alaska airlines travel benefits

Travel Math: How your spending habits actually earn you travel perks 

• April 23, 2024
• Mileage Plan
• Alaska Airlines
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First, there was the trend, ‘girl math.’ Then, we saw ‘boy math’ take off. Even dogs got in on the equation! Now, we give you: travel math. It’s a playful concept that’s grounded in the very latest consumer insights where “the math” justifies the purchase, all for the sake of indulging in a little treat.

We know travelers are using credit card rewards and miles to book their travel and to stretch their dollars, especially Gen Z and Millennials. So, next time you want to book that flight or buy that pair of shoes with your Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card, we say go for it. Because you’ll earn valuable miles. And of course—travel math.

Do you want to hit Alaska’s elite status even faster? Get the boots.

✨ New this year: A faster way to earn status through your Alaska Airlines credit card. Throughout 2024, for every $10,000 you spend on purchases in 2024, you’ll automatically earn 4,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) (up to 20,000 EQMs total).* Learn more.

With elite status, you get a range of benefits designed to enhance your travel experience. Elite perks include:

• Priority boarding
• Complimentary upgrades to First Class or Premium Class when available
• Waived fees for checked baggage
• Bonus miles on flights
• Access to priority check-in and security lines
• Dedicated customer service support
• Learn more !

The specific benefits you receive depend on your elite status level within our Mileage Plan program (tiers include MVP, MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K).

Buy surf gear to earn miles for your Maui trip.

Rack up miles every time you  make a purchase with your Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card—it’s that easy!

With the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card, your purchases = miles:

• 3 miles for every dollar spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases (flights, inflight purchases, Lounge).
•  2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, local transit (including ride share), cable, and select streaming services purchases.
• 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.

You’ll also earn Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ every year after qualifying purchases.* This popular benefit allows a cardholder to bring a companion on a round-trip domestic flight for $99 (plus taxes and fees).

Buy the bag, check it for free as a cardholder.

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card grants you a first checked bag free for you and up to 6 guests on your reservation paid for with your card. 

Plus, cardholders can get priority boarding in Group C (even with a Saver fare) on Alaska flights when you pay for your flight with your card.

Learn more about the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card

• Alaska’s Famous $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com .
• Check your first bag free on every Alaska flight purchased with this card and up to six guests traveling on the same reservation.
• Priority boarding in Group C (even with a Saver fare).
• 3x miles  on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, such as inflight food and beverages.
• 2x miles on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services, and local transit (including rideshare) purchases.
• 20% back on inflight purchases such as food and drinks and $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ Membership when you pay with your Alaska card.
• 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.

* Earn 4,000 elite-qualifying miles (maximum of 20,000) that count toward elite status qualification if you make any combination of purchase transactions totaling at least $10,000 (exclusive of any fees, such as the annual fee) that post to eligible Alaska Airlines Visa consumer and business cards from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. Returns, credits and adjustments to this card will be deducted from purchases, even if this card was not the original payment method. Cash Advances and Balance Transfers are not considered purchases and do not apply for purposes of this offer. If a cardholder has multiple Alaska Airlines Visa consumer and business credit card accounts linked to one Mileage Plan account, purchases made with those cards can be combined to reach the $10,000 spend requirement. One individual can only earn a maximum of 20,000 elite-qualifying miles via this campaign, even if they hold multiple Alaska Airlines Visa cards. Allow 8-12 weeks from qualifying for the elite qualifying miles to be posted to your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. To qualify for this offer, your credit card account must be open with active charging privileges. Bank of America is not responsible for fulfillment of this elite qualifying miles offer and posting of miles directly to your Alaska Mileage Plan account. Elite qualifying miles will not appear on your credit card statement. Elite-qualifying miles count toward elite status qualification only for calendar year 2025, are non-redeemable and cannot be used toward award travel.

** $99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23 after making at least $6,000 in purchases within the anniversary year. Terms and conditions apply. Visit MyAlaskaCard.com to learn more.

This credit card program is issued and administered by Bank of America, N.A. Visa and Visa Signature are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association and are used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A., Inc. The Contactless Symbol and Contactless Indicator are trademarks owned by and used with permission of EMVCo, LLC

Bank of America is a registered trademark of Bank of America Corporation.

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Now arriving: Alaska Access

Welcome to Alaska’s new membership program—bringing frequent flyers like you more benefits than ever before. With Alaska Access, you’ll be the first to know about (and score) the very best fares we have to offer.

Wi-Fi voucher

Stay connected and productive onboard, or just sit back and stream your favorite shows.

Early sale access

Be the first to land low fares to your favorite destinations during our legendary sales.

Personalized fare page

Get the best seat for the best price with an easier, member-only way to view deals.

What you’ll enjoy

Alaska Access: beyond the benefits; it’s our way of saying we care. Reduce the time you spend browsing with member-only fare pages, early access to sales, and monthly delivery of a Wi-Fi voucher to stay connected on your journey.

How it works

For $5 a month, you get a personalized fares link and Wi-Fi voucher sent straight to your inbox, available whenever you’re ready for takeoff. Plus, for some of our largest sales of the year, you will be alerted via the Alaska Airlines Mobile App the night before we publish to the general public.

Already a member?

We hope you’re enjoying all the benefits Alaska Access has to offer. Need to update your account details? Simply hop on board with our trusted subscription partner, Recurly. Just log into Recurly with the same email or create an account if it’s your first time managing your membership.

Frequently asked questions

Early Sale Access - With an Alaska Access you’ll be the first to know about some of our biggest sales. Look out for in-app notifications alerting you to the upcoming sale the night before the rest of the world finds out (with the ability to book at sale prices immediately). This means you can book your favorite route times and seats on our deals before they’re gone!

Savings - Whether you’re a frequent user of our onboard Wi-Fi or have been wanting to try it, with your Alaska Access membership, you get a one-time-use voucher every month! Satellite Wi-Fi allows you to stream, browse and chat on-board with internet service that’s more like what you’re used to on the ground. Satellite Wi-Fi is available almost everywhere we fly - with the exception of flights above the Arctic Circle in Alaska.

For some of our largest sales of the year, you will be alerted via the Alaska Airlines Mobile App of all the sale details the night before we publish to the general public. You’ll be able to book the sales prices from the moment you’re notified, through the end of the sale. This early access means you can pick your preferred flight times and seats before others begin taking advantage of the sale.

We want you to spend less time planning your trip and more time enjoying it! A personalized fare page through Alaska Access is a unique web page where you’ll be able to see our lowest fares by money and miles to our more than 500 global destinations! This view takes the guesswork and time out of finding the best valued flights on Alaska Airlines.

When you fly with us, staying connected is easy. The morning after subscribing, you’ll receive your first voucher (also called promo code ) - when applied at checkout via Alaskawifi.com onboard your flight, your total for the inflight session will reflect $0. You will then receive one single-use voucher on the first of every month to the email address you used to sign up for Alaska Access as long as your subscription is valid.  Vouchers expire at the end of each calendar month and do not roll over, and can only be redeemed by the subscriber on file. 

You do not have to be a Mileage Plan Member to sign up for Alaska Access but you can only receive your early sale access benefit when you have a Mileage Plan account. You are highly encouraged to link your Mileage Plan account at signup for Alaska Access. If you don’t have one yet, you can join for free before finishing your enrollment in Alaska Access.

Mileage Plan members will not earn miles for purchasing Alaska Access but our award-winning mileage program allows you to Earn miles with us, oneworld® Alliance member airlines and our Global Partners, experience award travel, and gain MVP® elite status sooner than you think. Learn more about our Mileage Plan here .

Alaska Access is a fixed price of $5 per month including taxes and fees. 

Miles and wallet funds are not an available payment method for Alaska Access.

Every Alaska Access member must be at least 18 years of age and have their own subscription. We plan to add the ability for minor children and even companies to establish group accounts in the future!

Yes, when signing up for the subscription, please be sure to enter the customer’s accurate first, last name, email, and all pertinent information, to ensure the account reflects the recipient’s contact information. Be sure to inform the recipient that the subscription was purchased on their behalf as the confirmation email will not explain that the subscription is a gift.

Account information can be changed through our trusted subscription partner Recurly's  Account Management Page (use your subscription email to log in). Alaska Airlines Guest CARE is also available to answer questions and provide support on the Alaska Access subscription Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm at 1-866-347-7414 . Any Wi-Fi connectivity issues should be reported directly to [email protected] .

The Alaska Access membership requires a 12-month commitment. Though we’d be sad to see you go, if you want to set your subscription to expire at the end of this term, please do so through our trusted subscription partner Recurly's Account Management Page and use your email to log in.

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alaskaair.com

Mileage Plan

Seattle (SEA), Anchorage (ANC), Portland (PDX), Los Angeles (LAX)

• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Award Chart

1.8 cents per point

Alaska Lounge in Seattle

• Best Ways to Earn Alaska Airlines Miles
• How To Earn 100k+ Alaska Airlines Miles in 90 Days
• The Best Ways To Redeem Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles
• How To Upgrade to First Class on Alaska Airlines
• Alaska Airlines Review – Seats, Amenities & More
• Alaska Airlines Baggage Fees

Alaska Airlines Overview

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is an award-winning program that is valued by travelers for a couple of reasons. Frequent flyer miles are earned based on miles flown rather than dollars spent, and premium cabin awards are redeemable on Alaska’s partner airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Emirates.

In fact, many travelers use Mileage Plan as a collection point for their travel with these partners—without even flying Alaska Airlines much!

Joining Mileage Plan

To join Mileage Plan,  sign up for free .

How To Sign in to Your Mileage Plan Account

Sign in on the alaskaair.com homepage. You’ll need to enter your user ID and password.

Viewing Your Account Activity

You can see your mileage balance and elite progress on the overview and tier status page .

Here, you can view your trips, mileage activity, wallet, and discount/companion certificates.

Points Expiration

Mileage Plan miles expire after 24 months of inactivity.

Any miles earning or redeeming activity counts, so you have many options beyond taking flights. This includes using an Alaska Airlines credit card or using the Alaska Airlines shopping portal  and  dining program .

Alaska Airlines Mileage Program

Mileage plan elite status.

The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program has 3 status tiers:

• MVP Gold 75K
• MVP Gold 100K
• Complimentary preferred seats
• Instant complimentary first class upgrades on certain fare classes (Y, S, or Z)
• Instant complimentary premium class upgrades on certain fare classes (Y, S, B, or Z)
• Complimentary upgrades 48 hours from departure
• 2 free checked bags
• Priority check-in and boarding
• 50% bonus miles on Alaska and Elite Qualifying Partners
• Alaska Lounge discounted membership (50% off initiation, $25 off annual membership)
• Oneworld Ruby status

All MVP benefits, plus:

• Instant complimentary upgrades on more fare classes (Y, S, B, M, or Z)
• Instant complimentary premium class upgrades on more fare classes (Y, S, B, M, H, Q, L, V, N, K, or Z)
• Complimentary upgrades 72 hours from departure
• Complimentary inflight premium beverage if not upgraded
• 4 one-way companion upgrade certificates
• Complimentary same-day flight changes
• Standby and waitlist for full flights
• Priority security
• 100% bonus miles on Alaska and Elite Qualifying Partners
• Alaska Lounge discounted membership (waived initiation, $50 off annual membership)
• Oneworld Sapphire status

MVP Gold 75K:

All MVP Gold benefits, plus:

• Instant complimentary upgrades on even more fare classes (Y, S, B, M, H, or Z)
• Instant complimentary premium class upgrades on all fare classes
• Complimentary upgrades 120 hours from departure
• Complimentary inflight entertainment
• 125% bonus miles on Alaska and Elite Qualifying Partners
• Gift of 50,000 miles
• Gift MVP status to a family member or friend
• 4 annual Alaska Lounge day passes (now limited to member and companions traveling with the member)
• Oneworld Emerald status

MVP Gold 100K:

All MVP Gold 75k benefits, plus:

• Complimentary upgrades 120 hours from departure and highest waitlist priority
• 150% bonus miles on Alaska and Elite Qualifying Partners

After flying 1 million miles on Alaska Airlines (excluding bonus miles and partner flights), travelers are granted lifetime MVP Gold status.

Lifetime MVP Gold members receive a complimentary meal or picnic pack whenever they fly in the main cabin.

Check Alaska’s site for the  full lineup of benefits .

Partner Elite Status Benefits

Alaska Airlines is part of the Oneworld alliance, and its benefits with the Oneworld member airlines are as follows:

• Priority check-in
• Access to preferred or pre-reserved seating
• Priority on waitlists and when on standby
• Access to Main Cabin Extra seats when flying American Airlines 24 hours before check-in
• 1 complimentary checked bag when flying American Airlines

All MVP benefits plus:

• Priority boarding
• Access to Oneworld business class lounges
• Extra baggage allowance
• Priority baggage handling
• Access to Main Cabin Extra seats when flying American Airlines at booking
• 2 complimentary checked bags when flying American Airlines

All MVP Gold benefits plus:

• Access to Oneworld first class lounges
• Fast track at security lanes
• 3 complimentary checked bags when flying American Airlines
• Complimentary access to domestic upgrades when flying American Airlines
• Complimentary same-day flight changes with American Airlines
• International upgrade certificates with American Airlines

All MVP Gold 75k benefits plus:

Additionally, Alaska Airlines elite members receive the following benefits with these non-Oneworld partners:

• Complimentary access to Emirates business class lounge in Dubai (DXB)
• Complimentary access to select Hainan lounges in Beijing (PEK), Xi’an (XIY), Haikou (HAK), Guangzhou (CAN), and Ürümqi (URC)
• Complimentary access to Icelandair Saga lounges at Reykjavík (KEF)

Value of MVP Elite Status

Mileage Plan elite status is one of the highest-regarded programs among travelers for its mileage earning rates and benefits.

Compared to competitors, Mileage Plan is lucrative for earning miles by distance rather than spending.

Mileage Plan elite status is especially strong on companion benefits and customer service.

Earning Mileage Plan Elite Status

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan elite status is more straightforward than some of its competitors, and there is no dollar spend threshold.

You can earn status by any 1 of 3 ways:

• Eligible miles on Alaska
• Eligible miles on a combination of Alaska and qualifying partner airlines (all airline partners except Ravn)
• Segments flown on a combination of Alaska and qualifying partner airlines (all airline partners except Ravn)

Eligible miles include class of service bonuses, but they exclude elite status bonuses.

Class of service bonuses range from 0% to 50% in economy and are 75% for first class. This means cheap first class fares can be a shortcut to earning elite status.

How To Earn Alaska Miles

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan boasts many partnerships that attract members who don’t even fly Alaska Airlines itself. For those who do fly Alaska Airlines, Mileage Plan is a rare U.S. airline program that continues to treat a mile flown as a mile earned.

Earning Miles by Flying Alaska Airlines

When flying Alaska Airlines, you’ll earn miles by flight distance and fare class. On short flights, travelers earn a minimum of 500 miles.

Earning Miles by Flying Oneworld & Other Partners

Alaska Airlines has numerous airline partnerships for earning miles; check its partners page for earning rates by partner and flight:

• Air Tahiti Nui
• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Fiji Airways
• Hainan Airlines
• Japan Airlines
• Kenmore Air
• LATAM Airlines
• Malaysia Airlines
• Mokulele Airlines
• Qatar Airways
• Ravn Alaska
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian
• Singapore Airlines
• Southern Airways Express
• SriLankan Airlines
• STARLUX Airlines

Earn Miles With Credit Cards

The Alaska Signature card (and its business version) both earn 3 miles per dollar on Alaska Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar everywhere else. The card includes an annual $99 + taxes companion certificate and a free checked bag.

For everyday spending, your best option is earning Marriott Bonvoy points with one of the Marriott Bonvoy credit cards . Every transfer of 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan account earns you a bonus of 5,000 miles.

Earning Bonus Miles in Other Ways

We have step-by-step guides for the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan  shopping portal  and  dining program , which can both earn you quick bonus points.

Plus, there are other retail and travel partners that earn miles. See our article on the best ways to earn lots of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles for more.

Branded and Partnered Credit Cards

There are several credit cards that can help you quickly collect Alaska miles to redeem for some amazing flights.

Alaska Airlines Credit Cards

Bank of America’s co-branded cards with Alaska Airlines allow you to earn Mileage Plan miles directly:

• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature ® Credit Card
• Alaska Airlines Visa ® Business Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards

While earning Alaska miles directly might seem like the best way to go, we’d actually suggest considering Marriott Bonvoy points . Every chunk of 60,000 points you transfer to Alaska Airlines earns you a bonus of 5,000 Alaska miles.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card.

The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

• Up to 14x points per $1 on Marriott purchases
• 2x points per $1 on travel purchases
• 15 Elite Night Credits each year (automatically gives you Silver Elite status)
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee
• Lower point earn rate than other Marriott Bonvoy cards
• Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status is the lowest status tier
• Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Pay no annual fee with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card from Chase ® !
• Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Card.
• 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.49%–28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual free night award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card . The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.

• Earn big when you use your card at thousands of participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Earn big at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
• Automatic Silver Elite Status
• 1 Free Night Award each cardmember anniversary (valued up to 35,000 points)
• One year complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription
• $95 annual fee
• Marriott Silver status is the lowest status tier
• Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.
• Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
• Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
• Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Card.
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
• The 75,000 or 100,000 Bonus Point Offer for the Marriott Boundless
• 23 Valuable Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
• Best Hotel Credit Cards for Free Nights

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card , the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2X points)
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• 15 Elite Night Credits per year
• 1,000 bonus points per paid stay
• 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 points) when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $250 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit
• Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy ® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy ® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card ® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Plan It ® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
• $250 Annual Fee.
• Terms apply.
• APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card  is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy   program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• 25 Elite Night Credits each year
• Priority Pass Select membership upon enrollment
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit
• Annual Free Night Award after card renewal
• Complimentary Platinum Elite status
• Steep annual fee of $650 ( rates and fees )
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card
• Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton ® or St. Regis ® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ® : Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck ® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.
• Best Sign Up Bonuses
• Best Credit Cards with Priority Access

Other Hotel Partner Credit Cards

A few other hotel programs will let you transfer points to Alaska Airlines. However, this is almost always a poor use of hotel points.

Unless you are really in a bind, save your hotel points for award stays at your destination, where they’ll likely be worth more.

How To Redeem Alaska Miles

Alaska Airlines has  multiple ways to redeem your miles  once you have earned them.

Awards on Alaska Airlines Flights

Alaska Airlines recently lowered the price of short-distance domestic flights. These are now as cheap as 5,000 miles one-way!

Award Levels for Travel on Alaska Airlines

*Price ranges are all for one-way flights. The highest price in each range is a refundable award.

Free Stopovers — Even on One-Ways!

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan allows free stopovers on awards, which is a benefit eliminated by almost all other airline programs. Even better, you get a free stopover on a one-way, or 2 on a round-trip booking!

First Class Upgrades

Within 24 hours of departure or at check-in, you can request an upgrade with miles or cash. Miles upgrades cost 15,000 miles regardless of trip distance. Cash upgrades can be better value for short flights:

Money & Miles

Use miles for up to a 50% discount off Alaska Airlines coach airfare.

Hot Tip: You earn 100% of miles from Money & Miles awards!

Awards on Partner Airlines

Each Alaska Airlines partner has its own award chart. Only award routes listed on the chart can be booked.

To locate the pricing for each partner, head to the award charts page on the Alaska Airlines website, punch in your destinations, and you’ll see all the pricing for each available partner.

American Airlines:

Other Airline Partner Awards:

Alaska Airlines has fantastic partner awards that are among the most sought-after by travelers. Each partner has its own award chart and available routes.

See our article on the best ways to redeem Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan for ideas.

Non-Flight Awards

Finally, miles can be used outside of the airline, including for magazine subscriptions  and other household and travel goods.

The information regarding the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature ® Credit Card, and Alaska Airlines Visa ® Business Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 

The information regarding the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature ® credit card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding Alaska Airlines Visa ® Business Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® World Elite™ Mastercard ® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is alaska airlines mileage plan is it worth it what are the benefits.

Mileage Plan is Alaska Airlines’ frequent flyer program. By  signing up  for free, you gain access to a range of travel benefits and can earn and redeem Mileage Plan miles.

Elite status members receive bonus miles, complimentary upgrades when available (even for companions), free premium beverages, free checked bags, priority check-in, preferred seating, and more. The elite status levels are MVP, MVP Gold, and MVP Gold 75K.

Who are the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan partners?

Alaska Airlines is part of the Oneworld alliance, but features a handful of non-alliance partners, too.

These partners include Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Condor, EL AL, Emirates, Fiji, Finnair, Hainan, Iberia, Icelandair, Japan Airlines, Korean, LATAM, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and SriLankan Airlines.

What is the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan login?

You can sign in to  your Mileage Plan account here .

How do I join Mileage Plan?

You can  join Mileage Plan here .

What is the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan dining program?

Alaska Airlines has a dining network partnership that allows members to earn miles in their loyalty accounts for dining out. You just need to register your credit card(s) with the dining program, use registered cards at participating restaurants, and miles will automatically accumulate.

You can sign up for the  Alaska Airlines dining program here . Note that each credit card can only be registered with 1 dining program at a time. If you link a card with a different program, it will automatically be de-linked from other programs.

Is there an Alaska Airlines credit card?

Yes, the  Alaska Signature card and Alaska Airlines Business card are Bank of America cards.

You can also utilize Marriott Bonvoy credit cards to transfer miles to Alaska.

By earning miles in AAdvantage with the  Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® , you can use them to book partner flights on Alaska.

What are Alaska Airlines baggage fees?

The first and second checked bags are $25 each, while a third is $75. Travel entirely within the state of Alaska gets 3 free checked bags. Alaska Airlines credit cardholders get 1 free checked bag and Mileage Plan elites get 2 free checked bags. For more information, check out our detailed guide to Alaska Airlines baggage fees .

What is the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan phone number?

Alaska Airlines can be reached at 800-252-7522.

What is the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan award chart?

You can  find the award chart here . Flights start at 5,000 miles one-way on Alaska. You can have 1 stopover on each one-way award.

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Table of Contents

Alaska Airlines frequent flyer login

How much are alaska airlines miles worth, alaska airlines vs. competitors, how to earn alaska airlines miles, how to use alaska airlines miles, alaska elite status, alaska airlines partners, alaska airlines credit cards, flying on alaska, how to change or cancel an alaska flight (and get a refund), alaska mileage plan, recapped.

For people who fly from the West Coast, Alaska Airlines checks all the boxes: It serves complimentary in-flight Starbucks, has a highly valuable co-branded credit card, has 20+ airline partners and is a member of the Oneworld alliance. This Seattle-based airline also has hubs in Anchorage, Alaska, and Portland, Oregon.

The airline's broad network of airline partners, award sweet spots and lucrative credit card offers are some of the compelling reasons to get familiar with Mileage Plan, the airline's frequent flyer program.

To start earning and redeeming miles with Alaska Airlines, you’ll first need to sign up for a Mileage Plan frequent flyer account and login. Signing up for the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is free and fairly simple. To enroll, go to Alaska’s website and click “sign up” from the menu at the top.

Based on our most recent analysis, NerdWallet values Alaska Airlines miles at 1.4 cents each . To determine the value of reward miles, we compared cash prices and reward redemptions for economy roundtrip routes across several destinations and dates. We divided the cost of the cash ticket by the cost of the reward ticket to determine a “cent per mile” value for each flight, then averaged this value across several flights and dates. Read more about how we arrived at these figures .

This is a baseline value for Alaska miles, based on real-world data collected from hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. Generally speaking, aim for award redemptions that offer 1.4 cents or more in value from your Mileage Plan miles.

To find out the value of your own Alaska miles, use our Alaska miles-to-dollars calculator.

To determine the value of your miles for specific flights, divide the cash value of the ticket (less any applicable taxes/fees if you redeem miles) by the number of miles required for the flight. So if the ticket would cost either $100, or 15,000 miles + $10 in taxes/fees, the math would be as follows:

($100 – $10) / 15,000 = 0.006, or 0.6 cent per mile.

Historical Alaska mile values

Alaska miles have become increasingly more valuable over the past three years.

Alaska Airlines came in first place in NerdWallet’s recent analysis of the best airlines . Alaska notched above-average marks in almost every category, notably high rewards rates, plus best-in-class pet policies.

For the fifth year in a row, Alaska came in first in NerdWallet’s airline rewards program analysis .

Here’s a closer look at thow Alaska competed across subcategories:

First in rewards rates .

Third when looking closer at the best basic economy tickets .

Second in operations .

First in elite status benefits .

Tied for second in terms of total fees .

Fourth in in-flight experience .

First place in most pet-friendly airlines .

There are a ton of ways to earn Alaska miles , which can be redeemed for flights on Alaska or its partner airlines. NerdWallet values Alaska Airlines miles at 1.4 cents each as a baseline, but with strategic redemptions, you can easily get more out of these rewards.

If you fly a lot with Alaska, you can qualify for elite status after flying enough in a calendar year. Elite status comes with free upgrades and other benefits, including some benefits that you’re also entitled to when flying on other Oneworld carriers

If you go two years without any activity in your awards account, your account may be closed, and you can lose your miles. If this happens, you can reclaim the rewards within up to one year for a fee.

» Learn more: Your guide to the Oneworld alliance

Earning Alaska Airlines miles when you fly

Eligible flights on Alaska Airlines or other qualifying partner airlines earn 1 base Mileage Plan mile per actual mile flown. For example, flying 1,000 miles would earn 1,000 base miles. Eligible flights shorter than 500 miles will earn 500 miles. To get these miles, you must provide your Mileage Plan number when booking flights.

This distance-based earning system is rare among U.S. airlines today, most of which award frequent flyer miles based on dollars spent. Generally, Alaska's rules make it far easier to rack up miles and reach elite status faster, especially if you frequently take long-haul flights.

You also can earn bonus miles depending on the class of service purchased and your loyalty status. Class-of-service bonuses count toward elite status; loyalty status bonuses don't. Using the example above, for a flight of 1,000 miles, you would earn an extra 500 miles if you’re an MVP member, 1,000 extra miles if you’re an MVP Gold and so on.

To find out how many miles you'd earn on a given flight, use our easy, three-step calculator below. For more information about elite status, skip ahead .

Earning Alaska Airlines miles with a credit card

Alaska Airlines offers three credit cards: Two personal cards and a business card.

Our favorite option is the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card , as it is a good option for those who plan on flying with Alaska or its partners. The card has the following welcome offer: Get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

A great benefit of the card is the Companion Fare, which is provided on each anniversary year. That means you can cover a travel companion’s ticket starting at $121 ($99 plus taxes and fees from $22). Note that, as of Jan. 18, 2023, new cardholders must spend a minimum of $6,000 annually on the card to be eligible for the Companion Fare.

The card, which has an annual fee of $95 , also comes with solid ongoing rewards for those who frequently fly on Alaska Airlines:

Earn 3 miles per dollar spent directly on Alaska Airlines purchases.

Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases.

Earn 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Miles earned with a co-branded credit card don't count toward elite status, Alaska Airlines confirmed in an email.

» Skip ahead to Alaska Airlines credit cards

Other ways to earn Alaska Airlines miles

Some additional easy ways to accrue even more Mileage Plan miles include:

Alaska Airlines credit card referral bonuses

You can earn 5,000 bonus miles for each friend or family member approved for an Alaska Airlines consumer credit card (not the business credit card).

Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping portal

Earn extra miles through select merchants when you shop through the Mileage Plan shopping portal .

Seasonal promotions

These limited-time offers help you earn more miles after meeting the spending requirements. Different merchants can be featured, but some popular offers include those for car rentals, wine and more.

Buying miles

Alaska sells miles, but they cost upward of 2 cents apiece. That often means that they’re not worth the cost, unless you’re getting a truly extraordinary redemption value. Generally, buying miles should be your last resort as there are very few instances in which a miles purchase is a good idea. With the exception of some targeted offers, purchased miles don’t count toward elite status.

So you've earned a ton of Alaska miles. But what's the best way to redeem Alaska miles ?

The worst-kept secret to getting amazing value out of Alaska miles is when booking international premium cabin travel. Alaska’s powerful combination of Oneworld and other international airline partners makes it easy to get outstanding value out of each mile. Many of its partner airlines also offer posh first-class accommodations for a relative bargain when paying in miles, compared with what it would cost in cash.

Use NerdWallet's Points Planning Tool to plan your next redemption with Alaska miles.

Alaska Airlines sets award ticket fares according to class of service and the length of your trip in miles. Refundable tickets are more costly than nonrefundable tickets. For flights within the contiguous U.S. and Alaska, award tickets start at 5,000 miles each way. You can see how much your award ticket might cost for your particular trip by using Alaska Airlines' award chart tool.

Good redemption options

Because the award price of a flight depends on the region you're flying to and from , you get more for each mile when using rewards on otherwise expensive trips. That often means booking international travel with an Alaska Airlines partner. Finding available award seats isn't always easy, but if you can snag one, it can be well worth the effort.

Some of the especially valuable possibilities include:

This Hong Kong-based airline offers a solid business-class experience. A round-trip business class ticket from New York to Hong Kong would cost nearly $8,400. But if you booked it with Alaska Airlines miles, you’d only pay a mere 100,000 miles roundtrip. Essentially you’d be getting roughly 6 cents per mile while traveling in style, before taxes and fees. This is an excellent use of Alaska miles, considering that they are worth 1.4 cents each. Keep in mind that you can’t book Cathay Pacific travel through the Alaska Airlines website, as you can with other airline partners. Instead, you have to book over the phone. Furthermore, Cathay Pacific availability does not show up on the Alaska website, so you’ll need to use British Airways or Qantas to search.

This airline flies all over the world and typically offers relatively reasonable award rates — especially for folks traveling in business and first class. Say, for example, you snagged a first-class round-trip nonrefundable flight from contiguous U.S. and Alaska to Europe for 125,000 miles. If you would have otherwise paid $7,000 for a cash ticket in first class to, say, London — which wouldn’t be unusual — you could get about 5.3 cents per mile on that redemption, even with taxes and fees. That’s an excellent value.

If you’re heading to Australia, redeeming your Alaska Airlines miles with Qantas could be smart. Consider Qantas’s international business class service, for example, which comes with top-notch dining options, lounge access and comfy seats that recline into beds. With Alaska Airlines miles, you can fly from the contiguous U.S. or Alaska to Australia in business class on Qantas for just 110,000 miles round trip. To put that in perspective, a roundtrip flight from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia, in the fall on Qantas with a business saver fare would put you back about $8,700 in cash, as of this writing. If you paid for it in miles instead, you’d get about 7.9 cents per mile, after including taxes and fees. That’s an outstanding value.

Bad redemption options

On certain routes, redeeming Alaska Airlines miles just isn't the best option. In particular, here are some redemption options that aren't all that great.

As a general rule of thumb, if a flight costs less than $50 each way, you’re better off paying for it with cash or credit, not rewards. It’s unlikely that you’d get more than a 1 cent per mile in value from a transaction like this. To avoid wasting points, divide the dollar cost of the flight (less the amount of taxes and fees you would pay if you booked with miles) by the mile cost. NerdWallet values Alaska miles at 1.4 cents each, and you should generally aim for redemptions at that rate or better. If you’re getting less than 1.4 cents per mile out of your award booking, it’s probably a better idea to save your rewards for a different trip.

While the Money and Miles payment option, which lets you pay partially with miles, partially with money, promises convenience, it also offers relatively poor value. For flights in the contiguous U.S. and Alaska, for instance, you can get 50% off up to a $100 discount for 10,000 miles, or 50% off up to a $200 discount for 20,000, effectively getting you a maximum of 1 cent per mile. The flexibility is nice, but you can do better.

British Airways has reasonably priced award travel fares in most cases, but it tends to tack on large fuel surcharges for certain routes. These can effectively tank the value of your miles. If you're planning to redeem with British Airways, be sure to watch out for this. If the fees are excessive, it might make sense to book the trip with another partner.

Alaska Mileage Plan members earn Alaska MVP elite status either by flying on Alaska and its partners or through status matching.

Status tiers

There are four tiers in Alaska’s Mileage Plan elite status program:

MVP Gold 75K.

MVP Gold 100K.

The higher your status, the more benefits you unlock. (More on these below).

Overall, Alaska's elite status is quite generous and relatively easy to attain because of the airline's distance-based earning system. It also offers "elite leave" for new parents, who often have to put traveling on hold as they care for a newborn.

To avoid seeing their elite status go to waste, new parents who show proof of pregnancy or parental leave can receive an extra year of elite status. If you're an elite member welcoming a new baby, this valuable benefit is definitely worth applying for.

Once you earn MVP Gold, you’re able to access Oneworld business class lounges. If you attain MVP Gold 75K, the Oneworld first-class lounges are available to you.

Oneworld elite status

Since Alaska is part of Oneworld, Alaska elites receive reciprocal Oneworld status, which offers benefits when flying on Oneworld partner airlines (see below). Oneworld has three status tiers: Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald. As the tiers increase, you receive all the perks of the preceding level and plus some additional benefits.

Here’s how those benefits shake out when flying on Oneworld airlines:

Alaska MVP elites = Oneworld Ruby status: This tier provides some seat selection benefits, preferred seating and priority check-in.

Alaska MVP Gold elites = Oneworld Sapphire status: The biggest perk of this level is access to business-class lounges. In addition, you’ll also get priority boarding and baggage allowance.

Alaska MVP Gold 75K and 100K elites = Oneworld Emerald status: This tier offers access to first-class lounges, expedited security, first-class priority check-in and extra baggage allowance.

» Learn more: Guide to Oneworld elite status

Alaska Airlines elite benefits

Here are the top perks of holding Alaska Airlines elite status :

How to get Alaska elite status

Elite-qualifying miles include:

Miles earned by flying on Alaska Airlines, Oneworld and partner airlines, when you book with your Mileage Plan number.

Bonuses earned from class of service.

Elite-qualifying miles do not include:

Bonuses earned from loyalty status.

Miles earned on co-branded credit cards.

The requirements are listed in the table below. You can log in to your Alaska Airlines online portal to see how close you are to earning these statuses.

You earn elite status with your activity in a calendar year; your status becomes active about one to two weeks after you earn it and is good through the end of the next calendar year.

Thanks to Alaska Airlines’ membership in Oneworld and its extensive network of Alaska Airlines partners , you can book award travel all over the world through Alaska Airlines, both online through alaskaair.com or by phone.

Redeeming your miles this way can be a brilliant move. Typically, the cash prices of certain international tickets can be quite high compared with the award prices. On such redemptions, you’ll get more value out of your miles.

You can also earn Alaska Airlines miles when you use your Mileage Plan number to book travel on partner airlines when paying for tickets in cash, though in some cases, you won't earn bonuses for class of service when you do this. Alaska Airlines' partners are listed in the table below, with information about which benefits are available and how you can book award travel.

Aer Lingus.

Air Tahiti Nui.

American Airlines (Oneworld).

British Airways (Oneworld).

Cape Air (earn partner only).

Cathay Pacific (Oneworld).

El Al Israel Airlines.

Fiji Airways. (Oneworld).

Finnair (Oneworld).

Hainan Airlines.

Iberia (Oneworld).

Icelandair.

Japan Airlines (Oneworld).

Kenmore Air (Earn partner only).

Korean Air.

LATAM Airlines.

Malaysia Airlines (Oneworld).

Mokulele Airlines (earn partner only).

Qantas (Oneworld).

Qatar Airways (Oneworld).

Ravn Alaska.

Royal Air Maroc (Oneworld).

Royal Jordanian (Oneworld).

Singapore Airlines.

Southern Airways Express (earn partner only).

SriLankan Airlines (Oneworld).

STARLUX Airlines.

When you're booking with cash through alaskaair.com, you'll only see domestic routes and a handful of international routes online. But when you're paying with miles, you'll be able to book trips to several other regions, as well.

» Learn more: Guide to Alaska Airlines partners: Earning, redeeming, elite perks

Alaska Airlines' credit cards are issued by Bank of America®. The cards offered include:

on Bank of America's website

$70 for the company and $25 per card .

Get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

Get 50,000 bonus miles, $100 statement credit and Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

• 3 miles per $1 on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 on eligible gas, EV charging, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases.

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 on eligible gas, EV charging, shipping and local transit (including ride share) purchases.

The Alaska fare classes are (in order from finest to most basic) are:

First Class

Premium Class

Economy Main Cabin

Basic Economy

The boarding process on Alaska is fairly standard, where your ticket type and your Mileage Plan membership level will determine your assigned boarding group.

Alaska bag fees

On Alaska Airlines, you are allowed a carry-on bag for free, regardless of the type of fare you’re ticketed in.

The standard fee for checked bags on Alaska is $30 for your first bag, $40 for a second and $100 for a third. But, you can avoid fees by holding certain Alaska-branded credit cards, holding certain levels of elite status, sitting in higher fare class seats and if you're active duty military personnel.

If you need to cancel an Alaska flight , terms vary by the type of airfare you bought. Non-Saver fares purchased directly through Alaska Airlines, can be changed or rebooked online through the Manage Reservation page. For all fare types besides Saver, you can change or cancel your flight with certain restrictions, but for nonrefundable tickets, you won’t get your money back — just a credit toward future travel.

To receive a refund for an Alaska Airlines reservation , you must have a refundable ticket issued by Alaska Airlines, unless you request a refund within 24 hours of booking.

In addition to offering a solid loyalty program, Alaska offers several sweet spots when flying on partner airlines. Due to Alaska joining Oneworld, the airline’s reach has expanded even further, which means that Mileage Plan members have even more opportunities to earn and redeem miles.

Alaska award flights start at 5,000 miles each way for short flights within the U.S. Longer domestic one-way flights will generally cost about 12,500 miles each way.

Generally, no. Unless you have a specific redemption in mind that will net more value per mile than average, it’s better to have cash than Alaska miles (or any airline miles). Even when Alaska runs promotional sales on purchased miles, it’s still usually not worth it.

You can use Alaska miles for flights on Alaska and its partner airlines , or upgrade to first class on an existing reservation. You can also book hotel rooms using Alaska miles, but this is generally not the best way to get the most value.

You can transfer Alaska miles to other Mileage Plan members, but it’s generally not a good idea. You’ll be charged $10 per 1,000 miles transferred, plus a $25 handling fee.

You can use Alaska miles for flights on Alaska and its

partner airlines

, or upgrade to first class on an existing reservation. You can also book hotel rooms using Alaska miles, but this is generally not the best way to get the most value.

Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card review: Earn hard-to-get miles with a new 60,000-mile offer

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card overview

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is one of the best cards for earning Alaska miles. Even if you don't live on the West Coast, Alaska Airlines miles are valuable since you can use them to book flights on Oneworld partner airlines, including Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qantas and American Airlines. You'll also get a free checked bag and priority boarding if you use the card to pay for your flight. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Applying for the personal Alaska Airlines Visa credit card and the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card are your main options for easily earning a big chunk of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles .

Alaska miles can be hard to earn given that the program doesn't partner with any major transferable points currency except for Marriott Bonvoy . Therefore, if you're loyal to the airline and want priority boarding and checked baggage allowances, or you have a good reason to accrue Alaska miles for travel on Alaska Airlines or its partners, this card is worth considering.

Plus, with Alaska's proposed acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines , there will be more earning and redemption opportunities when flying to the Hawaiian Islands and beyond.

The recommended credit score for this product is 700 or above, but with a lucrative welcome bonus , now could be a great time to apply.

So, let's see if the personal card is a good fit for you.

Alaska Airlines Visa welcome offer

Right now, the Alaska Airlines Visa credit card is offering 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after making $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

TPG values Alaska miles at 1.53 cents apiece, making 60,000 miles worth a solid $918.

Alaska Airlines Visa benefits

Obviously, this card is a great choice if you frequently fly Alaska Airlines.

With a $95 annual fee , this card provides elite like perks without Alaska Airlines MVP elite status . Cardholders get one piece of free checked luggage for themselves and up to six other passengers on the same reservation when they pay with the card, saving $30 per person each way on checked bags. You'll also enjoy Alaska-related discounts, including 20% back on Alaska Airlines inflight purchases.

Suppose you fly Alaska with a friend or family member on paid fares at least once a year. In that case, this card's most lucrative ongoing benefit is likely to be the annual companion fare, which you'll earn every year on your account anniversary if you've spent $6,000 or more within the prior anniversary year — though you'll also get one as part of the current welcome bonus.

The companion fare is only valid for coach travel but is eligible for upgrades if you hold Alaska's elite status. TPG's Summer Hull has taken advantage of a status match to earn Alaska MVP Gold 75k status , then used some of the four one-way upgrades that come with that status to upgrade flights to Hawaii that were booked using the companion fare.

The best thing about this companion ticket is that you're not limited to round-trip flights or specific economy fare classes. You can do an expensive one-way ticket or even a multi-city itinerary. In addition, you don't have to fly on the ticket as the primary cardholder — though you must use the Alaska Visa to pay for your ticket.

For more information on the companion ticket and how to get the most value out of it, see our tips on maximizing the Alaska Airlines Visa Companion Fare .

As previously mentioned, the card also offers a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to six other travelers on the same reservation when you use the card to pay for your flights. There are no foreign transaction fees , so you can use the card anywhere around the globe without incurring extra charges.

Cardholders will also enjoy priority boarding, similar to Group 4 or 5 boarding on American Airlines for its cobranded credit card holders. You will board after first class, veterans, folks who need extra time, and Oneworld and Alaska elite members. Again, to access this benefit, you need to pay for your flight with your card.

Also, cardholders can earn 4,000 EQMs for every $10,000 spent on the card (up to 20,000 EQMs each year) — which will help reach Alaska MVP elite status . In addition, you can get $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ membership . Alaska lounges are some of the best domestic lounges and are known for their fluffy and golden brown pancakes.

Lastly, you'll enjoy a 10% rebate on miles earned annually if you have an eligible account at Bank of America.

Earning miles on the Alaska Airlines Visa

With the Alaska Airlines Visa card, you'll earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, 2 miles per dollar on gas, local transit, EV charging stations, ride-hailing, cable and some streaming services, and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

In addition, if you have an eligible Bank of America account, you'll enjoy a 10% bonus on all miles earned — boosting your effective earning rates on these purchases even higher.

If you frequently travel on Alaska Airlines for work or pleasure and want to build up your Mileage Plan balance, this card is an obvious choice for airline purchases. Considering that TPG values Alaska Airlines at 1.53 cents apiece, that's a 4.59% return.

You should likely use another travel credit card for non-Alaska purchases since you can do better than the card's earning rate of 1 mile per dollar. However, if you really want to rack up Alaska miles for partner award flights, then that advice may not apply since Alaska miles are valuable and challenging to get otherwise without flying Alaska.

Related : Alaska and Hawaiian Merger A Win-Win

Redeeming miles on the Alaska Airlines Visa

Note that Mileage Plan is overhauling its award chart in March 2024 , shifting to a distance-based model. Some redemptions will be cheaper, but some of the program's sweet spots will require more miles when the changes take effect.

Short-haul Alaska awards (such as Seattle to San Francisco) start at just 5,000 Alaska miles each way. Many longer flights (such as Seattle to New York City) are 12,500 miles in economy. If you want first class, it's often 40,000 miles on longer domestic flights but can start as low as 15,000 miles each way on shorter flights. If you want to head to Hawaii, those awards start at 15,000 miles each way in economy and 40,000 each way in first class.

Alaska's partners will also cover your travels across much of the globe. Those partners include British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas. When redeeming through Alaska, you won't necessarily get the lowest mileage booking rate for all of these partners (depending on the route). But you can build some great itineraries by taking advantage of Alaska's allowance of one free stopover on one-way award tickets .

Some of our favorite ways to maximize Alaska Airlines redemptions include booking Cathay Pacific first class from the U.S. to Asia from 70,000 miles one-way, Japan Airlines first class one-way from the U.S. to Asia starting at 70,000 miles and Fiji Airways from the U.S. to Fiji one-way in business class from 55,000 miles.

You could even fly to Australia on Fiji Airways and add in a free stopover in Fiji for the same 55,000 miles in business class.

But you don't have to lap the planet to maximize Alaska miles. Booking awards around the U.S. and Canada from just 5,000 Alaska miles each way is also a pretty great deal.

Which cards compete with the Alaska Airlines Visa credit card?

The biggest drawback of the Alaska Visa is that the miles are in a specific airline loyalty program. As a result, they're more limited than other currencies, since you can only use them on Alaska and its partners.

Here are a few great cards for earning transferrable points if you're not in specific need of Alaska miles:

• If you want to earn Chase points : Go for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card , one of the top mid-tier travel cards on the market. It offers generous point-earning opportunities, such as 3 points per dollar on dining and select streaming services. These valuable points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel. For more information, read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred .
• If you're after Capital One miles : The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card combines fixed-value redemptions with 15-plus airline and hotel transfer partners. With its reasonable annual fee and attractive rewards on everyday spending, this card is a valuable asset worth holding onto. For more information, read our full review of the Venture Rewards .

For additional options, check out our full list of the best travel credit cards .

Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Is the Alaska Airlines Visa worth it?

The Alaska Airlines Visa is a great choice if you're an Alaska loyalist or want to diversify your points and miles portfolio with valuable Alaska miles. Thanks to a decent earning rate for Alaska Airlines purchases and the valuable annual companion ticket, the card's low $95 annual fee pales in comparison to the benefits.

Bottom line

If you're a dedicated Alaska Airlines customer or are looking to broaden your points and miles collection with valuable Alaska miles, the Alaska Airlines Visa is an excellent option. Even those who don't frequently fly the airline or its partners can get solid value from the annual companion ticket. Add in some solid earning rates and the benefits of this card can far outweigh its annual fee.

Apply here: Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card available with 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after making $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

Updated as of 4/18/2024.

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Alaska Airlines and Bank of America announce enhanced benefits to our Visa Signature card

January 18, 2023 at 12:00 PM Eastern

Cardholders now enjoy new ways to earn double miles on everyday purchases, priority boarding, expanded free checked bag privileges; for a limited time, new cardholders can receive 70,000 bonus miles after making qualifying purchases

SEATTLE, WA — A new year reveals new reasons to celebrate what makes the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card , co-branded with Bank of America, better and more valuable than ever.

Our current and new cardholders can now take advantage of enhanced benefits when they use the card while traveling with us and while making everyday purchases – from earning more miles in new ways to boarding their flight earlier to continued savings with a free checked bag and Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™.

Cardholders will enjoy these new benefits :

• Earn Double Miles: Cardholders now earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases made every day – including gas, local transit including ride share, cable bill and select streaming services. Alaska miles don’t expire so they can be redeemed at any time.
• Relationship Bonus: A 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases with an open, eligible Bank of America checking, savings or investment account.
• Priority Boarding: Early group boarding when tickets are purchased with an Alaska Visa Signature® card.
• Expanded Privileges for Authorized Users: Authorized users added by primary cardholders will now receive additional savings and convenience when the Alaska Visa Signature® card is used to purchase a ticket. Authorized users can continue to book their own travel with the card but will now also gain access to a free checked bag and priority boarding even when they’re not traveling with the primary cardholder (previously, authorized users needed to travel with the cardholder on the same reservation to receive a free checked bag).
• Alaska Lounge+ Membership Discount: Cardholders can enjoy $100 off the price of an Alaska Lounge+ membership every year when purchased with their Alaska Visa Signature® card.

"With our newly enhanced Visa Signature® credit card, we strived to add benefits that mean the most to our cardholders – from adding value to their travel experience when using the card to earning more miles on things we buy all the time," said Sangita Woerner, senior vice president of marketing and guest experience at Alaska Airlines. "All those earned miles with the card can be redeemed in our award-winning Mileage Plan program for flights on Alaska, our fellow one world member airlines and our additional global partners.”

Cardholders will also continue to enjoy the card’s additional benefits:

• Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ Every Year : Current cardholders will continue to receive a companion fare that allows them to book a companion flight from just $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) when bought with their Alaska Visa Signature® card. The companion fare becomes available annually after their card anniversary and it’s valid on all flights booked on alaskaair.com . New cardholders must spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year to receive the annual companion fare.
• Continuing Ways to Earn Miles: Cardholders will still earn 3 miles for every dollar spent on eligible Alaska purchases and 1 mile for every dollar spent on all other things they buy.
• 20% Inflight Rebate: Cardholders get back 20% on onboard purchases such as food, beverages and Wi-Fi when they pay with their Alaska Visa Signature® card.
• Low Annual Fee: Just $95 annually 1 .

Now’s a great time to get the card. For a limited time, in addition to all the benefits above, new cardholders receive 70,000 bonus miles with this offer . Those bonus miles alone are more than enough for a roundtrip ticket anywhere Alaska flies. To qualify, cardholders need to make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening their account.

“We are thrilled to work with Alaska Airlines in order to offer customers enhanced benefits on their Visa Signature® credit card,” said Jason Gaughan, Head of Consumer Credit Card Products at Bank of America. “With these new changes we’ve created more opportunities for customers to optimize their credit card rewards and get the most out of every dollar spent travelling or for everyday purchases. In addition, eligible Bank of America checking, savings or investment account holders can earn an additional rewards bonus.”

Alaska Airlines and Bank of America will launch similar enhanced benefits for the Alaska Airlines Visa Business card this spring.

Alaska and Bank of America announced last year an extension of our co-branded credit card agreement through 2030 to continue offering best-in-class benefits to our customers.

Mileage Plan miles earned by using the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card can be redeemed for free flights on Alaska and more than 20 of our fellow one world member airlines and additional global partners to more than 900 destinations around the world. Our guests can also use their miles to book hotel stays and upgrades on their flights.

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. We emphasize low fares and award-winning customer service. Alaska is a member of the one world global alliance. With the alliance and our additional airline partners, our guests can travel to more than 900 destinations on more than 20 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com . Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 68 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 56 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).

Enhanced Product Benefit Disclosures

Alaska Airlines Credit Card Program Summary. How You Earn Miles: You earn miles when you use your card to make purchases, minus returns, credits and adjustments (“Net Purchases”). The following transactions are not considered purchases and will not earn miles: Balance Transfers and Cash Advances (each as defined in your Credit Card Agreement), fees, interest charges, fraudulent transactions and certain other charges. 1 Mile: Earn 1 mile (base mile) for every $1 of Net Purchases charged to the card each billing cycle. 2 Miles: Earn 2 miles (consisting of 1 bonus mile and 1 base mile) for every $1 of eligible Gas, Cable and Streaming Services and Local Transit (including Ride Share) Net Purchases. 3 Miles: Earn 3 miles (consisting of 2 bonus miles and 1 base mile) for every $1 of eligible Alaska Airlines Net Purchases. Eligible Alaska Airlines Net Purchases include Alaska Airlines tickets, Alaska Airlines flight subscriptions, inflight food and beverage purchases, lounge memberships, in-lounge food and beverage purchases, cargo purchases, and vacation packages billed by Alaska Airlines as the merchant of record and booked directly through Alaska Airlines. Eligible Alaska Airlines Vacation Packages must be booked via the Alaska Airlines website or by calling the Alaska Airlines Vacation Packages toll free number listed on the website. Otherwise eligible Alaska Airlines Net Purchases made through a third-party merchant (e.g., travel agency, online merchant) will not earn 3 miles per dollar. All miles earned on the account will be credited to the primary cardholder’s Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ account. Bonus Miles: Your card will be automatically enrolled in Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ Dining, a dining rewards program operated by Rewards Network Establishment Services Inc. You’ll earn 1 mile for every $2 spent at participating restaurants. Visit mileageplan.rewardsnetwork.com for the complete list of participating restaurants and learn how you can earn even more miles. Bonus Mile Processing: Merchants are assigned a merchant category code (MCC) based upon the merchant’s primary line of business. We do not determine which MCC a merchant chooses to classify itself. How You Use Your Miles: Earned miles can be redeemed for Alaska Airlines award travel, upgrades and hotel accommodations. Visit alaskaair.com for information on redemption and redemption minimums.

Relationship Bonus Miles: You will earn bonus Miles equal to 10% of the Miles you earn on each $1 spent in Net Purchases when you have an active Qualifying Account. An active Qualifying Account is an open consumer (non-business) checking or savings account with Bank of America N.A. or an investment account with Merrill that maintains an average daily balance greater than $0 or a Bank of America checking or savings account that has had a deposit or withdrawal within 90 days. Balances are reviewed at the end of every month to determine if qualifications were met. For cardholders with a Qualifying Account all Net Purchases made with your Card on or after the fifth business day of the current month through the fifth business day of the following month will earn the Relationship Bonus Miles. Upon new account opening of a Qualifying Account, it may take up to 30 days to begin earning the Relationship Bonus Miles.

Annual Companion Fare Benefit: Primary cardholders whose accounts are open with active charging privileges will qualify for a Companion Fare code each anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on Net Purchases that post to your credit card billing statement by your credit card anniversary (every 12 months from the open date anniversary). With the exception of special account status or circumstances (e.g. Military relief programs), the anniversary will coincide with the month in which the annual fee is billed. After qualifying, you will receive the Companion Fare code within the first 2 billing cycles after your anniversary each year, which will be credited to your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ account. The code is valid for a round-trip or one-way coach Companion Fare on Alaska Airlines from $122 (USD) ($99 base fare plus taxes and fees, from $23 depending on your Alaska Airlines flight itinerary) when traveling with another guest on a paid published coach airfare on the same itinerary, booked at the same time on alaskaair.com. Multiple stopovers not allowed. Primary fare and Companion Fare must be purchased with your Alaska Airlines credit card. You can view and redeem your Companion Fare code by logging into your Mileage Plan™ account at alaskaair.com within 12 months of the date of issue. Once ticketed, travel may be completed after the expiration date of the Companion Fare code. The expiration date cannot be extended and, once your Companion Fare code has expired, it cannot be exchanged. If your Account is closed, you are no longer eligible to receive this benefit. Mileage cannot be used as a form of payment, however mileage credit accrual is allowed for both guests. The Companion Fare code is not valid with award travel, and cannot be combined with any other airfare discounts. Guest is responsible for all applicable taxes, fees, surcharges and applicable checked baggage fees. Applicable taxes and fees are subject to change. You can view your Companion Fare terms and conditions by logging into your Mileage Plan™ account.

Free Checked Bag Benefit: All cardholders of the Alaska Airlines credit card who have an open account at the time of travel and up to 6 guests traveling on the same reservation may check 1 bag free of charge on qualifying reservations. Qualifying reservations include flights marketed by Alaska Airlines and operated by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, or SkyWest (codeshare flights operated by other carriers are not eligible). Primary cardholder must be an Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ member. Baggage restrictions apply. See alaskaair.com/freebagfaq for complete baggage rules. Payment with the Alaska Airlines credit card is required to qualify for this benefit. Offer may not be applied retroactively, and no refunds will be issued. Not applicable for guests who already receive 1 or more free checked bags. New cardholders will be eligible for this benefit approximately within 2-3 weeks after account opening. Cardholders upgrading from another Alaska Airlines credit card, will be eligible for this benefit approximately within 4-6 weeks after being upgraded.

Priority Boarding: All cardholders of the Alaska Airlines credit card who have an open account at the time of travel and up to 6 guests traveling on the same reservation are eligible for priority boarding. Airfare must be purchased with your Alaska Airlines credit card to qualify for this benefit. To receive priority boarding, the Primary cardholder must include their Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ number in their reservation. Priority boarding is only available on flights marketed by Alaska Airlines and operated by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, or SkyWest. Cardholders and their eligible guests can board the plane before general boarding, after Alaska Mileage Plan™ elite status members and one world ® Alliance elite members, customers with First Class or Premium Class seating and pre-board groups. Bank of America is not responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated benefits. New cardholders will be eligible for this benefit within 2-3 weeks after opening a card account, or after upgrading from another Alaska Airlines credit card. See alaskaair.com for additional terms, conditions and restrictions that may apply.

20% Inflight Rebate on Food, Beverage and Wi-Fi Onboard Purchases: Cardholders will receive a 20% rebate, in the form of a statement credit, for purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi onboard Alaska and Alaska operated flights, using your Alaska Airlines credit card as your method of payment. The statement credit will post to your credit card account within 7 days from transaction posting date. To qualify for the 20% rebate, your account must be open with active charging privileges at the time of the qualifying transaction.

$100 Alaska Lounge+ Membership Discount: Cardholders will receive $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ Membership purchased with your Alaska Airlines credit card. Not combinable with other Alaska Lounge+ membership discounts. Alaska Airlines reserves the right to restrict, alter, and/or modify the fees, benefits, services, and lounge locations and hours at any time, with or without written notice to its members. Memberships are non-refundable and non-transferable. See alaskaair.com for full details and terms and conditions around Alaska Lounge+ membership.

Reporters may contact:

Alaska Airlines Media Relations Phone: 1.206.304.0008 [email protected]

Don Vecchiarello, Bank of America Phone: 1.980.387.4899 [email protected]

1 For information about rates, fees, other costs and benefits associated with the use of this credit card, please see Terms and Conditions . This credit card program is issued and administered by Bank of America, N.A.

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These Are the Best Frequent Flier Programs of 2024

Only the best will do.

d3sign/Getty Images

Summer vacation is just around the corner, which means many of you will be taking to the skies to get to your dream destinations. But, before you do, make sure to sign up for a frequent flier program to ensure you maximize those travel benefits. But, which one should you be signing up for exactly? WalletHub has the answer.

The personal finance website released its report on the 2024 Best Frequent Flier Programs . The report ranks the 10 largest domestic airlines based on 21 key metrics, including everything from the "value of a point/mile" to "blackout dates for reward flights." The team also created three distinct consumer profiles, a "Light Flier," who spends roughly $355 on annual airline travel, an "Average Flier," who spends roughly $3,736 on annual airline travel, and a "Frequent Flier," who spends $7,117 on annual airline travel, so see how each program pans out for every traveler. 

After looking at all the data, WalletHub named Alaska Airline's program the best in the business. 

"Alaska Mileage Plan is the best frequent flier program of 2024, beating last year’s winner United MileagePlus," WalletHub wrote in its findings. The airline won thanks to its policy to never allow miles to expire, its high number of destinations and partner airlines, and the value earned by every category of traveler (light, average, and frequent). 

It was joined in the top five programs by United Airlines and its MileagePlus program in second, followed by Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles, Hawaiian Airlines' HawaiianMiles, and American Airlines' AAdvantage. 

The good news is, no matter which program you choose you'll likely be winning. According to WalletHub, seven of the 10 largest airlines are "offering more rewards value in 2024 than in 2023. On average, the top 10 airlines are offering 18 percent more value than they did last year."  

"For any good and sustainable airline rewards program, it has to be a win-win situation. Consumers get perks such as priority boarding and free check-in luggage; gradually, they become more loyal to that specific airline, make more purchases, and spread more positive Word of Mouth over time," Wan Yang, an associate professor and associate editor of International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, The Collins College of Hospitality Management, shared in the findings about what makes one program better than another. "Meanwhile, they will accumulate more miles with that company, which makes 'switching brands' more costly. Eventually, the airline company will gain great long-term benefits from those loyal consumers, also known as more 'Lifetime Value' from consumers." 

Beyond the study, WalletHub also shared a custom calculator that allows travelers to personalize the results of the best frequent flier programs based on their own budget. This way, you can always pick the one that's right for you. 

Alaska Airlines was named America's favorite airline for the 2nd year in a row — months after a hole blew in the side of one of its planes

• A major consumer survey found that Alaska Airlines is the most popular airline in the US for the second year running.
• The airline topped the American Customer Satisfaction Index, despite its infamous panel blowout in January.
• Overall, US air travel customers were happier than last year with their experiences.

Alaska Airlines is the most popular airline in the US for the second year running, according to a major consumer survey.

The airline comfortably topped the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index with a score of 82, a one-point improvement compared to 2023.

American Airlines was second with 79 points, while low-cost carrier Allegiant Air beat better-known legacy names like United and Delta to take third place. Allegiant registered a four-point rise in overall customer satisfaction, making it one of the fastest climbers this year.

United Airlines was the only carrier to lose ground, sliding three points to a score of 75.

The index, which has been running since 1994, tracks customer satisfaction across five travel industries — airlines, car rentals, lodging, online travel agencies, and ridesharing platforms.

Related stories

To determine the rankings, 16,352 customers were asked to rate their experiences with companies based on nineteen different factors, such as ease of making a reservation, check-in process, cleanliness of cabin and lavatory, courtesy and helpfulness of flight crew, and timeliness of arrival. By collating this information, the American Customer Satisfaction Index says it provides a "definitive measure of passenger satisfaction."

Alaska Airline's top ranking comes despite the airline's nightmare safety incident in January 2024, during which a decommissioned door plug flew off during one of its flights at an altitude of 16,000 feet.

The plane, a Boeing 737 Max 9 made a safe landing back at Portland International Airport 35 minutes after takeoff, with all 177 people on board surviving.

14 passengers on the flight have since filed a class-action lawsuit against Boeing and Alaska Airlines, asking for monetary damages to cover injuries sustained during the incident and claims that some oxygen masks malfunctioned.

US airlines are getting better

Overall, the data found that customers were increasingly happy with airline travel, with ratings for all nineteen areas of customer satisfaction across airlines either improving or staying level with responses from 2023.

The polled customers were particularly happy with app services, the ease of making reservations, and airlines' websites, pointing to the importance of developing customer-friendly technology offerings.

As they become happier with travel experiences, customers are also travelling more. This February, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported a 21.5% rise in global air passengers compared to the previous year.

Watch: Why Hooters Air, Pan Am, and the Concorde all disappeared from the skies

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More From Forbes

Ranked: the best airlines in 2024, according to a new report.

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What are the best airlines to fly? As the world emerges from the turbulence of the global pandemic, the airline industry is navigating a new landscape marked by shifting consumer expectations, evolving safety protocols and fluctuating economic conditions. Against this backdrop, travelers are weighing factors beyond mere ticket prices as they choose the best airlines to ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.

The personal-finance website WalletHub has just announced its annual ranking of the best airlines . The study evaluates the nine largest national airlines in the United States and one regional carrier across a range of criteria, including reliability, safety, comfort and overall service quality, providing travelers with valuable insights to inform their decision-making process.

According to WalletHub, airline ticket prices had dropped significantly in 2023, but are back on the rise. However, costs are only part of the story. “WalletHub’s airline report is unique because it evaluates airlines beyond just ticket prices,” WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe told me in an interview. “While many reports prioritize affordability, WalletHub takes into account a wider range of factors that are important to travelers, such as comfort, safety, and overall service quality.” Compare this year’s list to 2023’s list of best airlines .

What are the best airlines in 2024? A new WalletHub report ranks the best U.S. airlines.

To rank the airlines for 2024, WalletHub analyzed 2023 flight data from the U.S. Department of Transportation and using a strategic methodology that compared key metrics, including cancellation, delays, baggage mishaps and in-flight comfort.

This year’s report unveils Alaska Airlines as the best airline in the U.S., earning the highest WalletHub score and beating out Delta Air Lines, which ranked first in 2023 and 2022. Alaska Airlines has ranked at the top of the list in a number of past WalletHub rankings, including 2021, 2019 , 2018 and 2017. A track record of consistent performance and a commitment to passenger satisfaction propelled Alaska Airlines back to the top of the list.

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“Alaska Airlines has regained the top position owing to its consistent and remarkable performance across multiple metrics,” says Happe. “The airline has exceeded expectations in in-flight comfort and cost, providing passengers with amenities such as ample legroom, a range of entertainment options and complimentary refreshments. Moreover, it has demonstrated robust safety measures, ranking first in safety-related categories, such as the number of injuries in aviation incidents and accidents. The airline’s balanced performance across various aspects of air travel has contributed to its return to the top position.”

Worth noting is that the flight data that WalletHub used to determine the rankings was from 2023 and did not account for some issues that Alaska Airlines has faced in 2024, including a January incident —where a door plug blew out mid-flight on a Boeing 737 Max plane—and a recent grounding , due to a tech issue with the airline’s system for calculating weight. “Such incidents could impact the airline’s rankings in 2025, particularly in categories pertaining to safety and reliability,” says Happe.

Following closely behind is Alaska Airlines SkyWest Airlines, followed by Spirit Airlines in the number three spot. “It’s quite surprising to see Spirit Airlines ranking so high on the list,” says Happe. “This is notable because Spirit is usually associated with budget travel and may not be considered as competing in terms of overall service quality. However, it seems that Spirit has made significant progress in areas beyond affordability, such as safety. This is evident by the airline being ranked as the safest airline, which is increasingly valued by travelers.”

Coming in last on the list for the third year in a row is Southwest Airlines. “Although the airline shows satisfactory performance in baggage and departure metrics such as cancelled flights and delays, it falls short in terms of mishandled baggage reports and denied boardings,” says Happe. “When considering in-flight comfort and cost, the airline ranks low in price affordability, which is a crucial factor for many travelers. Furthermore, Southwest’s safety scores are notably low compared to its competitors. Overall, it appears that Southwest needs to address its mishandled baggage and denied boarding issues, as well as work on improving its safety measures and price competitiveness, in order to improve its ranking.”

In addition to ranking the best airlines, WalletHub also reveals the most reliable airline, the most comfortable airline, the most affordable airline and the safest airline.

In terms of dependability, Delta Air Lines emerges as the most reliable airline for the second year in a row, due to the lowest rates of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings. At the opposite end is Frontier, which is named the least reliable airline for the second year in a row, due to high levels of denied boardings and delayed flights. “Delta Airlines is widely regarded as the most dependable option when it comes to air travel. This is primarily because of their exceptional track record in minimizing cancellations, delays, denied boardings, and mishandled luggage,” says Happe. “However, Frontier Airlines falls short in most reliability metrics, although it does surpass Delta by securing the second overall rank for mishandled baggage.”

Delta Air Lines and JetBlue tied as the most comfortable airlines in the WalletHub rankings. According to WalletHub, they excelled by offering free amenities. The least comfortable airline? Frontier. “Delta Airlines and JetBlue Airways provide a comfortable flight experience with amenities such as Wi-Fi, extra legroom and complimentary snacks and beverages,” says Happe. “Frontier Airlines, on the other hand, does not offer the same level of comfort during the flight, as they lack many of the complimentary benefits provided by their competitors.

When it comes to safety, Spirit Airlines takes the win as the safest airline, boasting a commendable safety record including no fatalities and fewer than 15 injuries between 2018 and 2023. Alaska Airlines earns the runner-up position in terms of safety, highlighting its commitment to passenger well-being. Spirit Airlines has been recognized as the safest airline due to its superior performance in various safety metrics, including incident and accident rates,” says Happe. “On the other hand, Alaska Airlines, despite its good overall performance, has a lower ranking in safety metrics when compared to Spirit Airlines. Since 2018, Alaska Airlines has had a higher rate of incidents and accidents per total number of flights.”

The most affordable airline in 2024 is Spirit Airlines. At the opposite end of the list is American Airlines, which is named the most expensive airline. “Spirit Airlines is the most affordable airline, offering budget-friendly options” says Happe. “Conversely, American Airlines lags behind its competitors in affordability based on our study.”

Read on for the overall list of the best airlines in America, as well as the other key findings.

Alaska Airlines was named the best airline in the U.S. in a new report.

Overall Rankings: The Best Airlines in the U.S.

• Alaska Airlines
• SkyWest Airlines
• Spirit Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• United Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Hawaiian Airlines
• American Airlines
• Frontier Airlines
• Southwest Airlines

Delta Air Lines was named the most reliable airline.

The Most Reliable Airlines in the U.S.

Delta Air Lines was named the most comfortable airline.

The Most Comfortable Airlines in the U.S.

*Note that SkyWest is not represented in this list because it is a regional carrier and serves other major airlines, which may dictate what amenities are provided.

• Delta Air Lines (tie)
• JetBlue Airways (tie)

Spirit ranked as the safest airline in the U.S.

The Safest Airlines in the U.S.

Spirit Airlines was named the most affordable airline.

The Most Affordable Airlines in the U.S.

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Subscriber only, transportation | spirit airlines shows improvements, but still finishes last in travel industry customer satisfaction study.

Discount carriers Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines, once destined to be merger partners, both upped their games in terms of serving their customers, but remained on the bottom of an annual customer satisfaction survey for 2023-24, a national research firm has announced.

Although it registered more improvement points than any airline, South Florida-based Spirit finished last in the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index Travel Study conducted by CFI Group of Ann Arbor, Mich. The study, released Tuesday, assessed the performance of not only the nation’s bigger airlines, but also of hotels, car rental firms, rideshare operators and online travel services.

Overall, all of the industry segments serving travelers showed improvements in the eyes of customers, many of whom are still eager to hit the road despite rising prices and inflation.

For the survey, travelers graded the airlines on multiple service metrics, including baggage handling, boarding process, call centers, cleanliness of airplane cabins and lavatories, food quality (both paid and complimentary). loyalty programs, mobile apps, overhead storage, seat comfort and staff performances at airport gates and ticket counters.

The percentage of people surveyed who said they complained declined year-over-year, with 26% of the business travel respondents saying they filed a complaint in 2024 versus 48% in 2023. Of the leisure travelers surveyed, only 13% said they complained versus 17% last year.

“Airline customer satisfaction has climbed to new heights, reaching scores not seen even before the pandemic disrupted travel,”  Forrest Morgeson, associate professor of marketing at Michigan State University and director of research emeritus at the ACSI, said in a statement. “Carriers have bounced back strongly, showing that innovations and service improvements implemented during the last two years have resonated with customers.”

The index was founded at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business in partnership with other organizations including CFI, which now conducts the survey. It is no longer affiliated with the university.

Alaska Airlines, which had a door plug blow out of one its planes during a flight over the Pacific Northwest in January, topped the survey for the second straight year, followed by American Airlines.

Discounters register improvements

Among the discount airlines, Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit made the biggest gains in the survey “as they crank up their value propositions,” the organization said in its statement.

Asked for more detail, a CFI spokeswoman said the three airlines “showed improved scores this year on flight experience metrics such as check-in/boarding, in-flight service, travel planning, and staff.”

“Now that the legacy carriers have added so many fees related to seat selection and baggage, customers may perceive a greater value proposition from budget airlines,” she said.

Despite the improvements shown by the discounters, “only Allegiant avoids sitting at the low end of the industry, finishing in third place,” the statement said.

Allegiant, which is based in Las Vegas, was followed in descending order by Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, unidentified carriers in an “All Other” category, then Denver-based Frontier and South Florida-based Spirit.

Spirit, which is moving into a new headquarters complex in Dania Beach, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The airline is emerging from a protracted turbulent period highlighted by two failed merger deals and a manufacturers’ engine recall that has left 20 of its 200-plus jetliners grounded.

At a formal opening of its headquarters last week, Ted Christie, the CEO and president, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel the company is eager to start communicating what it wants to do for its customers.

‘We’ve been listening to what our guests have been telling us over the years. We’ve been listening to what the markets have been saying,” he said. “And we haven’t had an opportunity yet to tell our story and to energize what’s going to happen next, and we’re going to take that opportunity.”

Christie didn’t elaborate. But before the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline did undertake initiatives to show it wanted better relations with its customers. The airline upgraded its fleet, installed seating with more legroom, and upgraded technology to increase flight schedule reliability.

More recently, the airline has landed in the upper quadrant of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s monthly on-time performance scorecards. For example, the company ranked fourth at 72.5% in January of this year in overall percentage of reported flights arriving on time, according to department data.

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