How Do I Evaluate Flight Costs Purchased With Points or Miles?

How Do I Evaluate Flight Costs Purchased With Points?
If you used frequent flyer miles or credit card points to book your flights, you may be wondering: What trip cost should I list when purchasing travel insurance?

Here’s how it works:
Points & Miles Have No Cash Value

• Travel insurance only reimburses prepaid, nonrefundable cash expenses.

• Because points and miles are not considered cash, you don’t need to include them in your insured trip cost.

What to Include Instead
If you used points or miles, you can include the actual cash you paid for:

• Taxes and airline fees (often $5–$200 per ticket)

• Seat upgrades or baggage fees paid at booking

• Any nonrefundable surcharges charged to your credit card

👉 Example: If your flight was 50,000 miles + $75 in taxes, you would insure the $75 only.

Protecting the Rest of Your Trip
Remember, your trip cost also includes other prepaid, nonrefundable expenses such as:

• Cruises, tours, or hotels

• Vacation rentals

• Excursions or event tickets

Even if your flights were booked with points, you’ll still want to insure the rest of your travel investment.

• Don’t include the value of your points or miles in your insured trip cost.

• Only list the cash amounts you paid (taxes, fees, surcharges).

• Be sure to add in all other prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses so your full investment is protected.

👉 Not sure what to include? Fill out a quote form and our team can confirm the right trip cost for your situation.

🔗 Related Articles & Resources
Have another question? These resources may help:

Is Travel Insurance Worth the Cost? Here's How to Protect Your Trip Without Overspending

8 Things We Evaluate Before Recommending Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance for Expensive Trips: 8 Things That Actually Matter

⚖️ Important Information
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not guarantee coverage or benefit eligibility. Travel insurance plans vary by provider, and all benefits are subject to the terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions of the policy purchased.

ICI Traveler is not the insurance carrier or claims department and cannot determine claim outcomes. All coverage decisions, claim approvals, and reimbursements are made solely by the licensed insurance company or claims administrator identified in your policy documents.

We encourage every traveler to review their complete policy documents to fully understand their coverage.

💙 Need Help? The ICI Traveler Team Is Here for You
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