Discover it® Miles review: A flexible travel rewards card

A couple kayaking in the Caribbean after maximizing their use of the Discover it® Miles cardImage: A couple kayaking in the Caribbean after maximizing their use of the Discover it® Miles card

In a Nutshell

Discover it® Miles is a simple, flexible travel card that earns you a flat rewards rate on all purchases with no annual fee.
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The rundown: Everything we like about Discover it® Miles

The Discover it® Miles card is a refreshing change from travel credit cards that have high annual fees and complicated rewards. Instead, Discover it® Miles is a simple-to-use travel rewards card with no annual fee. Here’s what we like about it.

Flexible redemption options

Even though it has miles in the name, you can redeem your earnings for cash back as an electronic deposit to your bank account or as a statement credit, at a rate of 1 cent per mile.

No minimum redemption requirements

Even if you only have one mile in your account, you can redeem it, unlike some credit cards that require you to have a certain number of points or miles before you can redeem them.

No foreign transaction fees

As with most travel cards, there’s no foreign transaction fee. If you travel overseas or make purchases in a foreign currency, this can add up to significant savings. But note that Discover isn’t as widely accepted abroad as other credit card networks, such as Visa or Mastercard.

Heads up: What you should consider before applying for Discover it® Miles

The Discover it® Miles is a fairly simple card to understand. But there might be better cards out there for you. Here are a few things to note.

You may need a backup card

Some merchants don’t accept Discover, so if you’re looking for one credit card to use in all situations, this might not be the best bet for you.

You could be earning more rewards

Earning 1.5 miles per $1 with no annual fee is nothing to sneeze at, but some travel cards do earn higher rewards rates or come with more generous perks. If you travel regularly and spend thousands of dollars on travel each year (particularly if you’re loyal to certain airlines or hotels), you may get more out of another travel rewards card.

Do the math: How to get the most out of Discover it® Miles

If you’re new to travel cards and not sure if you’ll actually redeem the miles regularly, Discover it® Miles could be a good way to test the waters. Its flexible redemption option means you can treat it like a travel card or a cash back card, redeeming each mile for 1 cent deposited straight into your bank account or toward statement credit.

One way to get the most out of this card is to maximize the mile-to-mile match offered at the end of the first year. But remember not to spend more than you can afford to repay each month.


About the author: Ken Saathoff is a personal finance writer with a bachelor’s in English and American Literature from Harvard. In his free time, he likes to cook and play tennis. Read more.