 cents per point by Roaming Cactus. The source range runs from 1.5 to 2.07 cents. At the Roaming Cactus figure, 10,000 points equal $150.
Amex Membership Rewards
Amex Membership Rewards are valued at 1.5 cents per point. Sources range from 1.5 to 2.03 cents. Ten thousand points equal $150 at our figure.
Capital One Miles
Capital One Miles are valued at 1.45 cents per point. The source range is 1.45 to 2.09 cents. At the Roaming Cactus figure, 10,000 miles equal $145.
Citi ThankYou
Citi ThankYou points are valued at 1.5 cents per point. Sources range from 1.5 to 2.35 cents. Ten thousand points equal $150 at our figure.
United MileagePlus
United MileagePlus miles are valued at 1.2 cents per mile. The source range runs from 1.2 to 2.09 cents. At the Roaming Cactus figure, 10,000 miles equal $120.
Delta SkyMiles
Delta SkyMiles are valued at 1.1 cents per mile. Sources range from 1.1 to 1.37 cents. Ten thousand miles equal $110 at our figure.
Southwest Rapid Rewards
Southwest Rapid Rewards points are valued at 1.25 cents per point. The source range is 1.25 to 1.52 cents. At the Roaming Cactus figure, 10,000 points equal $125.
World of Hyatt
World of Hyatt points are valued at 1.5 cents per point. Sources range from 1.5 to 2.19 cents. Ten thousand points equal $150 at our figure.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy points are valued at 0.73 cents per point. The source range runs from 0.73 to 0.93 cents. At the Roaming Cactus figure, 10,000 points equal $73.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors points are valued at 0.35 cents per point. Sources range from 0.35 to 0.62 cents. Ten thousand points equal $35 at our figure.
Why our valuations are lower than TPG’s
The Points Guy’s monthly figures often run above our Roaming Cactus values on major transferable currencies. This month the gap is Chase Ultimate Rewards at 1.5¢ versus TPG’s 2.05¢, Amex Membership Rewards at 1.5¢ versus TPG’s 2.0¢, and Citi ThankYou at 1.5¢ versus TPG’s 1.9¢. Those spreads show up wherever TPG is not the lowest published figure on the row. Every program still lists TPG next to AwardWallet and Frequent Miler so you can judge the difference yourself.
How we set these numbers
Method
We publish one cents-per-point figure per program by taking the smallest of three published valuations: The Points Guy monthly valuations, AwardWallet point values, and Frequent Miler Reasonable Redemption Values. No issuer publishes an official cents-per-point number. We show every source figure next to our number so you can see the inputs. If no source figure can be verified, the program is listed as Not rated instead of a guess. An UNVERIFIED badge means we could not confirm that figure this month. Valuations are per point or mile, before taxes and fees on awards. Taxes and fees are paid separately and do not change the published figure. The same data file feeds our points value calculator, which compares a specific redemption against this table. We do not adjust the smallest number upward for transfer flexibility or elite status. The figure is the lowest verified published value for that program in the current month.
Sources and refresh
We refresh the figures monthly and display the last-checked date on every row. The Points Guy dates its valuations monthly; the October 2026 edition was published on October 1. AwardWallet’s figures are averages from member bookings and were last updated September 1, 2026. Frequent Miler Reasonable Redemption Values are median observed values from award searches and are meant as reasonably achievable mid-point values. All three sources were checked for every program in the October 2026 table between October 17 and October 20, 2026. The same data file feeds the points value calculator, which uses these figures as the comparison baseline. A program with no verifiable source is shown as Not rated. An UNVERIFIED badge appears when a specific source figure cannot be confirmed for the current month. The change log records each monthly update and any program whose figure changed.
- TPG monthly valuations
- AwardWallet point and mile values
- Frequent Miler reasonable redemption values
When sources disagree
The three sources often publish different figures for the same program. The Points Guy often runs higher than our figure; it says its monthly estimates draw on award pricing, redemption opportunities, fees, program rules, and redemption data. AwardWallet averages actual bookings made by its members. Frequent Miler uses median observed values from award searches as reasonably achievable mid-points. Every source figure is shown next to our number so the difference is visible and you can judge the spread yourself. The monthly check means a disagreement that appears one month may narrow or widen the next when any source updates its figure.
Change log
The change log records each monthly update and any program whose figure changed.
- October 20, 2026 — Hub launched with 10 programs, all checked against three sources.
- March 2026 snapshot: points values for Europe luxury trips
Points valuation FAQ
What is a good cents per point value?
A good cents-per-point value is one that meets or exceeds the Roaming Cactus figure for that program. Our figures serve as a conservative floor against the published sources we list. A redemption that returns at least that number is in line with the lowest verified published benchmark. Higher is better for that particular booking, but the table gives you a consistent reference point. No issuer publishes an official value, so every number is an estimate. Use the table figure as the comparison baseline in the calculator or when you price an award yourself.
How much are Chase Ultimate Rewards points worth?
Chase Ultimate Rewards are valued at 1.5 cents per point in the October 2026 Roaming Cactus table. Sources on the row range from 1.5 to 2.07 cents. At 1.5 cents, 10,000 points equal $150. Check the last-checked date on the row to confirm the sources are current. The same figure is used by the points value calculator when you compare a Chase redemption.
How much are Amex points worth?
Amex Membership Rewards are valued at 1.5 cents per point in the October 2026 table. Sources range from 1.5 to 2.03 cents. At that rate, 10,000 points equal $150. These are independent estimates; American Express does not publish an official cents-per-point figure. The number is refreshed monthly along with the rest of the table. Use it as the floor when you decide whether an award is a reasonable use of Membership Rewards.
Why do points valuations differ between sites?
Valuations differ because each site uses a different method. The Points Guy publishes monthly estimates based on award pricing, opportunities, fees, rules, and redemption data. AwardWallet averages values from actual member bookings. Frequent Miler uses median observed values from award searches as reasonably achievable mid-points. No issuer sets an official number, so the published figures vary. You can see the full range next to our Roaming Cactus figure on every row.
How often are valuations updated?
We update every figure once a month. Each row shows the date we last checked the sources. The change log lists every monthly refresh and any program whose figure moved. The Points Guy dates each monthly edition; the October 2026 edition was published October 1. AwardWallet and Frequent Miler update on their own schedules. We re-check all three sources for every program before publishing the new table.
What do UNVERIFIED and Not rated mean?
UNVERIFIED means we could not confirm that specific source figure this month. Not rated means no source figure could be verified at all, so we list the program without a number instead of guessing. This month every program had three confirmed sources, so neither label appears in the table. Both labels will appear if a future check fails for any program.
How do I use these with the calculator?
The same data file feeds the points value calculator. It takes the cash price of an award, subtracts taxes and fees, divides by the points used, and multiplies by 100 to show the cents-per-point of that redemption. Compare the result against the table figure for the program to see whether the booking meets or beats the Roaming Cactus valuation. The table and the calculator stay in sync because they share the same monthly data file.
Do valuations include taxes and fees?
No. The figures are per point or mile before taxes and fees on awards. You pay taxes and fees separately in cash. The calculator subtracts them from the cash price before calculating the value so the comparison stays accurate. The published valuation itself does not change when taxes or fees change. That separation keeps the table simple and lets the calculator handle the specific cash amount you would actually avoid.