Discover it Miles review: Simple earnings for beginners
Editor's Note
Discover it Miles card overview
The Discover it® Miles Credit Card provides 1.5 miles per dollar spent on all purchases. Your miles are worth one cent each, regardless of how you decide to redeem them. Additionally, the Discover it Miles card doesn't charge an annual fee or foreign transaction fees and even waives the late fee on your first late payment. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
I tend to look at the cards my friends and family use, and I recently noticed a relative using the Discover it Miles card at a cafe. Though this card isn't on our list of best cards for dining purchases, I understand why he has and uses it.
The Discover it Miles is for anyone who wants to earn rewards on their spending but doesn't want to worry about maximizing redemptions or remembering which purchases earn bonus miles.
This is a great starter card, and we recommend applicants have a credit score of 670 or higher to increase their chances of approval. However, users with lower credit scores may have a better chance of being accepted for this card than for similar cards offered by other issuers.
The Discover it Miles card is a good fit for many people, so in this Discover it Miles review, let's consider whether you should add it to your wallet.
The information for the Discover it Miles has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Discover it Miles pros and cons
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Discover it Miles welcome offer
The Discover it Miles doesn't offer a standard welcome offer, but it does feature a solid match offer: Discover automatically matches all the miles you've earned in your first year as a new cardholder.
Specifically, Discover will match all of the miles you earn at the end of the first 12 consecutive billing periods that your new account is open. The match occurs at the end of the 12th consecutive billing period, as opposed to throughout your first year.
Related: The best balance transfer credit cards
Discover it Miles benefits
The Discover it Miles has benefits and perks that are well-suited for first-time or less-experienced cardholders. The card's most appealing benefit is the ease and simplicity of earning and redeeming — but since earning and redeeming will be discussed in detail in subsequent sections, let's focus on the card's other benefits in this section.
One key benefit of the Discover it Miles card that can especially benefit new cardholders is that you won't be charged a late fee on your first late payment. So, if you accidentally forget to pay your bill on time or have an issue with auto-pay, you can avoid paying a late fee once. Plus, paying late won't raise your annual percentage rate.
Other benefits and perks of the Discover it Miles card include:
- No foreign transaction fees
- No over-limit fee
- No pay-by-phone fee
- The ability to pick the color and style of your card with no fees
- Free alerts notify you if your social security number is found on any of thousands of dark websites
- Free alerts that notify you when any new credit card, mortgage, car loan or other account shows up on your credit report
- Free overnight shipping for card replacement to any U.S. street address at your request
- Freeze your account in seconds to prevent new purchases with an on/off switch available on both the mobile app and website
- Get a free credit scorecard with your FICO credit score, number of recent inquiries and more
- 100% U.S.-based customer service available at any time
These benefits pale in comparison to what you'll find on our favorite travel cards, but they aren't bad for a no-annual-fee card.
Related: Your ultimate guide to Discover cards
Earning miles on the Discover it Miles
The Discover it Miles has a straightforward earning structure: You'll earn 1.5 miles for every dollar spent on all purchases. There's no cap to the miles you can earn. Plus, your miles will never expire (although Discover will credit your account with your miles balance if your account is closed or has not been used in 18 months).
However, note that you will not earn miles immediately after each purchase. Instead, miles are calculated at the end of each billing period based on your purchases made during that billing period. Discover will then round the miles you earned during that billing period to the nearest whole mile before adding the miles to your account.
Related: 5 reasons why your family may want a Discover it Miles card
Redeeming miles on the Discover it Miles
Redeeming miles with the Discover it Miles is easy and straightforward. You don't need to worry about selecting the best or most valuable redemption since your miles are worth 1 cent each, regardless of which redemption method you choose.
You can choose from the following redemption options:
- Redeem miles for travel purchases; miles can be used to cover all or part of a travel expense made on your statement within the last 180 days, and Discover defines travel purchases as "airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, travel agents, online travel sites, commuter transportation, restaurants and gas stations."
- Electronic deposit into a bank account
- Check out with miles at Amazon
- Redeem miles at PayPal
It's nice that you don't have to worry about choosing the most valuable redemption option, but many cash-back cards offer the ability to redeem rewards for a statement credit with no limitations.
Related: How to redeem Discover it Miles, step-by-step
Which cards compete with the Discover it Miles?
There are other cards that earn a 1.5% return (or better) on all purchases, and some of these cards provide multiple redemption options.
- If you want to earn more on non-bonus spending: The Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) earns up to 2% back, 1% cash back when you buy and 1% when you pay, all while having no annual fee. For more details, check out our full review of the Citi Double Cash card.
- If you want access to transfer partners: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great option for beginners and earns 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases. With these miles, you have access to Capital One's impressive roster of 15-plus transfer partners. This card also comes with a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck statement credit to make navigating airport security a breeze. For more details, check out our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards card.
- If you prefer bonus earnings in multiple categories: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) earns 5% back on Chase Travel℠ purchases, 3% back on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services) and drugstores and 1.5% back on all other purchases, all while having no annual fee. For more details, check out our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
For more details, read our guide on the best credit cards for everyday spending.
Related: How to choose the best credit card for you
Is the Discover it Miles worth it?
If you're a beginner looking for a card with no annual fee and a simple earnings structure, the Discover it Miles is a great choice. However, if you're looking for more consistent bonus categories or a longer list of benefits, you'll want to opt for a different card.
Bottom line
The Discover it Miles provides 1.5 miles per dollar spent on all purchases and allows you to redeem your miles for 1 cent apiece, regardless of how you choose to use them. So, you don't have to worry about maximizing your miles when redeeming them or remembering to use a particular card for certain types of purchases.
The Discover it Miles card is a particularly good choice if you don't want to pay an annual fee or foreign transaction fees and prefer earning cash back instead of transferable points or miles.
Related: The best cash-back cards
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.