Should I get a travel credit card that earns points, miles or both?

Finding the best travel credit card can feel like an overwhelming task. The choices are vast — from co-branded cards to points, miles and cash back cards — and it can be hard to tell the difference between various rewards currencies.

That said, knowing how different types of rewards work is the key to figuring it all out. “Points” generally refers to more flexible, transferable award currencies. They’re a deal for people who aren’t loyal to any one brand for airfare or hotel accommodations.

Meanwhile, “miles” work well for those who are fine with limited redemption options — that is, award bookings within a loyalty program for a given travel brand. Even though you’ll forgo some flexibility using miles, you’ll still have the potential to get more value for your miles while gaining access to certain status upgrades in your loyalty program of choice.

We’ll explore the differences between points and miles cards and help you decide which to pursue.

Points vs. miles: What’s the difference?

The difference between credit card points and miles comes down to how the issuer designates its rewards currency. “Miles” commonly refers to airline miles that can be redeemed for award flights (plus any taxes and fees).

In some cases, miles may be transferable to travel partners such as hotels or redeemed for travel-related purchases (like car rentals) through airlines’ vacation websites.

Credit card points, or transferable points, on the other hand, are issued by bank credit cards and have more flexible redemption options — including travel and a variety of other purchases. Note that, although hotels often use the term “points” to distinguish their rewards, they typically work the same way as miles for particular loyalty programs.

Airline miles and hotel points

Miles are typically associated with certain frequent flyer programs, and they’re earned through spending on co-branded airline cards (or through transfers from other travel rewards programs). When you earn miles in these programs, you’ll typically get the most value out of your rewards by redeeming them for flights or other spending related to the airline brand. You could also get access to free perks, such as a free first checked bag and status upgrades if you’re earning miles via a co-branded credit card.

You can usually earn miles by flying, spending, shopping online, dining out and doing other activities designated by the card issuer. Airline miles can offer great value if you know how to redeem them within their loyalty programs.

Hotel points can be earned through co-branded credit cards, though they can also be earned through nights spent at a particular brand, shopping trips or dining purchases. Like airline miles, they’re earned within a specific loyalty program, and you’ll get the most value by redeeming them within that program.

Depending on the loyalty program, you may be able to transfer hotel points to select travel partners or even purchase additional miles or hotel points. You may also be able to transfer points from general travel rewards programs into your hotel loyalty account.

Transferable points

Credit cards that issue travel rewards in the form of transferable points usually offer more flexibility than co-branded cards. That’s because you can transfer these points to multiple hotel and airline loyalty programs instead of being restricted to a single loyalty program.

As in the case of miles, the actual terminology the card issuer uses may vary. Some travel cards, like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, use the term “miles” for their rewards instead of “points.” For the sake of this article, however, we’ll refer to the flexible rewards offered by a credit card issuer (rather than non-flexible rewards offered by a loyalty program) as “points.”

With general travel rewards cards, you’ll usually have many more redemption options than a co-branded credit card for a single hotel or airline loyalty program. With transferable points, you also won’t have to worry about being tied to one program’s award inventory fluctuations — especially during high-demand travel seasons. These points usually don’t expire as long as you continue to earn or redeem points on a regular basis, which often requires making just one transaction a year.

You can earn transferable points from several banks, including Chase, American Express, Citi, Capital One and Wells Fargo.

When to choose a points-earning card

Just about anyone can benefit from having a stash of flexible points for a range of travel programs.

For example, consider the points offered in the Chase Ultimate Rewards program. These points can be used for cash back, gift cards or merchandise. Even better, they can also be used to book airfare, hotels, car rentals and more directly through the Chase Travel^SM portal.

With certain Chase cards, you can also transfer your points to Chase airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. Chase transfer partners include British Airways Executive Club, Southwest Rapid Rewards and United MileagePlus, as well as hotel programs like Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt.

Bankrate lead credit cards writer, Ana Staples, isn’t loyal to any particular brand when it comes to travel, so points cards like the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card are her go-to options for booking travel deals with rewards.

When to choose a miles-earning card

While credit cards that earn transferable points are highly valuable, there are situations where a miles-earning card could leave you better off. This is particularly true if you frequently fly with a single airline or airline alliance. A miles-earning card may also be a better fit if elite perks like priority boarding, priority check-in at airports, free checked bags and lounge access are important to you.

Even with flexible points cards in her wallet, a co-branded miles card still made sense for Bankrate senior editor Sarah Gage because she prefers flying with Delta.

“I also stay in hotels several nights a month, so the free nights and status perks on my IHG and Hyatt cards work for me — even if I prefer to do most of my earning on cards with transferable rewards currencies.”

Many airline credit cards let you earn qualifying miles toward elite status, which isn’t something you can do with a points-earning card. For example, some Delta credit cards offer a perk called “MQD Boost” that lets you earn $1 in Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) for every $10 or $20 you make in purchases. Note, however, the MQDs aren’t the same as the airline miles you can spend on award flights. Instead, MQDs help you work toward Delta Medallion Status and make it easier to reach the higher tiers without having to fly with the airline as much.

Which type of travel card is right for you?

If you aren’t sure which type of travel rewards card to get, take a look at who would benefit the most from a card that earns transferable points versus a loyalty-based, miles-earning travel card.

Points are better if you:

• Want to redeem points for options other than travel
• Want to take advantage of transferable points
• Aren’t loyal to a specific hotel or airline brand

Miles are better if you:

• Are loyal to a particular brand
• Don’t mind having more limited redemption options
• Want extra perks and status upgrades

Once you have a sense of which type of card will work best for you, take a look at our top picks for co-branded airline credit cards, hotel cards or general travel credit cards.

Here’s another idea: Consider getting a miles-earning card and a points-earning card. Having access to transferable rewards currencies can make it easier to book the travel you want when you need to, while your miles-earning card will give you airline benefits and ensure you’re earning miles with your favorite airline. Adding a good cash back card to the mix can help you earn even more rewards on your spending or serve as an alternative option.

The bottom line

Whether you’re new to travel credit cards or a seasoned pro, there’s a lot to consider before you decide on a travel credit card. Diversification is important at all levels, and cards that earn points and miles can help you achieve it.

If you’re having trouble making the points vs. miles decision, consider getting both. Having more rewards to spend can be a smart idea, and having both types of cards can make finding award availability an easier task.