Turning 10k Amex Points into a One-Way Flight

Sometimes points redemptions aren’t flashy — but they still save real cash, and that matters when you’re juggling family travel (or positioning flights).

For this booking, we transferred 10,000 American Express Membership Rewards points to Delta Air Lines and used 10,200 Delta SkyMiles to book one one-way ticket from SLC to DFW.

• Cash price at booking: $145

• Out-of-pocket cost: $5.60 in taxes

• Points used: 10,200

• Value: 1.37 cents per point

While 1.37¢ per point isn’t a “sweet spot” redemption, this flight filled a real need and saved us money we didn’t have to spend out of pocket. These kinds of bookings are especially helpful for positioning flights, last-minute plans, or when cash prices are high but award availability is still there.

👉 Takeaway for families: Not every redemption needs to be amazing — sometimes the win is simply keeping cash in your pocket and using points strategically when it makes sense.

If you’re stacking multiple trips in a year like we do, these smaller redemptions add up fast.