Miles to Dollars Calculator
Choose between two conversion modes: mileage reimbursement (IRS standard rates for business, medical and charitable driving) or airline miles value (convert loyalty program miles to a dollar estimate using current per-mile valuations). The IRS revised its 2026 rates on July 1, so pick the period your trips fall in. Enter your numbers and your result updates immediately.
Formula
Worked example
Example 1 - reimbursement (miles driven after July 1, 2026): 500 business miles at 76 cents = $380.00. Add 50 medical miles at 23.5 cents = $11.75. Total reimbursable: $391.75. The same trips taken before July 1, 2026 would be 500 x $0.725 + 50 x $0.205 = $372.75. Example 2 - airline miles: 50,000 American AAdvantage miles at 1.6 cpp = 50,000 x 0.016 = $800 estimated value.
Mileage reimbursement: how IRS rates work
The IRS publishes standard mileage rates each year that employers and self-employed people can use instead of tracking every fuel receipt, oil change and tyre purchase. Using the standard rate is simpler: multiply your documented miles by the applicable rate and the result is your deductible or reimbursable amount. The 2026 rates changed mid-year. Notice 2026-10 set the business rate at 72.5 cents per mile from January 1, and Announcement 2026-11 raised it to 76 cents per mile for miles driven on or after July 1, 2026, the highest business rate the IRS has ever published. The medical and moving rate followed the same split, 20.5 cents through June 30 and 23.5 cents after, while the charitable rate remains fixed at 14 cents, a figure set by statute and unchanged since 1998. These rates cover all vehicle operating costs, so you cannot add separate fuel or maintenance costs on top if you use the standard method.
How airline miles are valued
Airline miles have no fixed cash value - an airline charges different numbers of miles for different routes and cabin classes, so the cents-per-mile (cpp) value you extract depends on how you redeem. Travel analysts, most notably The Points Guy and NerdWallet, survey award prices across hundreds of routes each month and publish benchmark valuations. American AAdvantage miles are rated at 1.6 cpp in June 2026, the highest of any domestic program, while Delta SkyMiles and Emirates Skywards sit at 1.2 cpp. Using those benchmarks, 50,000 miles in American's program are worth an estimated $800. A real-world redemption can beat or miss that benchmark depending on the specific itinerary - premium cabin international awards often yield 3 cpp or more, while last-minute domestic economy awards rarely clear 1 cpp.
Should you pay cash or use miles?
The cash-vs-miles decision comes down to your effective redemption rate. Divide the cash price by the miles required and multiply by 100 to get your cpp. If that number beats the program average, you are getting above-average value and the award is worth taking. If it falls well below the average, your miles are better saved for a stronger redemption. Always subtract any award fees - fuel surcharges, booking fees or carrier-imposed fees - from the effective cash value before comparing. A transatlantic business-class award worth 4 cpp loses appeal fast if the airline tacks on $400 in surcharges on top of the miles.
Record-keeping: what the IRS requires
Whether you are deducting business mileage on Schedule C or submitting a reimbursement request to an employer, the IRS requires contemporaneous records. That means logging each trip with the date, the starting and ending location, the odometer readings or total miles, and the business purpose. Apps like MileIQ, Everlance and Driversnote automate this with GPS tracking. A reconstruction of your driving from memory or calendar entries is legally riskier. Receipts for tolls and parking can be added on top of the standard rate because the rate does not include those costs.
2026 IRS standard mileage rates
| Purpose | Jan 1 - Jun 30, 2026 | Jul 1 - Dec 31, 2026 | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business | 72.5 cents | 76 cents | Self-employed, employees with unreimbursed expenses |
| Medical / Moving | 20.5 cents | 23.5 cents | Medical travel; moving for active-duty Armed Forces |
| Charitable | 14 cents | 14 cents | Volunteer driving for qualified organisations |
The IRS revised the 2026 rates mid-year: Notice 2026-10 applies to miles driven January 1 to June 30, and Announcement 2026-11 applies from July 1.
Frequently asked questions
What is the IRS mileage rate for 2026?
There are two 2026 business rates. Miles driven January 1 through June 30, 2026 use 72.5 cents per mile (Notice 2026-10); miles driven on or after July 1, 2026 use 76 cents per mile (Announcement 2026-11). The medical and moving rate is 20.5 cents before July 1 and 23.5 cents after, and the charitable rate is 14 cents per mile all year.
How do I calculate my mileage reimbursement?
Multiply the number of miles driven in each category by the IRS rate for the period you drove. For example, 300 business miles after July 1, 2026 times 76 cents equals $228.00, while the same 300 miles driven in the first half of 2026 times 72.5 cents equals $217.50. Add up each category to get your total reimbursable or deductible amount. You must keep a contemporaneous mileage log to support the claim.
How many airline miles does it take to equal one dollar?
It depends on the program and how you redeem. At 1.0 cpp (cents per mile), 100 miles equal $1.00. At the American AAdvantage benchmark of 1.6 cpp, 62-63 miles equal $1.00. At Delta SkyMiles valued at 1.2 cpp, about 83 miles equal $1.00. Higher-value redemptions in business or first class can push the rate well above 2 cpp, meaning fewer miles per dollar.
Are airline miles worth more than cash back?
It depends on how you redeem. A fixed 2% cash-back card gives exactly 2 cents per dollar spent. To beat that with miles you need to get more than 2 cpp from your award redemptions, which is achievable on premium international flights but rarely the case on domestic economy awards. Many people hold both types of cards and use miles strategically for high-value bookings while earning cash back on everyday spending.
Can I deduct mileage if my employer already reimbursed me?
No. You can only deduct unreimbursed mileage. If your employer reimburses you at the IRS standard rate, there is nothing left to deduct. If they reimburse you at a lower rate, you can deduct the difference on Schedule A as an unreimbursed employee expense, subject to the 2% adjusted-gross-income floor, though this deduction was suspended for most employees from 2018 through 2025 and its status for 2026 depends on current tax law at your filing date.
Do airline miles expire?
Expiration rules vary by program. Many programs expire miles after 18 to 24 months of account inactivity, meaning no earning or redeeming. Some programs, like Southwest and JetBlue, have eliminated expiration entirely for active members. Delta SkyMiles never expire. Check your specific program's rules and keep your account active with at least one qualifying transaction per period to avoid losing accumulated miles.
What is cents per mile (cpp) and how is it calculated?
Cents per mile is a standardised measure of award value. You calculate it by dividing the cash price of the ticket (minus any award fees) by the number of miles required, then multiplying by 100. A $500 cash fare that costs 40,000 miles yields $500 / 40,000 x 100 = 1.25 cpp. Compare that to the program average to judge whether the redemption is good value.