How we ranked these programs
Ranked the six US bank transferable point currencies in the Points Frog list_point_values catalog by their current USD cents-per-point redemption estimates as of the catalog snapshot dated September 20, 2026 (still the live values on October 23, 2026). Estimates are typical travel redemption values, not cash-out rates. Partner lists, transfer ratios and annual fees are not part of the sort order; they are noted in each entry for context. Outlier non-bank programs were excluded.
2.1 cents per point. Broad airline and hotel transfer list; often the benchmark other bank currencies are measured against.
Explore Membership Rewards →2.1 cents per point, tied with Amex. Rent earn plus airline and hotel transfers; Hyatt ratio falls to 4:3 on January 1, 2027.
Explore Bilt Rewards →2.0 cents per point. Strong Sapphire and Ink transfer roster; Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred now move to Hyatt at 4:3.
Explore Ultimate Rewards →1.8 cents per mile. Wide partner list with 1,000-mile minimums and 100-mile steps; live bonuses include Virgin and British Airways.
Explore Capital One Miles →1.75 cents per point. Transfer ratios vary by card; confirm the ratio shown in your ThankYou account before you move points.
Explore ThankYou Rewards →1.6 cents per point. Smaller partner list than Amex or Chase; still useful when a transfer lines up with a booking.
Explore Wells Fargo Rewards →
Six US bank programs let you move points to airlines and hotels. We ranked them by the cents-per-point estimates in our calculator catalog, using the live values as of October 23, 2026.
Amex Membership Rewards and Bilt Rewards tie at the top at 2.1 cents each. Chase Ultimate Rewards follows at 2.0 cents. Capital One Miles are at 1.8 cents, Citi ThankYou Rewards at 1.75 cents, and Wells Fargo Rewards at 1.6 cents.
These figures are redemption estimates for travel, not what a bank will pay you in cash. A single great award can beat the average. A poor hotel transfer can land well below it.
How we ranked them
The order comes only from the USD cents-per-point field in our points value catalog. We included every US bank transferable currency in that catalog and excluded airline and hotel programs. The catalog snapshot that still powers these numbers is dated September 20, 2026.
We did not sort by annual fee, welcome bonus, or the number of transfer partners. Those details change which card you should apply for. They do not change the per-point estimate we use when someone asks what a balance is worth.
What the leaders share
Amex and Bilt both clear 2.1 cents because strong airline redemptions show up often in real bookings. Amex still has the wider classic transfer list. Bilt's edge is earning on rent, with the same style of airline transfers once points are in the account. Bilt's move to Hyatt slows to 4:3 on January 1, 2027, which we have covered separately; that change affects hotel transfers, not this airline-heavy valuation.
Chase at 2.0 cents sits a hair behind. For many households the gap is smaller than the difference in how easily they earn the points. Sapphire and Ink cards still define a lot of US transferable-point strategy, including the newer 4:3 Hyatt ratio on Preferred and Ink Business Preferred.
The middle and the back of the pack
Capital One at 1.8 cents remains easy to use when a transfer bonus is live. The program's 1,000-mile minimum and 100-mile steps are friendly for topping off Virgin or British Airways awards, which is why October's Capital One bonuses matter even if the baseline estimate trails Amex.
Citi at 1.75 cents needs an extra check: the transfer ratio on screen depends on the ThankYou card you hold. A bonus percentage on a reduced ratio is not the same deal as a bonus on a full 1:1 card.
Wells Fargo at 1.6 cents finishes last among these six. The estimate is still real travel value when a partner award fits. It is simply a thinner partner list and a lower average result in our model.
How to use the ranking
Use the order to size a balance, not to pick a transfer. A Capital One mile moved in a 30% Virgin bonus can beat an Amex point spent on a mediocre hotel award. Price the trip first, then pick the currency that books it.
If you hold more than one of these currencies, spend the one that unlocks the award at the fewest points after bonuses and ratios. Keep the higher-value flexible balances for the next trip that needs them.