Points & miles basics · Card strategy
How do you redeem points for maximum value?
Earning points is only half the game. How you redeem them determines whether you get 1 cent per point or 3 cents per point. Here is the redemption framework.
Editorial archive
Analysis that starts with the decision.
Practical frameworks for weighing annual fees, welcome offers, reward ecosystems, and long-term card value—written in Markdown and published through Astro.
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Points & miles basics · Card strategy
How do you transfer points to airlines and hotels?
Transferable points are worth more than fixed-value points because you can move them to airline and hotel loyalty programs — often at sweet-spot redemption rates that multiply their value.
Points & miles basics · Card strategy
How much is a point worth?
A point is not a point. A Membership Rewards point is worth four times a Hilton point. Here is how to value different currencies — and why it matters.
Points & miles basics · Card strategy
Where do points and miles come from?
Every time you swipe a rewards credit card, the merchant pays a fee. The issuing bank keeps most of it and returns a portion as points or miles. Here is how the money flows — and how to get more of it back.
Decision framework · Card strategy
When a larger welcome offer is not worth the extra spending requirement
A 175,000-point welcome offer sounds better than 60,000 miles — but the spending required to earn it can cost more than the bonus is worth. Here is the math that separates a good offer from an expensive one.
Decision framework · Card strategy
Annual fee math should start with money you would actually spend
A credit does not erase an annual fee just because the face values match. Count only the spending you would have made anyway—and discount every restriction.