If you're buying a used vehicle with 100,000 miles on it, and you drive the typical 10,000?12,000 miles per year, that means you could get another eight to 10 years of life out of that car.

The "longevity" of 100,000 miles depends entirely on your travel class and strategy; it can cover one epic trip or several smaller ones. In 2026, 100k miles is often enough for one round-trip Business Class ticket to Europe or South America if you find a "saver" award, or it could potentially cover three to five domestic round-trip flights in Economy within the U.S. or India. If you use a high-value "sweet spot" (like transferring miles to Virgin Atlantic to book ANA First Class), 100k miles could provide a luxury experience worth over $10,000. Conversely, if you use them for "Pay with Miles" at a low fixed rate, they might only be worth about $1,000 in flight credit. For a savvy traveler, 100k miles typically represents enough "currency" to take two people on a comfortable medium-haul international vacation in Economy, or one person on a once-in-a-lifetime long-haul flight in a premium cabin.