Discover it® Miles Credit Card Review [2024]: Simple Rewards, Unlimited Miles

CREDIT CARDS - TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase with no limits, and Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Updated March 12, 2024
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If you're looking for a simple travel credit card with a $0 annual fee and the chance to automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase, the Discover it® Miles Card is a great option.

While you won't get some of the special travel-specific perks that more expensive travel rewards credit cards provide, such as airline lounge access, the Discover it Miles credit card offers plenty of perks that make it worth a look.

Read on to learn how the Discover it Miles credit card works and what benefits to expect.

Earn 2 Times the Miles in Your 1st Year

4.0

Discover it® Miles

Current Offer

Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details

In this Discover it Miles card review

Key takeaways

  • Good choice if you prefer a straightforward travel card with a $0 annual fee.
  • Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
  • Discover also waives your first late payment fee (you'll be charged up to $41 if you miss a subsequent payment) and doesn’t charge a penalty APR. 

Who should get the Discover it Miles credit card?

The Discover it Miles Credit card is a good choice for frequent travelers if you travel often enough that a miles credit card is worth it — but not frequently enough to offset the cost of a high annual fee.

With the Discover it Miles credit card, you won't get bonus rewards for specific types of spending. However, you do automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase. That makes it a good choice if your spending tends to be all over the map instead of concentrated in a particular credit card rewards category.

This card is also ideal if you’re about to make some big new purchases. That's because Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. Therefore, major purchases will yield lots of miles.

The Discover it Miles credit card also offers a 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases (then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable), so you can pay off your balance over time without incurring interest. With all that in mind, the unlimited bonus that happens at the end of the first year could be a lucrative one.

Card basics

Card type Travel
Card issuer Discover
Annual fee $0
Welcome offer Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Intro APR Intro APR of 0% on purchases for 15 months, then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable

Intro APR of 0% on balance transfers for 15 months, then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable

Reward rate Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
Recommended credit score Excellent, Good
Foreign transaction fee 0%

Discover it Miles benefits and perks

  • Generous welcome offer: Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. This miles match is automatic, and there are no limits.
  • Easy rewards: Since you can automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase, it's very simple to amass some miles with this card. You don't have to worry about tracking rotating categories, and you earn whether you're spending at a gas station or a grocery store.
  • No blackout dates: You can redeem miles for travel purchases at any time with no restrictions. This includes redeeming for airline tickets, hotels, or car rentals.
  • Intro APR on purchases: New cardmembers can take advantage of a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 15 months after account opening (then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable).
  • Intro APR on balance transfers: Intro APR of 0% for 15 months, then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable.
  • No annual fee or late fee: Not only is there a $0 annual fee, but your first late fee is waived if you pay late. However, you'll need to pay a late payment fee of up to $41 if you miss a subsequent payment. There are also no fees for paying your bill by phone and no over-the-limit fees charged — your card will just be declined if you exceed your credit limit.

Drawbacks to this card

  • No travel perks: Unlike more premium travel rewards cards or airline-specific cards, the Discover it Miles does not offer any luxury perks like status, lounge access, or free checked luggage.
  • No bonus categories: This card has an unlimited rewards rate of 1.5X Miles, but there are also no opportunities to earn bonus points in special categories.

Earning & redeeming miles

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your miles can add up with the Discover it Miles credit card. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 1 cent per mile.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $1,275

Year two earnings: $638

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee.

Best ways to earn

Unlike many other credit cards, you don't have to spend in specific purchase categories to earn the most miles. That's because with the Discover it Miles credit card, you can automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase with no limits.

Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. So your best bet to get the most possible miles is to open this card at a time when you're planning on spending some money.

Maximizing your redemptions

Discover it Miles can be redeemed for: 

  • Travel purchases 
  • Purchases on Amazon.com 
  • Purchases when you pay using PayPal 
  • Cash deposited into your bank account

No matter how you redeem your miles, they’re worth around one cent each. Since you don't get any more bang for your buck by redeeming against a specific category, you can simply redeem them on anything you wish.

There’s no minimum number of miles required to redeem either, so you can use your miles as soon as you earn them. You can also let them build up and use them to finance a family vacation or a big purchase. This makes for very flexible redemptions.

Discover it Miles FAQs

Is the Discover it Miles a good credit card?

The Discover it Miles card is a good option if you want a simple travel credit card that you can automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.

If you'd prefer a card that offers more travel-specific benefits — such as access to airline lounge access, statement credits for purchases on airlines, or extra rewards for travel spending — there are others that would be a better fit.

However, be aware that some cards with the most generous travel rewards charge high annual fees, while the Discover it Miles card has a $0 annual fee. If you like the idea of the Discover it Miles but prefer a cashback card, then you might want to check out the Discover it® Cash Back instead.

How much are Discover it Miles worth?

Discover it Miles are worth one cent per mile, regardless of how they’re redeemed.

What can you do with your Discover it Miles?

You have a number of redemption options available to you with this card. You can use miles earned with your Discover it Miles credit card to buy airfare, pay for hotel rooms, and even rent a car. You can also use the miles on Amazon.com to make purchases or you can redeem them for cash back.

Do Discover it Miles expire?

Discover it Miles don’t expire. You can use your miles whenever you like with no worry about blackout or expiration dates.

Can I convert my Discover card to a Discover it card?

It may be possible to convert your Discover card to a Discover it card if you qualify for the Discover it. Call 800-DISCOVER to ask whether you can change your current card to the Discover it Miles or another "it" card of your choosing.

How hard is it to get a Discover it Miles card?

To qualify for a Discover it Miles card, you typically need a good to excellent credit score. A good FICO score starts at 670. Keep in mind that your credit score is only one factor that card issuers consider, and having a certain credit score is not a guarantee of acceptance. 

Other cards to consider

If you aren't sure if the Discover it Miles credit card is the best credit card for you, there are other options to consider from other credit card issuers. You may want to look at the following credit card offers.

If you're okay with a $95 annual fee, and you're looking for a more powerful travel rewards card, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card might be the better choice for you.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a Visa card offering a generous sign-up bonus that can help kickstart your travel plans — Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. It also offers travel insurance coverage, DoorDash benefits, point transfers to Chase's partner loyalty programs, and more.

Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card provides the chance to earn miles for spending, just as the Discover it Miles card does. And while there’s no miles match, new cardmembers can earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.

This Visa card does charge a $95 annual fee, so it's more expensive than the Discover it Miles card. But you also get extra cardholder perks, including up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and extended warranty coverage.1

Learn more in our Capital One Venture Card review

Earn 2 Times the Miles in Your 1st Year

4.0

Discover it® Miles

Why We Like It

Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

See how these cards compare:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
  • 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • 25% more value when redeeming rewards for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • 10% anniversary point bonus each year
  • $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through Ultimate Rewards
  • Premium travel protection benefits
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
  • Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
  • 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
  • Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® credit
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 19.99% - 29.99% (variable) purchase APR
  • Rates and fees

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