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Of all the airline mileage currencies you can earn — and there's a lot — Atmos Rewards points are some of the most valuable. From aspirational international business-class redemptions to short-hop partner awards, the loyalty program of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines can take you near or far for a reasonable rate.
Here's the value of Atmos Rewards points — and why it's one of the most valuable airline loyalty programs.
Page Contents
- What Are Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Points Worth?
- Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines as Oneworld Alliance Members: What Does It Mean for Point Value?
- Maximizing the Value of Alaska Airlines Miles
- Best Ways To Earn Alaska Airlines Points
- Best Times To Use Alaska Airlines
- Other Factors To Consider
- How To Buy Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards
- Final Thoughts
- FAQ
What Are Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Points Worth?
In recent redemptions, AwardWallet users have received an average value of 2.21¢ per point when redeeming Atmos Rewards points. However, not every Alaska redemption is equally valuable.
The value of Atmos Rewards points varies based on how you use your points, as you'll see when looking at the average value by flight type below:
- Short-haul economy/premium economy: 1.34¢
- Short-haul business/first class: 3.42¢
- Long-haul economy/premium economy: 1.73¢
- Long-haul business/first class: 4.01¢
How is this value calculated?
AwardWallet is a leading tool for keeping all your travel reservations in one place and giving you a bird's-eye view of your points and miles balances.
Don't have an AwardWallet account yet? Sign up for free and track unlimited rewards programs and travel plans.
Each time you redeem, AwardWallet tracks the value you're getting from your miles and points by comparing the mileage cost to a comparable flight bookable with cash.
That means the value AwardWallet publishes for the Atmos Rewards program (and dozens of other currencies) isn't arbitrary. It's a function of recent user redemptions — based on thousands of award bookings and the data found in your Atmos Rewards account.
Related: How Much Do AwardWallet Members Actually Save When Redeeming Points?
How do Alaska points compare to other airlines?
To showcase the value of Alaska points, here's a side-by-side comparison of the average values AwardWallet users have gotten when redeeming other domestic airline currencies.
| Airline and Loyalty Program | Average Mile Value | Regional Economy Mile Value | Global Economy Mile Value | Regional Business Mile Value | Global Business Mile Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada (Aeroplan) | 1.86¢ | 1.21¢ | 1.27¢ | 2.56¢ | 2.63¢ |
| Alaska Airlines (Atmos Rewards) | 2.21¢ | 1.34¢ | 1.73¢ | 3.42¢ | 4.01¢ |
| American Airlines (AAdvantage) | 2.56¢ | 1.62¢ | 1.69¢ | 3.7¢ | 3.87¢ |
| Delta Air Lines (SkyMiles) | 1.34¢ | 1.21¢ | 1.21¢ | 1.94¢ | 2.39¢ |
| United Airlines (Mileage Plus) | 2.01¢ | 1.31¢ | 1.74¢ | 1.87¢ | 3.22¢ |
On average, Alaska ranks among the best in average point value and offers compelling value for domestic and international business-class redemptions. Economy flights, on the other hand, leave a bit to be desired.
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines as Oneworld Alliance Members: What Does It Mean for Point Value?
One of the most significant pluses of Alaska Airlines joining the Oneworld alliance in 2021 is that it made your Atmos Rewards points go further — literally and figuratively. Joining the alliance grew the Seattle-based carrier's global footprint and introduced a streamlined approach to redeeming points for travel on numerous alliance partners.
As the numbers show, you'll obtain maximum value from your Alaska points (when doing the math for cents per point) on long-haul international business-class redemptions. Oneworld opened the doors to a more extensive partner network, and more options to redeem your points — especially on those extra valuable business-class tickets.
For example, before Alaska joined Oneworld, using Atmos Rewards points to book travel on SriLankan Airlines was impossible. Now, award space permitting, you can book award flights from global destinations to Colombo and beyond. Even better, it's easy to book online when you can find the space. It's like that for each Oneworld partner.
And, courtesy of Oneworld's global reach, you can get almost anywhere on frequent flyer miles — or cash if you go that route. Additionally, any elite status you hold with Alaska Airlines has a reciprocal Oneworld elite tier, meaning you can enjoy elite benefits across each Oneworld carrier. Fancy international business-class lounge access? Alaska Airlines elite status can get you there — all made possible through joining the Oneworld alliance.
Related: Oneworld Awards To Book Through Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards
Maximizing the Value of Alaska Airlines Miles
To maximize the value of your Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points, you'll want to redeem them for flights on partner airlines — especially in premium cabins. Partner award availability can be hard to come by at times, as some airlines are stingy about what award space they release.
As a rule of thumb, you'll generally find the most partner award space when you book as early as possible. Even better, there's a greater chance you can find coveted partner awards like Qatar Airways Qsuites and Cathay Pacific first and business class.
One of our favorite ways to search for Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards redemptions comes via a neat site called Seats.aero. This tool lets you take a peek at the many different kinds of awards you can book — including harder-to-find awards, such as those in business or even international first class.
Alaska Airlines partners
You can currently redeem Alaska points for flights on the following partners:
| Airline | Redeem Miles | Earn Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | Yes | Yes |
| Aleutian Airways | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Air Tahiti Nui | Yes | Yes |
| American Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Bahamasair | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| British Airways | Yes | Yes |
| Cape Air | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Cathay Pacific | Yes | Yes |
| Condor | Yes | Yes |
| Contour Airlines | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Fiji Airways | Yes | Yes |
| Finnair | Yes | Yes |
| Hainan Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Icelandair | Yes | Yes |
| Iberia | Yes | Yes |
| ITA Airways | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Japan Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Kenmore Air | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Korean Air | Yes | Yes |
| Malaysia Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mokulele Airlines | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Oman Air | Yes | Yes |
| Philippine Airlines | Yes (Coming soon in 2026) | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Porter Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Qatar Airways | Yes | Yes |
| Qantas | Yes | Yes |
| Royal Air Maroc | Yes | Yes |
| Royal Jordanian | Yes | Yes |
| Singapore Airlines | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Southern Airways Express | No | Yes, when booked with Alaska Airlines |
| Sri Lankan Airlines | Yes | Yes |
| Starlux | Yes | Yes |
Partner award charts
Alaska Airlines publishes three partner award charts with each focused on travel across a different region. The charts look like this:
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 |
While that's a lot of numbers to keep track of, the distance-based charts create numerous Alaska Airlines sweet spots for high redemption value.
Best-value partner redemptions
Here's a handful of awards you'll want to book with your Atmos Rewards points when considering the distance-based award charts.
- U.S. East Coast to London in American Airlines, British Airways, or Aer Lingus business class: starting at 45,000 points
- U.S. Midwest/East Coast to Germany in Condor business: starting at 55,000 points
- U.S. to East Coast to Europe (with a stopover) in Finnair business: starting at 55,000 points
- U.S. Pacific Northwest to Tokyo in Japan Airlines business: starting at 60,000 points
- U.S. East Coast to the Maldives (MLE) in Qatar Airways Qsuites: starting at 85,000 points
Even better, you can also tack on a complimentary stopover to your award ticket. There are rules to the game, but becoming familiar with how Alaska Airlines stopovers work is the key to getting more out of your points. For example, instead of booking just Seattle (SEA) to Tokyo (HND/NRT) in Japan Airlines' business cabin, you could add a stop in Tokyo and then head on to Beijing (PEK) at no extra cost!
Best Ways To Earn Alaska Airlines Points
Alaska points are viewed as difficult to earn, but we beg to differ. Here's a snapshot of the numerous ways you can earn Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points. You'll earn at least 1 point per actual mile flown on almost every fare. Plus, you can also earn cabin bonuses depending on the type of fare you book, or even more if you hold elite status.
Fly Alaska or a partner airline
The most straightforward way to earn Atmos Rewards points is by flying. The number of points you can earn on Alaska- and partner-operated flights primarily depends on three factors: how far you fly, what cabin you book, and which channel you use to purchase your ticket.
In program updates for 2025, Alaska overhauled its earning tables. Before you credit a flight to Atmos Rewards, you'll want to refer to this webpage to confirm how many points you'll earn. And it's worth mentioning that you'll earn more points on Alaska- and partner-operated flights if you book through Alaska's website. You'll earn fewer points if you book through a separate channel.
Once earning choice rolls out later in 2026, this will no longer be the case. Partner flights booked through partner websites and credited to Alaska will see mileage earn rates increase.
Alaska Airlines credit cards
Bank of America offers three different cobranded credit cards for Alaska Airlines: the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® card, the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card, and the Atmos™ Rewards Visa Business Card.
The entry-level consumer Atmos Ascent Visa Card awards a welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus miles + buy one, get one ticket for just the taxes and fees ($0 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account. The card carries a $95 annual fee and earns Alaska points at the following rates:
- 3X per $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases
- 2X per $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging stations, cable, streaming services, and local transit purchases (including rideshare)
- 1X per $1 spent on everything else
- 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
Related: Atmos Ascent Visa Card Full Review
The premium Atmos Summit card comes with a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus points and a 25,000 point Global Companion Award after spending $6,500 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account, plus a 50% flight discount code for a qualifying future flight and a annual fee. It helps you earn:
- 3X per $1 spent on eligible dining, foreign transactions, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
- 1X per $1 spent on everything else
Alaska Airlines also offers a product for those who run a small business: the Atmos Visa Business Card. If you're a new applicant, you can bank 80,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you make $5,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
With its annual fee of $70 for the company and $25 per card, this is an affordable card to carry, and it earns Alaska points at the following rates:
- 3X points per dollar spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases
- 2X points per dollar spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, shipping, and local transit (including rideshare)
- 1X point per $1 spent on everything else
- 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
Related: Atmos Visa Business Card Full Review
Bilt Rewards
Bilt Rewards debuted as Alaska's first credit card rewards transfer partner in March 2024. Now, when you earn Bilt Points by paying rent, playing Rent Day games, or swiping one of three new Bilt cards, you'll earn points that can be transferred instantly to Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
$0
- Up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments
- 1X points + 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
$95
- Up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments
- 1X points + 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
- 3X points on your choice of grocery (up to $25K/year) or dining. Your 3X category choice remains in effect for the entire calendar year.
- 2X points on travel
$495
- Up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments
- 2X points + 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
Hotels
You can earn bonus points on hotel stays in one of two ways: booking through Stays by Alaska Vacations or opting to earn Alaska points instead of hotel points on stays with select partners.
Stays by Alaska Vacations offers Atmos Rewards program members a chance to earn Alaska points on hotel and vacation rental stays booked through the dedicated portal. While you won't be able to take advantage of any benefits your hotel elite status carries when booking through the portal — since these are considered third party bookings, the Atmos Rewards earnings may be worth the tradeoff.
Additionally, Atmos Rewards members can also book stays through partners to earn Alaska points on every stay. Here's how you'll earn with Alaska's hotel partners:
- Best Western: Earn 250 points per stay on qualifying rates.
- Choice Hotels: Earn 250 total points per eligible stay at any participating Choice hotel when you provide your Atmos Rewards number at check-in or set it as your earning method in your Choice account.
- Coast Hotels: Earn 500 points per stay on qualifying rates.
- IHG Hotels & Resorts: Earn up to 2 points per dollar spent (or equivalent in local currency) on eligible charges or earn 500 points per qualifying stay.
- Marriott Bonvoy: Earn 2 points per dollar spent on all qualifying charges or 1 point per U.S. dollar spent on room rate, depending on the hotel.
- Rocketmiles: Earn 500 to 10,000 points per night on every reservation.
You can also transfer hotel points earned from select hotel partners to Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards, but note this is generally a poor use of hotel points.
Shopping and dining
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards shopping and dining portals are great ways to earn Atmos Rewards points on items you already buy and at restaurants you frequent. By signing up for one (or both) of these programs, you can watch your Atmos Rewards balance grow without going out of your way to earn points.
Car rentals
There are lots of ways to get from point A to B in rental cars and earn Atmos Rewards points in the process. You can earn points through the following Alaska car partners:
- Alaska car rentals: Save 35% off Avis and Budget base rates and earn up to 1,250 points on qualifying rentals.
- Avis: Earn up to 1,250 points on qualifying rentals.
- Budget: Earn up to 1,250 points on qualifying rentals.
You can also earn Alaska points on Lyft rides at a rate of 2 points per $1 spent on everyday Lyft rides or 3 points per $1 spent on airport and elevated rides. Earning is based on fare rates and excludes taxes, fees, tolls, and tips. To earn, you'll first need to link your Atmos Rewards account to Lyft.
Cruises
You can earn 1 Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards point per $1 spent on the purchase price of a cruise booking made through Alaska Hawaiian Cruises.
Other ways to earn points
Eleven other ways to earn Alaska points exist, courtesy of Alaska's everyday partners. At present, you can earn points when spending with the following partners:
- 1-800-Flowers.com
- Bilt Rewards
- Carrs-Safeway
- Diners Club International
- Foodland
- Harry & David
- Rate
- The Opinion Terminal
- Teleflora
- e-Rewards
- Greenlight
- GCI
- Laithwaites
Best Times To Use Alaska Airlines
If you're looking for the best cents-per-point value from your Alaska points, you'll want to use as few of them as possible to book the flight you want. That typically means booking as early as possible. As seats sell out, the number of points you need can skyrocket, even if the cash price of the ticket hasn't gone up much. Booking early also can provide access to more award availability, making it possible to redeem an award for more than one passenger on the same reservation.
Other Factors To Consider
There are also a few other aspects to Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards that make it a standout loyalty program compared to other popular frequent flyer programs. Let's look at these.
Elite status benefits
When it comes to earning points on flights operated by the rewards program's own airline, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more generous mileage-earning structure than that of Alaska Airlines. On each Alaska flight credited to Atmos Rewards, you'll earn a sum of points that correlates with the actual number of miles flown and the cabin you're flying in. And if you have elite status, you'll earn 25% to 150% more points on top of that.
Major carriers like American, Delta, United, and even Southwest primarily award points based on how much you spend on your ticket. Alaska, on the other hand, still largely awards points based on the distance you fly.
You'll also earn more points per dollar spent if you have elite status on any of those carriers above.
Alaska elite bonuses for 2026:
- Silver: 25%
- Gold: 50%
- Platinum: 100%
- Titanium: 150%
Partner airlines and credit cards
It's no secret that major U.S. airlines have dizzying arrays of co-branded credit cards. And with a lot of credit card options comes ways to earn large welcome bonuses good for many frequent flyer points awards.
Alaska Airlines isn't like this. Instead, Alaska Airlines offers two personal credit cards and one small-business version to earn Alaska points: the Atmos Ascent Visa Card, the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card, and the Atmos Visa Business Card.
One of the main perks of sizable credit card lineups is that it's easier to find a credit card that fits your wallet no matter how often you fly the carrier on the front of the card. And while the Alaska cards have notable perks, such as the Companion Fare, we'll score a point for the competition here since Alaska's cards aren't one-size-fits-all, and the lack of options suggests they should be.
It's also worth pointing out what many see as a negative: the lack of options for transferring points into your Alaska points account. While many airlines offer the ability to earn points with a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and then move those into your frequent flyer account to redeem for flights, Alaska only offers the option to transfer Bilt Rewards Points at a 1:1 ratio or Marriott points at a 3:1 ratio.
Related: When Do Alaska Airlines Points Expire?
How To Buy Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards
You can buy Alaska points at $35 per 1,000 points, plus a variable tax recovery fee. While buying Alaska points at this rate (3.5 cents per point) is not always a good idea, it can make sense in the right circumstances.
For example, it's easy to justify buying Alaska points if you need to top off your account to make a specific redemption, or the cost of buying points is considerably cheaper than paying for a flight you want outright. Make sure you check the redemption value to see if the cost is worth it.
You'll always get a better deal on point purchases when Alaska Airlines runs a promotion. And depending on the sale, you can earn upwards of 50% bonus points on your purchase, providing further redemption value when it's time to use your points. To keep an eye on active Alaska Airlines promotions, bookmark this AwardWallet post.
Final Thoughts
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points are incredibly valuable, and the numbers prove it. No matter where you want to go, Alaska points can get you there, and often for great value. Sure, Alaska points may be more difficult to earn than other carriers' mileage currencies (due to not being a transfer partner for programs like Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards), but few other airline miles provide the redemption value or partner offerings you'll find with Alaska Airlines points.
FAQ
How much is 50,000 Alaska points worth?
On average, AwardWallet users typically redeem Atmos Rewards points for 2.21¢, meaning 50,000 Alaska Airlines points are worth nearly $1,095 in flights.
How many points do you need to fly on Alaska Airlines?
Award flights on Alaska Airlines start at 4,500 points in economy and 15,000 in domestic first class.
Can you cash out Alaska points?
No, you cannot cash out Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points. There are only four ways to redeem Alaska points — air travel on Alaska and its partner airlines, hotel stays booked through Alaska Airlines hotels, rental cars, and experiences and events purchased through Atmos Rewards Unlocked Experiences.
Can I give my Alaska miles to someone else?
You can share your Alaska Airlines miles with friends and family by transferring them to another Atmos Rewards member's account. Transfers cost $10 per 1,000 miles that you gift to someone else.
