Can you use air miles for other things?

More Ways to Use Miles Your miles are good for so much more than just flights. Turn them into everything from a premium drink at Delta Sky Club to seat upgrades on your next flight. Plus, you can use your miles for Delta Gift Cards, vacation packages and more.



While the primary purpose of air miles is to redeem them for flights, most modern frequent flyer programs in 2026 offer a vast array of alternative redemption options. You can use your miles to book hotel stays and car rentals through airline travel portals, often covering the entire cost of a vacation. Many airlines also have "online malls" where miles can be exchanged for merchandise, ranging from high-end electronics and kitchen appliances to gift cards for major retailers like Amazon or Starbucks. For those who enjoy luxury, miles can be used for cabin upgrades, airport lounge access, or even "exclusive experiences" like VIP tickets to sporting events and concerts. Additionally, many programs allow you to donate your miles to charity, supporting organizations like the Red Cross or Make-A-Wish. Some credit card-linked programs even allow you to "cash out" miles as a statement credit to offset your monthly bill, providing ultimate flexibility for those who aren't planning to travel in the near future.

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Here's the catch. Air Miles themselves do not expire. But, if your account “expires” by being “dormant” (or inactive) for 24 consecutive months, then the points on it will disappear. An account is considered inactive if there are no points transactions within that period.

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Here's how the system works now: Airlines create points out of nothing and sell them for real money to banks with co-branded credit cards. The banks award points to cardholders for spending, and both the banks and credit-card companies make money off the swipe fees from the use of the card.

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When canceling a flight that was purchased using miles, most airlines do not charge a cancellation fee. It is generally free to get your miles reinstated and even the taxes and fees you paid will usually be refunded. Here is generally what you can expect on these U.S.-based airlines in terms of canceling award flights.

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Often, 100,000 miles is considered a cut-off point for used cars because older vehicles often start requiring more expensive and frequent maintenance when mileage exceeds 100,000.

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We sampled flight awards available with U.S. carriers and found that consumers need between about 8,000 and 57,000 miles to get a free one-way coach flight. Free flights in business or first class start at around 25,000 miles and climb to well over 150,000 miles one-way.

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50,000 American miles are worth about $850. How much are 80,000 American miles worth? 80,000 American miles are worth about $1,360.

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95 Cash Miles gets you $10 towards your purchases, and can be redeemed in $10 increments up to $750 per collector account per day at most AIR MILES Cash Partners. That means if you shop at Metro and you have 475 Cash Miles in your Cash account, you can turn that into $50 off your grocery bill.

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Airline miles are oftentimes the most valuable award travel currency. While many travel rewards are worth around 1 cent each, airline miles can be worth up to 6 cents each for first-class flights. Despite the potentially high valuations, miles are not always worth earning.

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Just show your card at checkout at select partners and let them know you would like to use Cash Miles towards your purchases.

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To use miles as a form of payment, you must book a package with a minimum of flight + hotel, flight + hotel + car, flight + car or hotel + car. A flight reservation is not required. The name and number on the AAdvantage account must match the name and number on the reservation exactly.

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