Current Buy Points & Miles Offers: Complete Guide

This guide tracks the current airline and hotel point purchase promotions, updated on August 20, 2026, helping you identify opportunities to buy points at discounted rates. We’ll also cover when buying points makes sense, how long purchases typically take to process, and which credit cards to use for these transactions.

Current Airline Miles Purchase Promotions

Here are the current promotions for buying airline miles, sorted alphabetically by program. Click on the promotion bonus for more detailed information about each promotion:

Current Hotel Points Purchase Promotions

Here are the current promotions for buying hotel points, sorted alphabetically by program. Click on the program name for more detailed information about each promotion:

When Does Buying Points Make Sense?

Purchasing points and miles isn’t always the best strategy, as loyalty programs typically sell them at prices higher than their average redemption value. However, there are several scenarios where buying points can be a smart move:

1. Topping Off Your Account for a Specific Redemption

If you’re just short of the points needed for a valuable redemption, buying the remaining points can be one of the fastest ways to reach your goal. For example, if you need 50,000 points for a business class flight but only have 45,000, purchasing the additional 5,000 points may be worthwhile—especially if award availability is limited and might disappear.

2. When Buying Points Costs Less Than the Cash Rate

During generous promotions, the cost of buying points for a redemption can be significantly less than paying the cash rate for the same travel experience. This is particularly true for:

For example, with Hilton’s current 100% bonus promotion, you can purchase points at 0.5¢ each. The Waldorf Astoria Maldives costs 150,000 points per night during standard periods, meaning you could buy enough points for a night for $750—when cash rates often exceed $2,000 per night.

3. Meeting Credit Card Spending Requirements

If you’re working toward a minimum spending requirement for a credit card welcome bonus, buying points can be a way to meet that threshold while banking travel currency for future use. This strategy makes the most sense when there’s a good promotion running and you have specific redemptions in mind.

4. Preventing Points from Expiring

While there are often cheaper ways to keep points from expiring (like small purchases through shopping portals), buying a small number of points can be a quick solution if you’re short on time and want to preserve a valuable balance.

When Buying Points Doesn’t Make Sense

We generally don’t recommend buying points in these situations:

How Long Does It Take for Purchased Points to Post?

The processing time for purchased points varies by program. While some post instantly, others can take several days to appear in your account. This timing is crucial if you’re buying points for an immediate redemption, as award availability may disappear.

Based on aggregated data from thousands of transactions, here are the typical posting times for major programs:

If you’re planning to make an immediate redemption with purchased points, consider these timing factors:

Which Credit Card Should You Use to Buy Points?

Most point purchase transactions are processed through Points.com rather than directly by the airline or hotel. This means these purchases typically don’t qualify for travel category bonuses on credit cards. With this in mind, here are the best cards to use when buying points:

Best Cards for Points.com Purchases

Exceptions: Direct Processing

A few programs process point purchases directly, allowing you to earn category bonuses:

• American Airlines AAdvantage: Processes directly as an airline purchase
• Delta SkyMiles: Processes directly as a Delta purchase

For these programs, consider using cards like:

International Considerations

If purchasing points from an international program, use a card with no foreign transaction fees to avoid additional charges.

Maximizing Value: Strategic Approaches to Buying Points

To get the most value when buying points, consider these strategic approaches:

1. Calculate Your Specific Redemption Value

Before purchasing points, calculate the exact value for your intended redemption:

1. Determine the cash price of your desired travel experience (including all taxes and fees)
2. Calculate how many points you need for the same booking (including any taxes and fees on award bookings)
3. Determine the cost of purchasing the required points during the current promotion
4. Compare the cash price to the cost of buying points

Only proceed if there’s a significant discount (at least 20-30%) when using purchased points versus paying cash.

2. Focus on Sweet Spot Redemptions

Certain redemptions offer outsized value compared to cash prices. These “sweet spots” are where buying points makes the most sense. Examples include:

3. Stack with Status Benefits

If you have elite status, your purchased points can go even further. Status benefits like:

These benefits can significantly enhance the value of your point redemptions, making the purchase even more worthwhile.

Bottom Line

While there are generally better ways to acquire points and miles than buying them outright, strategic purchases during promotional periods can unlock significant value—particularly for premium travel experiences. The key is to have a specific redemption in mind, calculate the value proposition carefully, and act only when the numbers make sense.

The current promotions listed above represent opportunities to acquire points at discounted rates, potentially enabling redemptions that would be prohibitively expensive if paying cash. By understanding when buying points makes sense and using the right credit card for your purchase, you can add another valuable tool to your travel rewards strategy.

Remember to consider the processing time for your purchased points, especially if you’re eyeing a specific redemption with limited availability. And as always, focus on earning points through more economical methods like credit card bonuses and everyday spending for your long-term points strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions