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Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has been one of our favorite airline loyalty programs since the founding of the AwardWallet Blog in 2016. But now Alaska has revamped the program into its new inception: Atmos Rewards… and we actually like it even better. The program has a lot of potential, due to the excellent elite status benefits, high earning rates for miles flown, and the high value potential when you redeem points.
In this guide, we'll cover every aspect of the program. This includes the best ways to earn points, how to achieve elite status, and all the best Alaska Atmos Rewards redemption opportunities.
Page Contents
- Overview of Alaska Airlines
- How To Earn Alaska Airlines Points
- Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards co-branded credit cards
- Other credit cards that earn Alaska points
- Earning points by flying Alaska and its partners
- Hotel and car rental partners
- Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards shopping portal
- Earn points through Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Dining
- Buying Alaska Airlines Atmos points
- Can you transfer Atmos Rewards points to other people?
- Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Rules
- Redeeming Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Points
- Value of Alaska points
- Alaska Airlines partners and award charts
- How to search for Alaska Atmos Rewards Awards
- Booking fees and other rules
- Routing rules for award tickets
- Best Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards redemption sweet spots
- Other ways to redeem Alaska miles
- Redeeming Atmos Points for Unlocked Experiences
- Transfer Atmos Points to Hotel Loyalty Programs
- How To Earn Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Elite Status
- Alaska Airlines elite status qualification
- Earn Status Points on Award Travel
- Earn Status Points on Card Spending
- Alaska Atmos Rewards Milestone Awards
- 85,000 Status Points
- 150,000, 200,000, and 250,000 Status Points
- Benefits of Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards elite status
- Best perks of Alaska status
- Free Wi-Fi for Atmos Members
- Points Pooling
- Alaska Airlines lifetime status
- Alaska Airlines status match
- Alaska elite status requirements compared to other programs
- Pros and Cons of Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards
- Conclusion
Overview of Alaska Airlines
Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Alaska Airlines joined the Oneworld alliance in 2021. The carrier has additional hubs in Anchorage (ANC), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), and Los Angeles (LAX), making it a predominantly West Coast airline with extensive route coverage in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Alaska's international network coverage includes western Canada, Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and Costa Rica, and with Alaska's recent merger with Hawaiian Airlines, it now reaches destinations like Seoul, South Korea (ICN); Tokyo-Narita (NRT); Auckland, New Zealand (AKL); Sydney (SYD); and Tahiti, French Polynesia (PPT), and will service Rome (FCO), London-Heathrow (LHR), and Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF) beginning in 2026.
Compared to other major U.S. airlines, Alaska falls short of a truly nationwide network. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines all have significantly more capacity and network coverage than Alaska's now 140+ destinations and approximately 1,400 daily flights.
Merger with Hawaiian Airlines
The U.S. Department of Transportation greenlit Alaska's acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024. Since then, the two airlines have been working to align their operations. The airlines finally launched their combined loyalty program on August 20, 2025. With the introduction of this new program, gone are Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles.
For now, travelers can still freely move miles between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines' mileage programs. Elite members also get reciprocal benefits across both airlines, and members can earn and redeem points for flights on both airlines. Elite members can enjoy:
- Priority check-in, boarding, and express security lines
- Free same-day standby for neighbor island travel
- At least two free checked bags on every flight
- Main cabin preferred seats (or better) on each flight
As a result of the merger, Alaska has announced the start of long-haul routes to Asia and Europe, including new service from Seattle to Tokyo and Seoul this year and Rome, London, and Reykjavik in 2026. The goal is for the airline to start at least a dozen long-haul routes by 2030, mostly looking towards Asia and Europe.
It is now possible to book both cash and mileage tickets on Alaska's website to any of the destinations that Hawaiian Airlines flies, including such far-flung destinations as Sydney, American Samoa, the Cook Islands, and Japan.
How To Earn Alaska Airlines Points
With the latest iteration of Alaska's program, Atmos Rewards, we are seeing the first loyalty program to introduce traveler choice in how mileage is earned. Atmos Rewards members will have the chance to choose one of three options — and change it once a year — to earn redeemable points and status in one of three ways:
- Distance traveled: Earn one point for every mile flown. Best suited for those travelers taking cross-country or international trips or relatively inexpensive tickets.
- Price paid: Earn five points for every $1 spent when purchasing a flight. From airfare to upgrades purchased in premium cabins, travelers flying in premium cabins that are generally more expensive might benefit from this choice.
- Segments flown: Earn a flat 500 points for each flight segment. Ideal for those who fly multiple short trips, like inter-island flights within Hawaii or regional flights within California.
The traditional way to earn Alaska miles is by flying an Alaska Airlines or partner revenue (paid) ticket. Flying Alaska Airlines or crediting partner flights to Atmos Rewards is an excellent way to earn points, too. However, you can increase your Atmos Rewards balance in several other ways. These include Alaska Airlines co-brand credit cards (like the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® card), transferring hotel points to Atmos Rewards, converting Bilt Rewards points to Alaska points, earning through shopping portals, and simply purchasing points outright.
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards co-branded credit cards
Alaska Airlines has both personal and business co-branded credit cards issued by Bank of America. All these cards sport excellent welcome offers. Plus, they give you a chance to get an Alaska Airlines companion fare each year, which is good for a companion on any Alaska Airlines flight. You'll pay just $99 plus taxes and fees (starting at $23) for a companion booked on the same reservation as the cardholder.
The cards also offer perks like a free checked bag when flying on Alaska Airlines, no foreign transaction fees, and 3x points per $1 spent on Alaska Airlines flights.
- Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases
- Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging stations, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases
- Earn unlimited 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
- Earn 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases
- Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, shipping and local transit (including rideshare) purchases
- Earn 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
If you had these Alaska Airlines cards, they have been converted to show the new branding for Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature card. Current cardholders will receive new plastic cards after the expiration of their current ones.
In addition, Alaska launched a new Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card. This new premium card offering comes with surprising and valuable new perks. To start, it offers a different kind of companion, the Global Companion Award. This companion benefit is worth up to 25,000 points off a published award ticket. Plus, after spending at least $60,000 on purchases each anniversary year, cardholders receive a Global 100K Companion Award, for up to 100,000 points off a published award ticket.
Additionally, the Summit card comes with eight lounge passes annually, the ability to earn status points, instant travel delay credit, same-day change fee waiver, Wi-Fi passes, and more.
Bank of America has a 2/3/4 rule for card applications, and the issuer also has stricter credit card application rules if you don't have a Bank of America bank account. Keep these in mind if you plan to apply for either card.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Other credit cards that earn Alaska points
Until a short time ago, Alaska Airlines didn't partner with any credit card transferable rewards programs. Now, you can earn points on The Bilt Mastercard® (Rates & Fees) and transfer Bilt Rewards points to Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
- 3x points on dining
- 2x points on travel
- 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year)
- 1x points on other purchases
- *You must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points—see Rewards & Benefits.
Additionally, you can transfer Marriott Bonvoy® points to Alaska Airlines points at a ratio of 3:1. If you want the best transfer rate, transfer points in batches of 60,000 Bonvoy points, as you receive 5,00 bonus points for a total of 25,000 Atmos points. Several Marriott Bonvoy credit cards earn points that you can convert to Alaska points. These include the Marriott Bonvoy® cards currently issued by Chase and American Express — which include:
- Earn 6X Bonvoy points per $1 spent participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining, and 2X points per $1 on all other purchases
- Earn 3 Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on gas stations, grocery stores, and dining
- Earn 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases
(Terms apply)
- 6x Marriott Bonvoy® points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
- 4x Marriott Bonvoy® points on each dollar of eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping
- 2x Marriott Bonvoy® points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
(Terms Apply)
- 6X points on purchases at Marriott Properties
- 3X points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery
- 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
The Marriott co-branded cards all earn Marriott Bonvoy points, plus they offer an array of perks and benefits with Marriott hotels. The earning rate on Marriott cards is less than ideal if your goal is to accrue Alaska Airlines points. However, the welcome offers can provide a significant boost to your Atmos Rewards account.
Transfers from Marriott to Alaska typically take one day.
Earning points by flying Alaska and its partners
Alaska Airlines is one of the few remaining programs that still lets travelers earn redeemable points based on distance flown. Distance-based earning was your only option in the previous Mileage Plan program. Now, travelers can opt to earn points based on distance.
For example, flying from Los Angeles to Seattle can earn you 954 points, the flight distance between LAX and SEA. Alaska awards a minimum of 500 points per segment, so even short flights still receive at least 500 points. The exception is Saver tickets on American Airlines-operated flights. On these, you'll travel in American Airlines basic economy and earn 30% of miles flown. You also earn 30% on saver fares with Alaska.
Flying one of Alaska's partners is another excellent way to earn points. Typically, partner flights receive anywhere from 25% to 150% or more of flown miles as redeemable award points. The accrual rate depends on the partner airline, the fare class, and the flight number. Alaska has 13 Oneworld alliance partners, 12 non-alliance partners, and seven “earn” partners — where you can only earn points but can't redeem.
Potential pitfalls
In some cases, partner flights will not earn Alaska points. Potential pitfalls include restrictions on the eligible flight number and crediting codeshare flights (which might be sold by a partner but are operated by another airline). Pay careful attention to these details. You may mistakenly try to credit a partner's codeshare flight to Alaska Atmos Rewards and earn nothing. As an example, here are the details for crediting LATAM flights to Alaska Airlines.
For the 2025 year, Alaska has changed the way you earn points on partners, depending on where you book them. In the past, you could earn bonuses as high as 500% for redeemable points simply by booking a premium cabin. Now, those earnings are limited if you book outside of the Alaska Airlines website.
For any flight booked outside of Alaska, you'll earn the following amounts:
For flights booked on Alaska's website, the earnings are much higher.
Sounds great, right? The problem is two-fold.
First, Alaska doesn't show all its partners' flights. They're rolling it out slowly, but there are only a few available right now. The second problem is that Alaska doesn't always have access to the best pricing. Sometimes the prices found on Alaska's website can be double or triple the price found when booking directly with the partner airline.
Hotel and car rental partners
You can earn Alaska points by renting a car with one of several Alaska Airlines rental car partners. The typical earning rate is 50 points per day, though you can find promotions for up to 2,000 points on certain rentals. These aren't the best earning rates, but it's an option if you have no desire to accrue car rental points or free rental credit in the car rental's own program. You can search and book rental cars directly through the Alaska Airlines site.
Crediting hotel stays with Alaska Airlines' hotel partners is another way to earn additional points. Offers can be per night or per stay. This is a great option when staying with a chain in which you don't plan to accrue points. However, I would not credit stays from chains I frequent, such as IHG or Marriott. This is because the return for earning hotel points is typically much higher. Alaska also partners with CruisesOnly, where you can earn 1 point per $1 spent — or 2 points per $1 if you pay with an Alaska Airlines Visa card.
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards shopping portal
The Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards shopping portal allows you to earn bonus points for online shopping with many retailers. This portal includes major brands like Walmart, Sam's Club, Home Depot, Kohl's, Apple, and Best Buy. In addition, you can find plenty of smaller retailers. The earning rate varies by retailer but is typically around 0.5 to 5 points per $1 spent.
The portal sometimes offers bonuses. These may include temporarily elevated earnings (e.g., 4 points per dollar instead of 2 points per dollar) and spending threshold bonuses (e.g., spend $150 to earn 500 bonus points). Not all products offered at all retailers are eligible to receive points, so read the terms and conditions for each retailer carefully. And check our guide to airline shopping portal bonuses to see what's currently available.
Earn points through Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Dining
You can also earn Alaska points through the Atmos Rewards Dining Program. You can earn up to five Atmos points per $1 spent on dining. If you link a co-brand Alaska card, you'll earn additional points per $1 depending on what card you're using. If you dine 11 times within a calendar year, you'll earn VIP status. This will increase your earning rate to five Atmos points per dollar through the end of the year. Occasionally, Atmos Rewards Dining offers a limited-time new member bonus.
Dining programs can be somewhat hit or miss, depending on where you live. Some locations have no participating restaurants nearby. However, most larger cities and urban areas have numerous participating restaurants.
Buying Alaska Airlines Atmos points
For many people interested in flying premium cabins with Alaska Airlines partners, buying Atmos Rewards points is a great strategy. You can purchase up to 100,000 Alaska points per transaction, and up to 150,000 points per calendar year. Atmos Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium members have no annual cap when buying points.
The typical cost to purchase Alaska points is $27.50 per 1,000 points. You'll also pay a tax recovery fee of 7.5% on top of the total price.
We don't typically recommend buying points or miles unless you're looking to fly premium cabins — typically with Alaska's partners. It's often possible to get these flights cheaper by purchasing points versus paying for a revenue ticket. Make sure to factor in the redeemable points you will forego earning when determining whether it's worth it.
Alaska regularly runs promotions for purchasing points. We've seen bonuses of up to 60% for buying Atmos points, but 50% is more common. If you're looking to buy points for an award redemption, we recommend waiting until Alaska offers a promotional bonus before purchasing. This is the case unless you only need a few thousand points to top off your account for an award.
Can you transfer Atmos Rewards points to other people?
Alaska Airlines allows you to transfer points between members. The cost of moving points is $10 per 1,000 points. However, you're not gaining any value by sharing points. This is because Alaska allows you to book an award for anyone using your own points. The only time it makes sense to transfer them to another person is to combine points for a particular award.
Even then, buying points is usually a better strategy. For example, imagine you're 7,000 points short on an award. To transfer those from another Alaska account, you would pay $95 ($70 transfer plus a $25 Points.com handling fee). If you can take advantage of a buy-points bonus, you might be able to purchase the points you need for a similar cost without debiting them from another Alaska account.
Holders of the new Atmos Summit card have a points pooling option, and it's free. Up to 10 people can participate in your pool.
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Rules
Anyone can join the Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards loyalty program for free. You need to sign up at AlaskaAir.com. The entire process for adults can be completed quickly online.
If you're trying to register a child, you need to call 800-ALASKAAIR (800-252-7522). Creating the accounts over the phone is reasonably straightforward. The agent will provide the Atmos Rewards numbers for minors, and then you can use those to set up online access at AlaskaAir.com.
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards accounts no longer expire. You don't have to periodically credit activity to keep your account active. The only way to lose your points is to completely close your account or have it closed due to a breach of program terms.
For flights credited to Atmos Rewards, travelers can only credit points to their own accounts. Each person needs to create an account and attach their own Atmos Rewards number to their ticket.
To be able to use your points for an award, you must have enough in your account. Alaska Airlines does not offer the option to lock in an award and earn or transfer the missing points later. It's also not possible to pull some of the points from your account and some from another person's account to make an award redemption if one of the accounts doesn't have enough points.
What is possible, however, is to make a booking over the phone and ask to have points deducted from individual accounts so long as each account has the requisite number of points. For example, if each account has 100,000 points and an award costs 75,000 points, you can ask the phone representative to take the 75k out of each account and stay on one record locator.
Track your account with AwardWallet
After you create an account, add your Atmos Rewards account to AwardWallet to keep track of your mileage balance, upcoming trips, progress toward elite status, and more.
Redeeming Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Points
Alaska Airlines points are arguably the most valuable of any U.S. airline program. With a unique array of alliance and non-alliance partners and some excellent award chart sweet spots, Alaska points hold a ton of potential. We'll walk through the approximate value of Alaska points, its global partners, and how to search and book awards. We'll also walk through the best Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards redemption award chart sweet spots.
Value of Alaska points
While points and miles valuations can be subjective, several criteria go into determining value. These include the cost of different types of awards — from economy to premium cabins — the abundance of award space, and the price at which Alaska itself is willing to sell points. Alaska's typical price is 2.75 cents per point. However, you can occasionally purchase points for around 2 cents apiece.
I try to redeem Alaska points for at least 2 cents each, which is the baseline value I assign them. I've been able to get far more value booking premium cabin awards. I try to include a stopover for domestic economy awards to ensure I'm getting the best value out of my points.
Recent AwardWallet user redemptions range from an average of 1.32¢ for domestic economy flights up to 4.17¢ for long-haul flights in premium cabins.
In general, Alaska's domestic economy awards and partner economy awards offer some of the worst value. The best Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards redemption choices are typically premium cabin partner awards. At the end of the post, we'll highlight a few sweet spots that offer fantastic value.
Related: See the points value
Alaska Airlines partners and award charts
Alaska Airlines joined the Oneworld alliance in 2021. Most of Alaska's current partners were already members of Oneworld, but joining Oneworld opened up more international opportunities for members to earn and redeem points.
However, joining Oneworld diluted Alaska's unique list of cross-alliance partnerships and redemption opportunities. While the launch of a new elite status tier offers an enhancement for some flyers, Alaska Airlines made big changes to its award charts. These were unfortunate, and some severely devalued some of the best award options previously available.
Alaska Airlines' current partner airlines are:
| Airline | Redeem Miles | Earn Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | Yes | Yes |
| Air Tahiti Nui | Yes | Yes |
| Aleutian Airways | No | Yes |
| American Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Bahamasair | No | Yes |
| British Airways | Yes | Yes |
| Cape Air | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Cathay Pacific | Yes | Yes |
| Condor | Yes | Yes |
| Contour Airlines | No | Yes |
| Finnair | Yes | Yes |
| Fiji Airways | Yes | Yes |
| Hainan Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Iberia | Yes | Yes |
| Icelandair | Yes | Yes |
| Japan Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Kenmore Air | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Korean Air | Yes | Yes |
| LATAM Airlines | Yes — through October 1, 2025 | Yes |
| Malaysia Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mokulele Airlines | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Oman Air | Yes | Yes |
| Philippine Airlines | Yes (Coming soon) | Yes (Coming soon) |
| Porter Airlines | No | Yes |
| Qantas | Yes | Yes |
| Qatar Airways | Yes | Yes |
| Royal Air Maroc | Yes | Yes |
| Royal Jordanian | Yes | Yes |
| Singapore Airlines | Yes — through October 1, 2025 | Yes |
| Sri Lankan Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Southern Airways Express | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Starlux | Yes | Yes |
These partners offer Alaska an extensive global network, including airlines on most continents. The only major hole in its network was Africa, but joining Oneworld includes partnering with Royal Air Maroc. Plus, Qatar, Condor, and British Airways give Alaska some coverage of the African continent. Oman Air joined Oneworld in 2025 and will also add to Alaska's global coverage.
You can continue to earn and redeem points on Alaska's 11 non-alliance partners as well. Check out the Atmos Rewards partners page for more details on crediting partner flights to Alaska.
To determine how many points you need for an award, consult the Alaska Airlines award charts. For Alaska's own flights, the chart considers both distance and region for award tickets. Award flights on Alaska Airlines start at just 5,000 points one way, which can be an excellent deal for short-haul tickets.
Awards price out at various levels, depending on the route length and a “starting from” minimum. There is an upper limit on ticket prices, based on performing many searches, but it is egregiously high for most routes. Here is the chart for Alaska award tickets within North America:
For partner airlines, Alaska publishes three region and distance-based award charts. This is new, as Alaska scrapped its single combined partner award chart in March 2024. While there are now more charts, the pricing aligns with what you'll actually pay to redeem points for a partner award flight.
The new charts look like this — beginning with the “starting at” pricing for travel across the Americas:
| Distance (miles) | Economy (starting at) | Premium Economy (starting at) | Business Class (starting at) | First Class (starting at) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 700 | 4,500 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 13,500 |
| 701–1,400 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 25,000 |
| 1,401–2,100 | 12,500 | 17,500 | 25,000 | 40,000 |
| 2,101–4,000 | 17,500 | 22,500 | 35,000 | 52,500 |
| 4,001–6,000 | 25,000 | 32,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| 6,001 and above | 30,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
Asia:
| Distance (miles) | Economy (starting at) | Premium Economy (starting at) | Business (starting at) | First (starting at) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 1,500 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 22,500 |
| 1,501–3,000 | 25,000 | 32,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| 3,001–5,000 | 30,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| 5,001–7,000 | 37,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 | 110,000 |
| 7,001–10,000 | 42,500 | 55,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 |
| 10,000 and above | 65,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 | 195,000 |
And, lastly, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa:
| Distance (miles) | Economy (starting at) | Premium Economy (starting at) | Business Class (starting at) | First Class (starting at) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 1,500 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 22,500 |
| 1,501–3,500 | 22,500 | 30,000 | 45,000 | 67,500 |
| 3,501–5,000 | 27,500 | 35,000 | 55,000 | 82,500 |
| 5,001–7,000 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 70,000 | 105,000 |
| 7,001–10,000 | 42,500 | 55,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 |
| 10,000 and above | 55,000 | 72,500 | 110,000 | 165,000 |
My favorite redemption is when I'm able to use 45,000 Alaska Airlines Atmos points to fly on LATAM to Argentina and Chile in business class. Living in Seattle, we're able to connect to LAX, JFK, or Miami (MIA) on Alaska Airlines, from there to Santiago (SCL) on LATAM's business class, including a stopover in Santiago, and then continue on to Argentina, all for the same price. It's a screaming deal, one that I don't get to do enough. If you see the award space, don't hesitate.
How to search for Alaska Atmos Rewards Awards
The easiest and best way to search for awards with Alaska Airlines and its partners is at AlaskaAir.com. The vast majority of partner awards show up in the online search tool. You can search for one-way, round-trip, or multi-city awards. The best part is that you don't need to be logged in to perform an award search.
The Alaska award search engine is relatively good at constructing reasonable awards, with some caveats. First, Alaska tends to offer unique routing options on its own flights at times, trying to build an award from available Alaska award space. If you search Orange County, California (SNA — John Wayne Airport) to Sydney (SYD), for example, you might be presented with an option to connect via Seattle and Los Angeles. Alaska is sending you nearly 1,000 miles the wrong way, just to send you back again, before you embark on your overseas flight.
Beware of mixed-cabin awards
The second issue — which is the bane of every Atmos Rewards member's existence — is that results include mixed-cabin awards. There is no way to filter out the mixed-cabin itineraries. However, Alaska has greatly improved its previous search results. Previously, you had to carefully examine each award to see which segment was in coach versus a premium cabin. Now, you can at least see this in the main search results, and gone are the many awards where the long-haul segment was in coach with the connecting segment in business. That isn't a business class award in my book!
If an award is mixed cabin, it'll be apparent below the price. I would love it if Alaska launched a feature that would let you filter out all mixed-cabin awards or show a percentage of how much of the trip is in the premium cabin (like Air Canada Aeroplan does).
For awards that aren't showing online, you must call Alaska at 800-ALASKAAIR (800-252-7522) to have a representative search for space and book over the phone.
A note on award space availability
Alaska's online search shows award space up to 331 days beyond the current date. All program members have the same award availability. There is no increase in inventory for elite members or co-brand cardholders, as you might experience with a program such as United MileagePlus.
Note that the award space that Alaska agents see may be different than the award space you find through another search engine. I once found three Cathay Pacific business class seats on British Airways' website and called Alaska to book. The agent informed me that only one was available. I ended up booking Cathay Pacific premium economy for that segment.
Related: How Far in Advance Can You Book Airline Award Tickets?
Booking fees and other rules
Alaska no longer charges change or cancellation fees on either revenue or award tickets. The exception is for Saver fares, where you only have the guaranteed 24-hour window to cancel for free after booking. There are other award fees to understand, though:
- Change/cancellation fee: $0, except on Saver fares (Alaska's version of basic economy; these fares cannot be changed or canceled)
- Partner award fee: $25 ($12.50 per direction)
- Call center booking fee: $15
The partner award fee applies to all award tickets booked on one of Alaska's global partners. The fee is non-refundable. This is the case even if you later cancel the ticket and redeposit the points. The only way out of this partner booking fee is by holding the Atmos Summit card, which includes a fee waiver.
The call center booking fee only applies if you book over the phone. Alaska Atmos Gold or higher elites do not pay call center booking fees.
You must cancel your ticket before travel to receive a refund. If you miss your flight, the ticket will be canceled, and your points will be forfeited.
Some surcharges are passed along
Alaska Airlines does not charge additional fees for awards on its own aircraft, aside from the TSA fee and any other departure fees for Alaska's international destinations. However, some partner awards include fuel surcharges and other fees, which are sometimes significant.
Awards on both Hainan Airlines and British Airways have notoriously high taxes and fees (e.g., awards with British Airways can have $800+ in fees for a business-class award). Some are more reasonable, such as Cathay Pacific (~$70), with others having no fees, aside from airport and government taxes. In some cases, Alaska is an ideal option for booking awards, as its fees are lower than those charged by other programs.
Routing rules for award tickets
Alaska's routing rules are one of my favorite features of its award program. Why? In one word: stopovers. Alaska has one of the best, if not the very best, stopover policies for award tickets. All my best Alaska Atmos Rewards redemptions over the years have included a stopover.
Information on stopovers
Alaska allows one stopover on a one-way award. This means you can have two stopovers on a round-trip award. Stopovers must be in airline hubs or “focus cities,” depending on the partner airline and ticket routing. There are some exceptions to this rule that can prove interesting. In general, though, Alaska holds to this requirement. This means that you can add a stopover in Seattle on your way from Los Angeles to Anchorage. The search engine disallows things like Los Angeles to New York–JFK for a stopover before continuing to Anchorage.
For all practical purposes, stopovers for tickets on partner airlines must be in the partner's hub city. Most of Alaska's partners have a single hub, although there are exceptions to this rule. To book an award with a stopover, use the multi-city search. You need to key in each section of the itinerary, making sure your connection point is in the same city.
In some cases, searching for two one-way awards with a stopover individually will return better results (or simply work), rather than searching for a round-trip award with two stopovers.
Related: How To Add a Free Stopover Using Alaska Airlines Points
Best Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards redemption sweet spots
We won't be listing every Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards redemption that provides top value, but we'd like to highlight what we think are the best. In general, Alaska has specific partners with great premium cabin award rates. You can also find massive value on business class flights to Europe and on some Japan Airlines flights.
Here are some of the best Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards redemption options for international travel (one-way prices):
- American Airlines business class from Boston (BOS) to London (LHR) for as few as 45,000 Atmos points
- You can also fly British Airways and Aer Lingus for the same price — but mind the fees!
- Finnair business class from New York (JFK) to Tallinn (TLL) with a stopover in Helsinki (HEL) for 55,000 Atmos points
- Condor business class from Minneapolis (MSP) to Split (SPU) with a stopover in Frankfurt (FRA) for 55,000 Atmos points
- Japan Airlines business class from Seattle (SEA) or Vancouver (YVR) to Tokyo (HND/NRT) for 60,000 Atmos points
- Qatar Airways Qsuite from New York (JFK) to Malé (MLE) via Doha (DOH) for 85,000 Atmos points
These are just a few of the best uses of Alaska points. Most of these are very competitive with the pricing you can find with other programs.
Related: The Best Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Award Chart Sweet Spots
Other ways to redeem Alaska miles
While using points for award flights is 100% the best Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards redemption choice, Alaska does provide other options for redeeming points. You can use your points to book hotels and purchase magazines.
Redeeming Atmos Points for Unlocked Experiences
You can also use your Atmos Rewards points to book one-of-a-kind experiences via Atmos Unlocked. Some of these experiences start at as little as 10,000 points and include concert tickets, sporting events, travel packages, or food and wine tastings. Do check this site often, as there are some events absolutely worth your points, and others — while exorbitantly priced — do provide some unique opportunities you may not otherwise have access to.
Transfer Atmos Points to Hotel Loyalty Programs
Cardholders of the Atmos Summit card have access to a new functionality enabling them to transfer Atmos points to hotel loyalty programs. Many of these transfers are 1 to 1, and while not all of them are a great use for your Atmos points, more options are always welcome.
Programs you can transfer to are:
- Marriott Bonvoy (1:1)
- Preferred Hotels I Prefer (1:2) — 1 Atmos Rewards point equals 2 I Prefer points
- Wyndham Rewards (1:1)
- Shangri-La Circle (8:1) — 8 Atmos Rewards points equal 1 Circle point
- IHG One Rewards (1:1) — available only through early November for now
Alaska offers paid upgrades on the day of departure starting at $23 for first class and $5 for premium class, subject to availability.
The prices are sometimes reasonable, considering the flight lengths. Alaska used to publish set paid upgrade rates based on flight length, but this appears to have gone away. Previously, you could upgrade to first class on a transcontinental flight, such as San Francisco to Newark, for just $199 one-way.
How To Earn Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Elite Status
Alaska Airlines offers a rich elite program with top perks and benefits. Earning Alaska elite status is generally also easier than earning status in other programs. This is because there is no mandatory spend requirement like you have with Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines. Plus, qualification typically requires fewer points, spend, or segments.
Alaska introduced changes in 2025, including how members earn elite status and the benefits they can get. Still, the ease of qualification makes Alaska an ideal program for those based on the U.S. West Coast.
Alaska Airlines elite status qualification
To earn Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards elite status, you'll need to earn status points, but all of that starts January 1, 2026. For the remainder of 2025, you'll qualify for status based on miles flown. For 2026, you can earn those status points via miles flown, ticket cost, or points earned via segments. All of that can be met by flying Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian, or partner airlines. Credit card spend can also help meet qualification for status (more on that below).
Atmos Rewards has four elite status tiers with the following qualification requirements:
| Atmos Rewards Tier | Mileage Plan Tier | Oneworld Status Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Atmos Silver (20K) | MVP | Ruby |
| Atmos Gold (40K) | MVP Gold | Sapphire |
| Atmos Platinum (75K) | MVP Gold 75K | Emerald |
| Atmos Titanium (100K) | MVP Gold 100K | Emerald |
These qualification requirements will last all of 2025. However, in 2026, the full Atmos Rewards program will roll out, and with it, new thresholds to qualify for Atmos status.
To reach Atmos Platinum, you'll need 80,000 status points. If you earn Platinum based on the 2025 criteria, you'll get 5,000 status points rolled over for 2026.
For Atmos Titanium, you will have to accrue 135,000 status points. If you qualified for Titanium in 2025, 20,000 status points will be rolled over into your 2026 qualifications.
When it comes to earning status points on paid fares, things get a little bit complicated. Basically, there are four separate earning charts. The first is for Alaska and Hawaiian flights booked via AlaskaAir.com.
The second is for Hawaiian flights booked on HawaiianAirlines.com. Note that these are virtually the same, except that some of the fare classes change on Hawaiian's website.
Alaska credits 100% flown miles (or more) as status points for all fare classes on its own flights, except for Saver tickets. Saver fares earn 30% of flown miles.
The third, and potentially most rewarding, is for partner flights booked via AlaskaAir.com. These would be for cash fares on partners such as American Airlines and Aer Lingus, booked directly via the Alaska Airlines website.
Finally, and the biggest blow in the most recent devaluation, is for flights booked via a partner's website but credited to Alaska. The most you can earn here is 150% for first class flights, 125% for business class flights, and 100% for coach flights. Since the vast majority of flights still are not integrated into the AlaskaAir.com website, if you book via any other channel, this is the chart you're going to use.
Earn Status Points on Award Travel
A new and positive development is the ability to earn status points on award tickets when redeeming your Atmos points. You'll earn 1 status point for every mile flown. For example, a flight from Seattle to London clocks in at 4,800 miles, meaning that if you redeemed your Atmos points for a flight, no matter the cabin of service, you'll earn 4,800 status points for that redemption.
Earn Status Points on Card Spending
Effective January 1, 2025, Alaska cardholders also earn 1 status point for every $3 spent on purchases made with the Atmos Ascent Visa Card and Atmos Visa Business Card. Cardholders of the Atmos Summit card earn 1 status point for every $2 spent, helping you earn status faster with lower spend.
But you can't earn top-tier Alaska status through card spending alone, at least not until 2026. Alaska currently caps the number of status points you can earn through card spending at 30,000 status points in a calendar year, the equivalent of $90,000 in spending.
Alaska Atmos Rewards Milestone Awards
In 2025, Alaska also introduced new milestone awards, allowing you to choose from various benefits along the way to your elite status markets. They also introduced steps above the 100k mark for those true road warriors putting a lot of miles under their belt each and every year.
10,000 Status Points
Pick one perk from the following list:
- 750 bonus points.
- Pre-order a complimentary meal for your flight.
- One complimentary Wi-Fi pass.
- Try Atmos Silver status for a trip.
- Earn double points with non-air partners.
- Upgrade your next Avis/Budget rental.
30,000 Status Points
Choose one perk from the following list:
- 2,500 bonus points.
- $25 off a future Alaska flight.
- Four Wi-Fi passes.
- Try Atmos Gold status for a trip.
- $100 off an Alaska Lounge membership.
55,000 Status Points
Pick two perks from the following list:
- 5,000 bonus points.
- 10,000 points off an Atmos Rewards Unlocked experience.
- Gift Atmos Silver for a trip.
- One complimentary Lounge day pass.
- Two upgrade certificates.
85,000 Status Points
Choose two perks from the following list:
- 15,000 bonus points.
- 25,000 points off an Atmos Rewards Unlocked experience.
- Two complimentary Lounge day passes.
- Two upgrade certificates.
- Gift Atmos Gold status for a trip.
- Nominate someone for Atmos Silver status.
- 10,000 status points rolled over.
150,000, 200,000, and 250,000 Status Points
At 150k status points, 200k status points, and 250k status points, you can pick two perks from the following list:
- 15,000 bonus points.
- 25,000 points off an Atmos Rewards Unlocked experience.
- Two complimentary Lounge passes.
- Two upgrade certificates.
- 10,000 status points rolled over.
This is a positive change, with the opportunity to earn upgrade certificates, lounge passes, and more. You can sort of choose-your-own-adventure with these, and if you're not going to hit top-tier status, even lower-level elites can enjoy some awesome incremental benefits.
Personally, you'll see me picking the bonus miles and the upgrade certificates. The cost to get into a lounge starts at only $35, and Wi-Fi on board is only $8 for now, and soon it will be free. Picking either of these options doesn't provide nearly enough value over the other options on the list.
Benefits of Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards elite status
Alaska Airlines' elite status provides its frequent fliers with a vast array of perks. From free checked bags to complimentary upgrades and bonus redeemable points, earning Alaska Airlines elite status can be well worth it.
| Benefit | MVP | MVP Gold | MVP Gold 75K | MVP Gold 100K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elite bonus miles | 25% bonus | 50% bonus | 100% bonus | 150% bonus |
| 100K Choice Benefit | Yes | |||
| First class upgrades at time of booking | Y, B fares | Y, B, H, or K fares | Y, B, H, K, or M fares | Y, B, H, K, or M fares |
| Premium class upgrades at time of booking | Y, B, or H fares | Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, S, or N fares | All fares except Saver (X) | All fares except Saver (X) |
| Fist and premium class upgrade on Saver fares | Within 2 hours of departure | Within 2 hours of departure | Within 2 hours of departure | Within 2 hours of departure |
| Companion upgrades to first class | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Companion upgrades to premium class | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Complimentary premium beverage or chocolate in Main Cabin | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Complimentary snack or meal in Main Cabin | Yes | |||
| Priority check-in and boarding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free checked bags | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Preferred seating | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Express security line at select airports | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Standby and wait list for full flights | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| $10 off CLEAR® Plus membership | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Priority call routing in call centers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Elite Leave for new parents | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Complimentary same-day flight changes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Corresponding Oneworld status | Ruby | Sapphire | Emerald | Emerald |
The 100K Status Points benefits options are:
- 50,000 bonus points.
- An Alaska Lounge+ membership.
- Gifting of Atmos Gold status to another member.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi every time you fly Alaska Airlines.
- Four Upgrade Certificates.
- 75,000 miles off of an Atmos Rewards Unlocked experience.
Of these, the first two are by far the most valuable, but the upgrade certificates and the discount off an experience hold potential as well.
Best perks of Alaska status
The best perks of Alaska Airlines elite status are the ability to receive complimentary upgrades, additional redeemable points (especially if you often fly coast-to-coast), and free checked bags. These are pretty standard compared with other programs, but Alaska offers richer bonus mileage earning at upper-status tiers.
Lounge access
Standard Alaska Lounge membership costs $595. The price for Alaska elites, no matter your tier, is unchanged, but you may select a discount towards your membership as part of your milestone rewards. Alaska also offers a Lounge+ membership providing access to 90+ partner lounges, in addition to the nine Alaska Lounge locations. Standard pricing for this is set at $795. You are also able to choose this membership as a perk of attaining Atmos Titanium status.
Cardholders of the Atmos Summit card will receive 8 Alaska Lounge passes annually (doled out 2 per calendar quarter) for complimentary visits to the lounge during their travels. Each pass is good for a full travel day, and it allows you to bring in up to two children traveling with you.
Related: How To Save on an Alaska Airlines Lounge Membership
Free Wi-Fi for Atmos Members
Alaska announced that it plans to roll out Starlink Wi-Fi fleet-wide by 2027. Rollout will start in 2026 with some of the Alaska branded planes –some Hawaiian aircraft already have Starlink installed. For the time being, service will continue to be $8 for flight-long Wi-Fi plans, but will eventually transition to being free for all Atmos Rewards members.
If you hold the new Atmos Summit card, you will receive eight single-use Wi-Fi passes per calendar year to waive away the cost of internet during the transition. Passes are issued quarterly, on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1, for use within the quarter they are issued.
Points Pooling
Alaska introduced points pooling as part of its Atmos Rewards program launch. It is a functionality that's exclusive to those members who are also cardholders of the Atmos Summit card. The perk lets up to ten people pool their points with no transfer fees and no limits to the amount of points that can be pooled.
Alaska Airlines lifetime status
Alaska does offer a lifetime status program. There are two tiers, with straightforward qualifications:
- Fly 1,000,000 miles with Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines to be awarded Atmos Gold status for life.
- Fly 2,000,000 miles with Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines to be awarded Atmos Platinum status for life.
Importantly, you should note that partner airline flights and award flights do not count toward this total.
Compared to other Million Miler programs, Alaska's is pretty lucrative. Obviously, though, it takes a lot of flying. This is because you're restricted to Alaska's route network. A frequent flyer who achieves Atmos Rewards Platinum each year will take 12–14 years to attain Million Miler.
Alaska Airlines status match
If you're interested in making the switch to Alaska Airlines, you can ease the pain of qualification by requesting an Alaska Airlines status match. Alaska Airlines has a dedicated elite status match page, where you can provide info on your current status level with another program. You must be a resident of either the U.S. or Canada, and you can status match from the following airline programs:
- Aeromexico
- Air Canada
- Delta Air Lines
- Frontier
- JetBlue
- Southwest
- United Airlines
If your request is approved, you will receive the corresponding status for three months. Within those three months, you can retain status for the rest of the period (either end of the year or end of the following year). The requirements depend on the status to which you are matched:
- Atmos Silver: 5,000 base points within 90 days.
- Atmos Gold: 10,000 base points within 90 days.
- Atmos Platinum: 20,000 base points within 90 days.
Flights toward this challenge portion of the Alaska status match must be solely on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines. In addition, they must either be operated directly by Alaska, Hawaiian Airlines, or by regional partners/subsidiaries Horizon and SkyWest. Partner flights will not count toward the challenge portion of the status match.
If you receive a status match between January and June and meet the challenge requirements, you will keep your status through the end of the year. If you receive a status match between July and December and meet the challenge requirements, you will keep your status through the end of the following year. The latter is far more lucrative, given the length of time you can keep the status. Status matches can take up to four weeks for verification and approval. Alaska states that it does status matches for members just once a lifetime.
Alaska elite status requirements compared to other programs
Earning Alaska Airlines elite status is substantially easier than earning status with other U.S. airlines. The big difference is that every other elite program has a spending requirement. Alaska Airlines does not — unless you want it that way.
As an example, consider someone based in Los Angeles who flies across the country routinely. If they visit New York City just nine times during the year, they will earn ~44,000 Alaska Airlines status points. This is enough to land you at Atmos Gold status.
Someone flying Delta or United, on the other hand, won't even land Gold. Assuming each fare is less than $400 per round-trip, the traveler might not even earn Silver in either of these programs. Considering the bonus points and other elite perks, I would choose Alaska Airlines over other options if this were the bulk of my travel.
Pros and Cons of Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards
The best features of Alaska Airlines are the high value of Atmos Rewards points when redeemed for many partner awards, easier and flexible elite status qualification, and the unique network of global partners. The award sweet spots for partner premium cabins and attractive short-haul pricing for domestic U.S. awards are additional upsides to using the program. This is not to mention my favorite feature: the ability to add in a stopover on one-way award tickets.
Positive: Stopovers
Most other programs do not offer stopovers on one-way award tickets. This is a unique feature of Atmos Rewards, and it's one worth using to maximize the value of your Alaska points. The best Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards redemption I've ever made included a multi-day stopover in Hong Kong.
If you live in an Alaska hub, it's possible to turn a single award into two by planning a stopover in your home city at the end of your first trip, with the following segment marking the beginning of your second trip. Stopovers are fantastic, letting you visit two destinations for the same price.
Negative: East Coast gaps
While Alaska's elite program is competitive, it's not an ideal airline choice if you are not based on the West Coast — or if you frequently travel to destinations not served by Alaska. For much of the eastern United States, it is a less-than-ideal choice as a primary airline. The limited route network within there is a huge hurdle.
The only potential play is if you tend to travel with American Airlines. Alaska's partnership with American Airlines offers some nice reciprocal elite benefits. But, you can be awarded as few as 25% flown miles as status points. This makes elite qualification much more difficult than qualifying for status with American Airlines.
Negative: Lack of bank transfer partners
Unfortunately, another downside is the limited access to transfer bank points to Alaska Airlines points. This is both a blessing and a curse. Since Bilt Rewards is the only transfer partner, the “market” can't be flooded with points, as it would be if Alaska also partnered with other programs. On the other hand, there are limited ways to earn Alaska points outside of flying: spending on an Alaska Airlines credit card, transferring Bonvoy points, and so on.
Conclusion
Even after joining the Oneworld alliance, Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards is — and will remain — one of my favorite frequent flyer programs. The high value of Alaska points, the ability to book a unique set of partners, and the potential value from stopovers on one-way award bookings keep me focused on earning as many Atmos points as possible.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees)
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