The Continental OnePass frequent flyer program offers both SaverPass and EasyPass fares for many global destinations. SaverPass fares require far fewer miles to obtain flights, but suffer from limited availability. Conversely, EasyPass fares, while requiring significantly more miles, have no availability restrictions. Given how much more “expensive” the EasyPass fares are, GetDebit assumes that all redemptions will be via SaverPass fares. While this reduces the value of the program (it makes it much harder to redeem miles for trips you actually want to take), GetDebit tries to take this into account through the application of the non-cash rewards penalty.
Here are the key assumptions in our analysis:
- GetDebit assumes that one-third of travel will be within the US (for trips greater than 1,500 miles), one-third will be to Europe, and the remaining one-third will be to Asia.
- GetDebit also assumes that 75% of travel will be down during off-peak times (where awards are easier to secure), and the remaining 25% taking place during peak times.
- Given how much more “expensive” EasyPass fares are, GetDebit assumes that all redemptions will be via SaverPass fares. While this reduces the value of the program (it makes it much harder to redeem miles for trips you actually want to take), GetDebit tries to take this into account through the application of the non-cash rewards penalty.
- For the market value of tickets (both domestic and international), see our Detailed Analysis of Flight Costs.
- GetDebit assumes all travel is done on economy class, and for travel within the US, that all flights are more than 1,500 miles (Continental offers better value for these longer flights).
- GetDebit applies our standard 5% non-cash penalty to the value of Continental’s OnePass miles. See our Rules of the Sky for more details.
| From | To | Fare Type | Peak/Off-Peak | Class | Miles | Market ticket Price | $ value/OnePass Mile | % Travel | Weighted Avg $ val/mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | USA | SaverPass >1,500 mi | Off-Peak | Economy | 25,000 | $324 | $0.0129 | 25% | $0.0032 |
| USA | EU | SaverPass | Off-Peak | Economy | 50,000 | $567 | $0.0103 | 25% | $0.0026 |
| USA | Asia | SaverPass | Off-Peak | Economy | 60,000 | $772 | $0.0119 | 25% | $0.0030 |
| USA | USA | SaverPass >1,500 mi | Peak | Economy | 25,000 | $455 | $0.0182 | 8.3% | $0.0015 |
| USA | EU | SaverPass | Peak | Economy | 50,000 | $835 | $0.0152 | 8.3% | $0.0013 |
| USA | Asia | SaverPass | Peak | Economy | 60,000 | $996 | $0.0153 | 8.3% | $0.0013 |
| Total pre penalty | $0.0128 | ||||||||
| Total post 5% penalty | $0.0122 |
In conclusion, GetDebit estimates the value of Continental’s OnePass Miles at around $0.0122 per mile. See our mileage valuation comparison table to get an idea of how this stacks up against other frequent flyer programs.
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