Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Loyalty programs are a huge moneymaker for airlines and hotel companies because they have many revenue streams. One of these revenue streams is selling airline miles and hotel points directly to travelers.
By selling points and miles, programs can get an immediate cash injection as travelers prepay for future travel. However, it generally only makes sense to purchase points and miles when a discount or bonus offer is available.
This roundup of points and miles sales walks you through some of the best current offers on airline miles and hotel points, including some that may be targeted. But first, let’s discuss when it makes sense to buy points and miles.
Should I buy points and miles?
There are a couple of things to consider before taking advantage of points and miles sales.
First, buying points and miles only makes sense for certain travelers and at certain times. It’s generally a much better deal to earn points and miles for “free” through welcome bonuses tied to travel rewards credit cards. However, buying points and miles during good promotions can make sense for those who have tapped out their credit card options and can get high value from their rewards. It can also make sense when you need more points to lock in a specific award now.
We generally only recommend buying points or miles if you have an immediate use in mind. Otherwise, you’re left open to unexpected devaluations. However, if you have a specific hotel or destination in mind, buying points and miles can save you thousands of dollars.
With that, here are the current promotions for buying points and miles.
Related: What are points and miles worth? TPG’s current monthly valuations
Promotions for buying airline miles
American Airlines AAdvantage
- Current promotion: Up to a 35% discount
- Purchase rate: As low as 2.45 cents per mile
- TPG valuation: 1.55 cents per mile
- End date: Unknown
- Link to buy miles
American Airlines AAdvantage is offering up to a 35% discount on miles. You’ll get the highest discount when you buy 150,000 miles, dropping the price to 2.45 cents per mile. This is significantly higher than TPG’s valuation of American miles, but buying American miles for specific high-end awards could still make sense.
United Airlines MileagePlus
- Current promotion: Up to a 50% discount
- Purchase rate: As low as 1.88 cents per mile
- TPG valuation: 1.45 cents per mile
- End date: Feb. 24
- Link to buy miles
United is selling MileagePlus miles with up to a 50% discount through Feb. 24, which brings the purchase rate to as low as 1.88 cents per mile. That’s still more expensive than our valuation of United miles, so unless you have a specific high-value redemption in mind, we generally wouldn’t recommend this route (especially after the program’s devaluation last year).
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
- Current promotion: Up to a 45% bonus
- Purchase rate: As low as 1.65 cents per point
- TPG valuation: 1.4 cents per point
- End date: Feb. 23
- Link to buy points
Southwest is currently offering up to a 45% bonus when you purchase 3,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points or more, dropping the purchase rate to as low as 1.65 cents per point. Though this is still slightly higher than TPG’s valuation of 1.4 cents per point, there may be a flight redemption that makes it worth it to buy points. For example, I’ve found flights from Fort Lauderdale to Cancun, Mexico, for less than 5,000 points. While you’ll need to pay for taxes and fees, you can still save a few bucks per seat when booking with points.
JetBlue TrueBlue
- Current promotion: Up to a 90% bonus
- Purchase rate: As low as 1.63 cents per point
- TPG valuation: 1.4 cents per point
- End date: March 31
- Link to buy points
JetBlue is currently offering up to 90% bonus points when you purchase at least 3,000 JetBlue TrueBlue points, which gives you a purchase rate of 1.63 cents per point. While this valuation is still slightly higher than TPG’s valuation of 1.4 cents a piece, it could be worth it to buy points if you’re saving up for a specific JetBlue redemption.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
- Current promotion: Up to a 60% bonus
- Purchase rate: As low as 1.72 cents per mile
- TPG valuation: 1.5 cents per mile
- End date: Feb. 29
- Link to buy miles
Alaska Airlines is offering up to 60% bonus miles when you purchase at least 40,000 Mileage Plan miles, which gives you a purchase rate of 1.72 cents per mile. In March, Alaska’s award chart will undergo major changes, as it will follow a distance-based model. Therefore, expect to see an increase in some award prices. While we don’t recommend buying miles, if you have a specific award redemption in mind or are trying to stockpile Alaska miles to use in the near future, this is not a terrible purchase rate.
Promotions for buying hotel points
IHG One Rewards
- Current promotion: Up to 80% bonus
- Purchase rate: As low as 0.75 cents per point
- TPG valuation: 0.5 cents per point
- End date: March 7
- Link to buy points
IHG is currently offering up to 80% bonus points when you purchase at least 7,000 IHG One Rewards points. This will bring your purchase rate to as low as 0.75 cents apiece, which is still higher than TPG’s valuation. IHG has previously offered up to a 100% bonus, so if you want to maximize your purchase, we suggest waiting for a similar redemption offer.
Marriott Bonvoy
- Current promotion: Up to 35% bonus
- Purchase rate: As low as 0.92 cents per point
- TPG valuation: 0.84 cents per point
- End date: March 7
- Link to buy points
Marriott is currently offering up to 35% bonus points when purchasing at least 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, which will give you a purchase rate of as low as 0.92 cents per point. Though this is slightly higher than TPG’s valuation, it could be a good chance to top off your account for a killer award redemption.
Hilton Honors
- Current promotion: Up to 100% bonus
- Purchase rate: As low as 0.5 cents per point
- TPG valuation: 0.6 cents per point
- End date: March 12
- Link to buy points
Hilton is currently offering a 100% bonus when you purchase at least 7,000 Hilton Honors points. This will give you a purchase rate of as low as 0.5 cents per point, below TPG’s valuation of 0.6 cents per point. Therefore, if you want to stock up on Hilton points or have a dreamy tropical Hilton destination in mind, now is the time to buy.
Which credit card should you use to buy points and miles?
Most of these promotions are processed through Points.com rather than directly by the hotel or airline. So, you won’t earn bonus rewards with most travel rewards cards.
As such, you’ll want to use an everyday spending card that offers a solid return on non-bonus spending. Or, if you’re working toward a minimum spending requirement to earn a welcome bonus, using that card may be the way to go.
Remember that you may incur foreign transaction fees on some cards when buying points or miles from a program abroad, so you may want to use one of the following cards:
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases and no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases and no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
The main exception to this rule is American Airlines. The airline reportedly codes mileage purchases as airfare, so you may want to use a credit card that earns bonus miles on airfare for the highest return when buying AAdvantage miles.
