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How Does the Discover it® Miles Credit Card Work?

Last Updated: March 11, 2024
6 min read

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Key points about: how Discover it® Credit Card Miles work

  1. Credit card miles are rewards that are earned by shopping with a travel credit card.

  2. You can redeem Miles for cash in any amount to pay your bill.

  3. The Discover Miles Credit Card earns 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.

Discover it® Miles is an innovative credit card designed for users who want to earn unlimited 1.5x Miles automatically on travel purchases and all your everyday purchases.

Some travel credit cards are only beneficial when booking travel arrangements with that card. Not so with the Discover it® Miles card, which allows you to earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase and redeem them conveniently, beyond just basic travel categories.

Learn more about Discover it Miles credit card

Consider all of the benefits of the Discover it® Miles card below.

How Do Credit Card Miles Work?

Credit card miles are a customer loyalty benefit some credit card issuers give their customers to reward them for using the card to make purchases. Some credit card companies, like Discover, call them Miles; others call them points, but it all amounts to the same thing–a rewards program.

Typically, the more you spend on your credit card, the more miles or points you earn. Once you accumulate a certain amount, you can then redeem them for specific items or rewards. The value of the points or miles and how you can use them depends on the credit card and the rewards program it offers. Read on to learn more about how to make the most of the unique perks of the Discover it® Miles card.

How Does the Discover it® Miles Card Work?

The Discover it® Miles travel credit card is a personal credit card, not a business credit card, that earns 1.5x Miles on every purchase. Unlike a specific airline credit card, you can redeem Miles for travel or cash.1 Unlike some other travel credit cards, the Discover it® Miles travel credit card has no annual fee. And with Discover Match®, you get an unlimited Mile-for-Mile match of all the Miles you earn at the end of your first year, automatically. There is no limit to how much we’ll match.2

More Than Just Airline Miles

Even though the Discover it® Miles card has the word “Miles” in it, that doesn’t mean that you can only use them for airlines. It’s essentially a flat-rate card that lets you earn 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase – which you can then turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.1

With the Discover it® Miles card, your redemption rate is one cent per Mile, and you can easily redeem Miles as a statement credit for travel purchases or get cash.1

Here’s how it works: Let’s say you spend $10,000 on the card. Since you earn 1.5x Miles on every dollar you spend on purchases, your $10,000 purchase will earn you 15,000 Miles. You can redeem these 15,000 Miles for $150 at a redemption rate of one cent per Mile. If you make a travel-related purchase, you can get a $150 statement credit; if not, you can deposit $150 into your bank account.

Did you know?

With Discover Match, we’ll automatically match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There is no limit to how much we’ll match.2 So, if you earn 5,000 Miles, we’ll give you another 5,000 Miles. If you earn 20,000 Miles, we’ll give you another 20,000 Miles.

What are Discover it® Miles worth?

Every Mile you earn with Discover is equal to $.01 in rewards. So, if you’ve earned 1,000 Miles from Discover, that’s equal to $10.00 to redeem toward your monthly bill, even your minimum payment. You can also redeem Miles directly at Amazon.com checkout3 or when you checkout with PayPal.4

How do Discover Miles Redemptions Work?

Another great feature of the Discover it® Miles card is that you can redeem Miles to pay your Discover bill in any amount, with as little as 1 Mile.1 This gives you more flexibility than rewards programs that have minimum amounts for redemption.

Redeeming at Amazon.com

You have the option to redeem Discover Miles at Amazon.com. Link your Discover Card with your Amazon.com account to use Miles at checkout. Redeem any amount of your Miles at Amazon.com—there’s no minimum.3 To link your Discover Card with your Amazon.com account, visit Amazon.com Account Linking.

Redeeming on PayPal

Redeem any amount of your rewards, any time using your Discover Card with PayPal—there’s no minimum.4 To link your Discover Card with PayPal, visit PayPal Account Linking.

Is there a limit to the number of Miles I can earn?

There’s NO limit to the number of Miles you can earn.

Will my Miles expire?

Rewards never expire.8 We reserve the right to determine the method to disburse your rewards balance. We will credit your Account or send you a check with your rewards balance if your Account is closed or if you have not used it within 18 months. See Miles Terms and Conditions for details.

Where do I find the number of Miles I have available to redeem?

You can always find your available Miles balance under “Miles Available to Redeem” on the first page of your monthly statement. You can also see your available Miles on Account Center when you redeem online.

When will I see the Miles I’ve earned on my statement?

Discover will calculate the Miles you’ve earned in each billing cycle to your account at the end of each billing period, and you’ll see the total on your monthly statement. If you have questions about Miles which have not posted to your Miles account, call or message us for 100% U.S.-Based Customer Service5 at the number on the back of your card.

Can I transfer Miles from another card or frequent flier program to my Miles Card account?

No, you can’t transfer Miles from another program.

If my card is lost or stolen, will my Miles be transferred to my new account?

Yes, we will automatically transfer your Miles to your new Discover it® Miles account. Redemption may not be available for approximately 24-48 hours if your card is lost or stolen.

More Discover it Miles Benefits

We’ll automatically match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There is no limit to how much we’ll match.2 So, the more you earn, the more is matched.

Get a free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Score and important information behind it, like credit utilization, number of missed payments, number of recent inquiries, length of credit history, and total number of accounts.6

You can freeze your account in seconds with an on/off switch either on the mobile app or website to prevent new purchases, cash advances and balance transfers.7

Not only do frequent travelers benefit from the flexibility of the Discover it® Miles card, but if you don’t travel often, you can still reap the benefits and redeem Miles for cash in any amount to pay your bill.8 Or did you stop overnight at a hotel? Redeem for a statement credit for that purchase. You’ve earned a bunch of Miles, but don’t have any travel planned? Redeem your Miles for cash as equivalent value and spend it however you like.

What credit score do you need for Discover it® Miles?

The Discover it® Miles credit card is generally for people with good to excellent credit. You can see if you’re pre-approved with no harm to your credit score.9

How do I apply for Discover it® Miles?

Apply for Discover it® Miles online or by calling 1-800-DISCOVER (1-800-347-2683)

Can you switch your Discover it® Card to Discover it® Miles?

If you already have a Discover Card and want to switch to Discover it® Miles, call our customer service team to ask about converting your account to Miles. If your account is eligible to switch, you’ll keep your rewards balance and you’ll start to earn 1.5x Miles on every purchase with your new rewards program.

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