If you happen to really feel like your factors and miles are getting more durable to maximise, you are not alone — 34% of respondents mentioned they assume their journey factors and miles are much less priceless than they have been two years in the past, in response to a TPG/YouGov survey in July 2025. However that does not imply you possibly can’t nonetheless get great worth out of your rewards in 2026. You simply want the fitting technique and instruments.
This is among the overarching journey traits we have seen heading into 2026: the significance of flexibility (in additional methods than one) and benefiting from offers and instruments to bolster your factors and miles.
Flexibility is essential
It is no secret that the extra versatile you could be, the simpler it’s to seek out offers on journey. As an illustration, an awesome business-class award could also be obtainable on solely a handful of dates. And the very best flight offers are sometimes solely obtainable on choose routes.
Flexibility will grow to be much more vital in 2026 — not simply with airways, dates and routes, but additionally with the transferable currencies you acquire. Solely 21% of U.S. adults we surveyed choose transferable rewards, however these vacationers have a leg up when reserving award journey.
Incomes miles together with your most popular airline is useful, however you by no means know when a service may minimize its presence at your house airport or finish its relationship together with your favourite airline companion. Even worse, if an airline modifications its award chart (or nixes it fully), you could end up sitting on an enormous stack of miles which might be all of the sudden price a lot lower than earlier than.
Even for a similar flight, we’re more and more seeing award charges differ considerably relying on this system you employ to ebook. We’re additionally seeing some airways restrict award house to pick out companions.
In 2026, transferable rewards will probably be extra vital than ever in weathering modifications and devaluations. In any case, you possibly can switch rewards similar to Chase Final Rewards factors and Amex Membership Rewards factors to a number of companions and use them to ebook all kinds of awards.
Associated: Bank card switch companions: Information to transferring factors and miles to airways and motels
However, even when you’re already incomes transferable rewards, you will need to put extra thought into which transferable currencies you select to earn in 2026. Some currencies have extra companions than others, providing you with higher alternative — however that is solely helpful if these companions supply flights and motels in locations you need to go to.
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As an illustration, TPG journey author Rachel Craft finds Chase Final Rewards to be her most helpful forex as a result of she will be able to switch them to her two most-used airways — United and Southwest — in addition to her favourite lodge program, World of Hyatt. Director of factors, miles and bank card content material Carly Helfand says, “Bilt Factors are my most versatile, price me nothing to earn and submit to my account immediately. I do not know the way you high that.” And senior author Ben Smithson not too long ago began leaning closely on Citi ThankYou Rewards as a consequence of its new partnership with AAdvantage.
As you possibly can see, essentially the most priceless transferable forex for you relies on your distinctive state of affairs, and it could evolve over time.
Typically, a single forex is not the reply — many TPGers choose to diversify their rewards methods to open much more redemption potentialities. Up to now, lead author Katie Genter likes gaining access to 5 transferable currencies and utilizing a number of lodge loyalty applications, as this provides her entry to ebook awards by way of many alternative loyalty applications.
The identical pointers apply to sure bank card advantages. Lodge and airline cobranded playing cards might supply priceless perks like free nights and flight credit. However even when you take pleasure in holding these playing cards for his or her advantages, you could need to spend most of your cash on playing cards that earn transferable rewards on a broader vary of purchases.
Offers nonetheless exist; they’re simply gone faster
In recent times, many applications have elevated award charges or ditched their award charts for dynamic pricing. Sadly, these devaluations have eradicated lots of our favourite factors and miles candy spots.
Whereas understanding the ins and outs of award charts was as soon as key to maximizing your rewards, now it is extra essential to grasp search every program’s award charges (extra on that later).
Nice offers are nonetheless on the market, however you will typically face vital competitors. This competitors means “unicorn” awards typically really feel scarcer and more durable to ebook, with solely 10% of U.S. adults we surveyed having booked considered one of these high-value awards.
So, pace and suppleness have grow to be extra essential than ever. Reserving essentially the most aspirational award flights and nights will typically require having transferable rewards available and being able to snap up a deal as quickly as you lay eyes on it.
Associated: The award redemptions that perpetually modified how we journey
Factors aren’t the one forex the place you should still be capable of nab an awesome deal; we have additionally been seeing an uptick in offers booked with money. As an illustration, within the U.S., declining confidence within the financial system and job market has led to a drop in discretionary purchases like journey. Some locations that depend on tourism, like Las Vegas, have responded with massive gross sales in an try and coax vacationers again.
Transborder and transatlantic flights are additionally more and more that includes low charges in financial system class as a consequence of decreased demand in these areas to go to the U.S. However simply since you see a fare immediately doesn’t suggest it will likely be there tomorrow — so you will need to ebook compelling fares if you see them.
However how will you discover these offers (with out making journey looking your full-time job)?
Award alerts and instruments at the moment are important
Skilled award vacationers may know which program to make use of to ebook journey to particular locations on routes that constantly have good availability. Besides, award alerts and instruments have grow to be crucial to beat restricted award availability and the truth that many airways do not share award house with all their companions.
TPG staffers often use Seats.aero, Rooms.aero, Professional Flyer (owned by TPG’s mum or dad firm, Crimson Ventures), Level.me and different instruments to seek out award house and set award alerts. You may get some worth from these instruments with out paying something, however a paid membership with the platforms that supply it may definitely be price the associated fee.
One thing else we discover price the associated fee is a subscription to a number of flight deal companies. Some, similar to Going or Thrifty Traveler Premium, even embody some award offers. You probably have flexibility in your journey dates and locations, you will definitely discover a deal that works for you when you subscribe. However, as these lists comprise many subscribers, it is vital to snag award house shortly as soon as an alert is distributed out.
Backside line
A couple of-third of the U.S. adults TPG surveyed imagine factors and miles are much less priceless now in comparison with two years in the past. And it may definitely really feel this manner with loyalty applications growing award charges and heightened competitors for some “unicorn” awards.
However you possibly can nonetheless get outsized worth. Concentrate on incomes transferable rewards after which use instruments to seek out high-value redemption choices for journeys you need to take. Simply bear in mind: be versatile and ebook shortly if you see an interesting deal or award house.
