Portfolio Value & CPP Methodology

Overview

Your portfolio value is MileIntel's best estimate of what your combined loyalty balances are worth in real dollars. It's not what the airlines tell you — it's based on what people actually get when they redeem.

How It Works

MileIntel uses a cents-per-point (CPP) methodology to value each program:

1. Redemption Analysis — We analyze thousands of real award bookings to determine the average value travelers get per point when redeeming for flights and hotels.
2. Program-Specific Rates — Each program gets its own CPP rate. Chase Ultimate Rewards might land at 1.8 cpp while Southwest Rapid Rewards sits around 1.4 cpp. These reflect real-world redemption averages, not best-case scenarios.
3. Balance Multiplication — Your balance in each program is multiplied by its CPP rate. 50,000 Amex MR at 1.6 cpp = $800 estimated value.
4. Portfolio Total — All program values are summed for your total portfolio figure.

Key Details

• CPP rates are updated monthly based on fresh redemption data.
• MileIntel uses average redemption values, not aspirational sweet-spot values. Your actual redemption could be higher or lower.
• Transfer partner valuations factor in the best available transfer ratios.
• The portfolio value is an estimate — it's useful for tracking and comparison, not as a guaranteed cash-out amount.

Tips

• Don't confuse CPP with what programs charge for "buy miles" offers. Buy rates are almost always worse than redemption value.
• If your portfolio value drops without balance changes, the CPP rate for one of your programs likely adjusted downward — check the individual cards.
• Use portfolio value trends over time to see if you're building wealth or letting it stagnate.