Discover Miles: How To Earn, Mile Value, & Calculators

Travel Rewards
Want to maximize your Discover Miles rewards? Check out our calculators and learn how to earn and redeem your miles for the best value!
Last Updated 2023-04-11 By R.Flowers III

Discover Miles is a travel rewards program offered by Discover. It is available exclusively to those that hold the Discover it® Miles Card as spending on the card is the only way to earn miles. Discover miles can be redeemed for travel, cash back, and at checkout on Amazon.com.

How much Discover miles are worth

Discover miles are worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed for travel, cash back, statement credits, and at checkout on Amazon.com. This means that 10,000 Discover miles is equal to $100 in value.

Redemption options Redemption value in cents
Redeeming miles for travel 1
Redeeming miles for cash back and statement credits 1
Redeeming miles for Amazon.com purchases 1

How to earn Discover miles

The Discover Miles rewards program is exclusive to the Discover it® Miles Card. For every dollar spent using the card, Discover miles are earned.

Credit Card Benefits Annual Fee
  • Earn an unlimited 1.5 miles on all purchases.
  • Unlimited Bonus: Only Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you've earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There's no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
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Discover miles redemption options

Discover Miles can be redeemed for travel, cash back and statement credits, and at checkout on Amazon.com. All of these redemptions offer the same value.

Redeeming Discover miles for travel

Discover miles can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent each to wipe away travel purchases made to the Discover it Miles Card. This means that every 100 points you redeem is $1 in travel value.

Do note that you will only be able to apply Discover miles towards travel purchases made within the last 180 days (6 months). Discover considers travel to be:

  • Commercial Airline Tickets
  • Hotel Rooms
  • Car Rentals
  • Cruises
  • Tour Operators
  • Vacation Packages (purchased through airlines, travel agents, online travel sites)
  • Local and Suburban Commuter Transportation (includes Ferries)
  • Passenger Railways
  • Taxicabs and Limousines
  • Charter/Tour Bus Lines

Redeeming Discover miles for travel purchases are particularly useful for purchases that other top rewards cards wouldn't normally get great value for. This could be things like tolls, parking fees, and transportation.

It's always good to have at least one rewards card similar to this that can be used for miscellaneous charges.

Redeeming Discover miles for cash back and statement credits

Discover miles can be credited to a bank account of your choosing at a rate of 1 cent per mile. Electronic deposits are available starting at a 1 mile.

If you don't have any travel charges and want to enjoy the cash back you've earned, redeeming it for electronic deposit is the route you can take. This can be extremely useful if you know you're going to a place in which Discover isn't widely excepted.

This allows you to still use the cash back you've earned and apply it to whatever you like, including non-travel related purchases.

Redeeming Discover miles on Amazon.com

Discover miles can be used at checkout with amazon.com. This is another great redemption option in the case that you don't want to use your miles towards travel or redeem them as an electronic deposit. When redeeming your miles on amazon.com, every 100 Discover Miles will be equal to $1 in spend.

You can link your Discover Miles and Amazon.com account using the Amazon Shop with Points Portal. Your account will also automatically be linked once you make a purchase with your Discover it Miles Card.

Are Discover miles worth it?

If you're looking for a catch-all rewards program that offers an unlimited 1.5% return on all of your purchases with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, the Discover Miles program is a solid choice. What's even better is that Discover will match your first year earnings, so you'll end up with a whopping 3% return on all spend after your first year as a cardholder.

However, if you're looking for a higher return on your day-to-day spending as well as travel benefits, you will not find it in the Discover Miles program.

FAQ

How much are Discover miles worth?

Discover miles are worth 1 cent each for all redemptions. This means that 10,000 miles are equal to $100.

How do you earn Discover miles?

Discover miles are earned using the Discover it® Miles Card which earns an unlimited 1.5X miles for every $1 spent on all purchases.

Can you transfer Discover miles to partners?

No. Discover miles cannot be transferred to other loyalty programs.

Which airlines and hotels can you use Discover miles for?

Discover miles can be redeemed towards travel purchases made to the Discover it Miles Card. This means you can redeem miles for any airline, hotel, or other form of travel with no restrictions or blackout dates.

Looking for the best travel credit cards? Check out a few of our top picks below and use our calculators to find out how much you can earn!

Find the perfect card for you

Our Credit Card Rewards calculator can help you find the perfect card and offers based on your monthly and yearly spending habits. Simply enter your spend amounts into our tool and let us do the work for you!

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