Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: Guide to earning and redeeming miles

Regardless of being smaller than the Huge Three legacy carriers, Alaska Airlines has gained recognition amongst American vacationers because of its loyalty program, Mileage Plan.

As a member of Oneworld, this system presents quite a few high-value partnerships with airways like American Airways, British Airways and Cathay Pacific. Moreover, it has nonalliance partnerships with airways equivalent to Icelandair, Singapore Airways and LATAM, offering a variety of choices for incomes and utilizing miles.

Furthermore, Alaska Airlines acquired Hawaiian Airlines in a joint merger, and the provider is planning a major overhaul of its Mileage Plan program in 2025. Whereas some particulars have been unveiled, together with new milestone perks and status-earning choices, extra program particulars might be introduced throughout the subsequent six to 9 months.

This information will focus on the ins and outs of how one can presently redeem Alaska miles, particulars on its elite standing program and extra.

Alaska Airways Mileage Plan overview

Mileage Plan is Alaska Airways’ frequent flyer program. You earn Alaska miles by flying with Alaska or its associate airways. This system additionally presents further incomes companions, equivalent to a shopping portal, dining program and cobranded credit cards. When you accumulate miles, you possibly can redeem them for journey on Alaska or its companions.

Mileage Plan consists of an elite status program with 4 tiers: MVP, MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K. Every tier consists of upgrades, most popular seating and bonus mileage earned on Alaska flights. Elite members additionally get pleasure from restricted advantages on Hawaiian Airways, American Airways and different Oneworld companions.

Associated: 6 great benefits I received as an American Airlines elite flying Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airways companions

Alaska Airways is understood for its huge suite of airline partners, which incorporates airways in Oneworld and different alliances.

Oneworld alliance companions

Alaska joined Oneworld in late March 2021. Which means that the airline is now a associate with these airways:

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• American Airways
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Fiji Airways (Oneworld Join)
• Finnair
• Iberia
• Japan Airways
• Malaysia Airways
• Qantas
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian Airways
• SriLankan Airways

Nonalliance airline companions

Alaska has partnered with airways outdoors Oneworld for years now. We’re hopeful these nonalliance partnerships will stay long-term now that Alaska is a Oneworld airline, however solely time will inform. This is the total record of Alaska’s different airline companions to earn and redeem miles with:

• Aer Lingus
• Air Tahiti Nui
• Condor
• Hainan Airways
• Icelandair
• Korean Air
• LATAM
• Oman Air
• Porter Airways
• Singapore Airways
• Starlux Airways

Associated: Alaska-Hawaiian merger will protect frequent flyer miles as part of major DOT agreement

Alaska Airways elite standing

Alaska Airways has four elite status tiers. In 2024, Alaska modified the way in which clients earn elite standing and now not requires members to fly a minimal variety of Alaska flights. To qualify, you should earn a set variety of elite qualifying miles.

With Alaska and Hawaiian Airways’ merger, the carriers are additionally providing an elite standing match at the moment.

Plus, for those who’re near qualifying for elite standing, the airways are providing members the chance to mix their elite qualifying miles to realize standing.

Although Alaska and Hawaiian plan to unite below one loyalty program in 2025, no particulars have been launched at the moment on the upcoming elite standing tiers, qualification necessities and/or advantages.

Learn extra about all of the benefits of Alaska Airlines elite status.

earn Alaska miles

Although incomes Alaska miles was more difficult because the airline shouldn’t be straight related to main bank card packages like American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, the provider introduced a partnership with Bilt Rewards in March.

Plus, since merging with Hawaiian Airways, Amex members can now transfer their Membership Rewards points to HawaiianMiles after which switch these miles to Mileage Plan at a 1:1 charge. Nonetheless, in an interview with TPG, Brett Catlin, Alaska’s vp of loyalty, alliances and gross sales, hinted that this switch possibility is probably not round within the foreseeable future.

“Our intent is to not have a transferable foreign money the place visitors can earn throughout competitor playing cards, to be completely trustworthy,” he famous.

Moreover, you possibly can nonetheless earn miles by flying with varied airline companions. Alaska Airways additionally presents two cobranded bank cards, a purchasing portal and a eating rewards program that can assist you accumulate extra miles.

Earn miles when flying with Alaska Airways

Mileage Plan is an airline loyalty program, so naturally, you possibly can earn if you fly with Alaska Airways.

In contrast to different main U.S. airways, Alaska continues to award miles primarily based on the precise size of a flight. You may earn 1 mile per 1 bodily mile flown in customary financial system. Saver tickets earn 30% of the miles flown. A one-way flight from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) to John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) earns 2,586 miles in customary financial system, as that is how lengthy the flight is.

First-class tickets obtain a minimal 50% mileage bonus, leading to greater mileage earnings. For instance, a flight from SFO to JFK would earn 3,879 redeemable miles. Word that this bonus applies solely to paid first-class tickets, not upgrades. Elite members additionally earn bonus miles on all Alaska flights. For example, an MVP Gold 75K member flying from SFO to JFK in first-class would earn 5,818 miles with their 125% bonus.

Bonus miles can accumulate rapidly for frequent vacationers. Moreover, higher-fare financial system courses supply bonus miles, though they might be dearer than customary financial system tickets. You’ll be able to consult with Alaska’s website for extra details about incomes Alaska miles on Alaska flights.

Associated: The airline miles that are hardest to earn — and why you want them anyway

Credit score associate flights to Mileage Plan

You’ll be able to credit score associate flights to Mileage Plan, permitting you to earn each redeemable and elite qualifying miles. The miles earned depend upon the airline, flight size and fare class. To find out the incomes ranges, go to Alaska’s partner page and find the incomes chart for the precise associate and fare class. Multiply your flight’s distance by the share within the “Miles earned (complete)” column.

For flights operated by associate airways with Alaska “AS” flight numbers, all flights observe the incomes construction under:

Nonetheless, beginning in 2025, Alaska is providing members who ebook worldwide first- and business-class tickets on companions the chance to earn extra miles when reserving by means of Alaskaair.com. However beginning in 2025, for those who ebook tickets by means of a associate web site, you’ll earn much less Alaska miles.

Try the 2025 incomes charts here.

Spend on an Alaska Airways bank card

Alaska Airways has two cobranded bank cards with Financial institution of America: a private card and a enterprise card.

These allow you to earn Alaska miles in your on a regular basis spending and supply strong welcome bonuses. The playing cards embody different inflight advantages, including an annual Companion Fare that helps offset their annual charges.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card: The Alaska Airways Visa bank card is Alaska’s private bank card. New cardholders should buy one Alaska Airways ticket and get one for simply the taxes and charges ranging from $23 ($0 fare), plus 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 or extra on purchases throughout the first 90 days of account opening. This card earns 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Alaska purchases; 2 miles per greenback on eligible gasoline, EV charging station, cable, streaming providers and native transit (together with journey share) purchases; and 1 mile per greenback spent in every single place else. You additionally get a free checked bag on all Alaska flights and 20% again on inflight purchases.

Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card: The Alaska Airways Visa Enterprise card is just the enterprise model of the private Alaska card. Get 50,000 bonus miles and Alaska’s Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and charges from $23) after making $3,000 or extra in purchases throughout the first 90 days of opening your account. The cardboard earns 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Alaska Airways purchases; 2 miles per greenback on eligible gasoline, EV charging station, transport and native transit (together with journey share) purchases; and 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases.

Plus, for cardholders of the enterprise or private Alaska bank card, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, you’ll earn 1 elite qualifying mile for each $3 spent (as much as 30,000 EQMs annually).

Associated: Alaska Airlines Visa Business card review: Good for frequent Alaska business travelers

Switch Bilt Factors

Bilt Rewards members can now transfer points to Alaska Mileage Plan at a 1:1 ratio. That is enormous information for award vacationers, as Marriott Bonvoy factors are the one different main transferable foreign money that transfers to Alaska Mileage Plan.

Alaska Airways cardholders can earn 3 miles per greenback spent (on as much as $50,000 yearly) when utilizing their Alaska Airways Visa bank card to pay lease by means of Bilt.

Switch HawaiianMiles to Alaska Mileage Plan

Following the merger of the 2 carriers, HawaiianMiles will be transferred to Alaska Mileage Plan at a 1:1 charge. Since Alaska is a part of Oneworld alliance, this opens up a slew of redemption companions, equivalent to American Airways.

Moreover, Hawaiian Airways is presently a switch associate of Amex Membership Rewards; Amex factors will be transferred to HawaiianMiles at a 1:1 charge. Nonetheless, as talked about earlier, it is secure to say that the Amex switch possibility will ultimately grow to be out of date.

If you have already got the Alaska bank cards in your pockets, chances are you’ll need to contemplate opening a Hawaiian Airways cobranded bank card. In the event you’re trying to safe a big sum of Hawaiian and/or Alaska miles, these Hawaiian Airways playing cards are presently providing the next welcome bonuses.

• Hawaiian Airways® World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 70,000 bonus HawaiianMiles after spending $2,000 on purchases throughout the first 90 days.
• Hawaiian Airways® Enterprise Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 bonus HawaiianMiles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 90 days.

The knowledge for the Hawaiian Mastercard and Hawaiian Enterprise Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Different methods to earn Alaska miles

You’ll be able to earn miles utilizing the Mileage Plan Purchasing portal when purchasing on-line and the Mileage Plan Eating program when eating out.

On the purchasing facet, Mileage Plan Shopping awards bonus miles everytime you click on by means of the Alaska portal earlier than making a web-based buy. It presents bonus miles with a whole lot of various retailers, together with Apple and Saks Fifth Avenue. Every service provider awards a special variety of miles per greenback spent, and charges can fluctuate steadily.

Be careful for shopping portal deals provided by Mileage Plan Purchasing. It sometimes runs limited-time bonuses the place you possibly can earn additional miles by spending a selected sum of money.

Mileage Plan Dining is one other alternative to earn bonus miles. Create an account on the Mileage Plan Dining website and hyperlink your bank cards. You may earn Alaska factors and miles out of your bank card by eating at collaborating eating places. Use a card that provides bonus factors on eating for max advantages.

The miles you earn rely in your Mileage Plan Eating membership tier. These embody:

• Primary members: 1 mile per 2 {dollars} spent
• Choose members: 3 miles per greenback spent, earned after you enroll in e mail communications from Mileage Plan Eating
• VIP members: 5 miles per greenback spent, earned after you enroll in e mail communications and dine at collaborating eating places 11 occasions in a calendar yr

You’ll be able to earn 500 bonus Alaska miles after your first buy. To qualify, spend $30 at a collaborating restaurant and evaluation it on the Mileage Plan Eating web site.

There are different methods to earn Alaska miles, equivalent to booking rental cars and resort stays with Alaska companions. You’ll be able to study extra about these incomes alternatives in our full guide to earning Alaska miles.

redeem Alaska miles

You should utilize your Alaska miles for flights on Alaska Airways and its associate airways. The perfect worth is usually discovered when redeeming on associate airways, particularly for worldwide first- or business-class flights.

Awards provided by Alaska Airways are dynamically priced. Your value for a selected award ticket varies by route and day.

You may typically discover the lowest-priced awards on quick flights — suppose Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) to Portland Worldwide Airport (PDX) and Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) to SFO.

On the airline’s website, you may see award pricing for all of Alaska’s companions, relying on the area you might be touring to.

All associate awards are actually dynamically priced. For example, American Airways award flights within the U.S. and Canada now solely have beginning costs after which “range relying on demand.”

You’ll be able to add stopovers to one-way award tickets

One of many nice benefits of reserving associate tickets with Alaska Airways is the ability to add stopovers to one-way award tickets. Reserving a ticket with a stopover prices the identical as a nonstop flight to your ultimate vacation spot.

You’ll be able to have a stopover operated by Alaska Airways or a single associate in its hub metropolis.

For instance, you possibly can ebook a ticket from JFK to London on British Airways, spend a couple of days in London, after which proceed to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) on British Airways. This could value the identical variety of miles as a flight from JFK to FCO, offered the itinerary doesn’t fall into the next-highest band.

Associated: How to book free stopovers with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

ebook Alaska Airways award tickets

You’ll be able to ebook most award tickets on alaskaair.com. Log in to your account and enter your search standards on the house web page, guaranteeing you choose the “Use miles” possibility for award flights. Click on “Discover flights” to go looking and examine obtainable choices within the middle of the display screen. In the event you discover a appropriate ticket, choose it and click on “Add to cart” to proceed with reserving.

For reserving stopovers, click on the “All search choices” hyperlink on the homepage and choose “multicity” below the “Flight sort” header. Enter your flights and seek for connecting tickets. All obtainable choices might be displayed within the middle of the display screen. In the event you discover a fascinating itinerary, ebook your ticket as standard.

Plus, Alaska introduced this month that Mileage Plan members will start incomes elite qualifying miles on award flights beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

Mileage Plan redemption candy spots

Now that you understand about Mileage Plan, let’s discover some prime methods to make use of your Alaska miles.

• Enterprise class to Fiji and Australia/New Zealand: One-way business-class seats on Fiji Airways now begin at 75,000 Alaska Airways miles. You can fly to New Zealand and Australia, with a stopover in Fiji for simply 10,000 miles extra.
• Home flights inside Australia: Alaska’s Oneworld associate Qantas operates many wide-body providers on the “golden triangle” routes between Sydney Airport (SYD), Melbourne Airport (MEL) and Brisbane Airport (BNE). These flights will be booked in financial system class beginning at 7,500 Alaska miles every means for journeys of 1,500 miles or much less.
• Enterprise class to the UK: Whereas many flight routes from North America to Europe will fall throughout the 3,501-5,000-mile vary, equivalent to a flight from Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) to Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) costing 55,000 miles in enterprise class, there are a number of routes from the East Coast to the UK that can solely value 45,000 Mileage Plan miles in enterprise class as they’re below 3,500 miles, such because the New York-to-London route.
• Ebook South America flights on LATAM: Regardless of having left the Oneworld alliance, LATAM maintains a partnership with Alaska Airways. By benefiting from the free stopover, you possibly can ebook flights like Miami to Lima’s Jorge Chavez Worldwide Airport (LIM) to Santiago Worldwide Airport (SCL), permitting you to expertise two vibrant South American cities in a single journey from simply 25,000 miles for financial system and 50,000 miles for enterprise class every means.

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