Redeeming credit card points

Depends on what card/airline you are using.

You using that Barclay's you got recently?

You're Barclay's points are worth 1 cent each so the points needed is derived from the cost of the ticket.

Ex. A $500 ticket would cost 50,000 points. To redeem, you pay for the ticket with your Barclay's card and then redeem when it hits you're statement (at least that's how Cap One's system worked and Barclay's should be similar)

After redemption, Barclay's refunds 10% back to you as a perk of your card, so you should get 5,000 points back using my example making your redemption equal 45,000 points for a $500 flight.

Other examples: $350 flight equals 35,000 points before refund

$420 flight equals 42,000 points before refund

$1,000 flight equals 100,000 points before refund.

As you get higher the value of your points suffer compared to other travel cards but for domestic it's pretty good.

Thanks.

When you purchase tickets with Barclay's and then redeem your points, it's as if you purchased the tickets as usual from the airline's perspective, so you still earn miles toward status on that airline, so there is still value in that transaction.

The answer is different per individual.

I wouldn't go out of my way to fly Delta if their ticket was $200 more or something unless I absolutely needed that flight for status.