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Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program has long been a fan-favorite of the points and miles community. A valuable mileage currency and a quality list of partners will draw a lot of attention, and for good reason.
Alaska Airlines joined Oneworld in 2021, which grew the Seattle-based carrier's global footprint and introduced a streamlined approach to redeeming miles for travel on 13 alliance partners. While the tried and true method to booking travel on Oneworld airlines has been to redeem American AAdvantage miles, there's often greater value and versatility when using Alaska Mileage Plan miles to book these same awards.
Oneworld Awards To Book with Mileage Plan Miles
Alaska has some award charts and program perks that make booking through Mileage Plan more compelling than making award reservations through American Airlines AAdvantage. Here are the Oneworld awards you'll want to book through Mileage Plan instead of booking with American AAdvantage.
Add a free stopover to international itineraries
Although it's not unique to Oneworld awards, you'll want to keep Alaska's stopover benefit in mind as you plan your next trip. Alaska Airlines allows one free stopover for each one-way ticket or two stopovers on round-trip itineraries. This benefit provides a great way to break up a long trip while allowing you to explore a new city along the way — and it's something you can't do through American Airlines AAdvantage.
A few guidelines are worth noting when booking an Alaska Mileage Plan stopover:
- You'll need to be flying internationally. Intra-region flights such as intra-Asia or intra-Europe aren't eligible for stopovers.
- You can fly a maximum of one partner airline plus Alaska Airlines. If you fly British Airways from New York (JFK) to London (LHR), you'd have to fly British Airways again from London to your final destination, even if another partner airline has award space.
- Most stopovers are limited to partner hubs. For example, if you're flying Qatar Airways, your stopover options will be limited to Doha (DOH).
- You can arrive and depart from different airports in the same city. If you're flying Japan Airlines, this could mean flying into Tokyo Narita (NRT) and out of Tokyo Haneda (HND).
- Only some flights are eligible for a stopover. Searching for available flights to book with a free stopover may take some time, so be flexible with your dates and departure times.
Related: What Is the Difference Between a Layover and a Stopover, and How Do I Book a Stopover Award?
Get to Hawaii in domestic first class
For travel between the mainland United States and Hawaii, you'll redeem fewer miles on flights booked with Mileage Plan than through AAdvantage. Alaska Airlines' published rates for these flights start at 15,000 Mileage Plan miles in economy and 40,000 in domestic first. Comparatively, American Airlines prices its Hawaiian routes from 22,500 AAdvantage miles in economy and 55,000 in domestic first.
Here's an example of a flight between New York (JFK) and Honolulu (HNL) with a connection in San Francisco (SFO); it costs 40,000 Mileage Plan miles. On this specific itinerary, your first leg is operated by American on the premium A321T in lie-flat business class, and the second is in Alaska's domestic first. Compared to the 62,500-mile rate AAdvantage charges for the same itinerary on the same dates, booking through Alaska's Mileage Plan is most cost-effective.
Related: Best Points and Miles for Free Flights to Hawaii
Fly to Southeast Asia on Cathay Pacific
Routes to Asia booked via American Airlines start at 35,000 miles in economy, 50,000 in premium economy, and 60,000 in business class. Southeast Asian destinations cost a bit more in economy and business class, with premium economy staying put at a minimum of 50,000 AAdvantage Miles.
For example, here's an economy award available through Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan from Seattle (SEA) to Bali (DPS). Booked via AAdvantage, you'll pay 37,500 miles for the one-way economy award that stops in San Francisco (SFO) and Hong Kong (HKG). This specific itinerary includes one flight on Alaska Airlines and two on fellow Oneworld alliance member Cathay Pacific. If you booked this itinerary using Mileage Plan, you'd only need to redeem 30,000 miles.
Availability might be nearly impossible to find, but this identical itinerary booked in business class will cost 50,000 Mileage Plan miles, which is a fantastic deal. If you find availability and can swing it, book it. This routing would otherwise cost 70,000 AAdvantage miles.
Related: How to Find Airline Partner Award Flight Availability
Traverse the South Pacific in Fiji Airways' business-class cabins
As one of the more attractive uses of Mileage Plan miles on the list, Alaska Airlines charges 55,000 miles for business-class flights between the contiguous United States and the South Pacific. If you're looking to try out the tropically inspired cabins on Oneworld Connect partner Fiji Airways, the most cost-effective option to do so is booking via Mileage Plan.
American Airlines starts its business-class pricing for one-way South Pacific routes a full 25,000 AAdvantage miles higher — 80,000 miles each way — so this is an award you'll absolutely want to book via Alaska Airlines if you can.
Here's an example between Los Angeles (LAX) and Nadi (NAN) in Fiji:
Although this specific itinerary only ends in Fiji, you'll have access to all of the South Pacific from 55,000 Mileage Plan miles in business class, which is an amazing deal. Plus, you can add this stopover in Fiji before continuing to Australia or New Zealand without paying any extra miles!
Related: Best Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Award Chart Sweet Spots
Check out Qantas' premium economy between Australia and the U.S.
Another fantastic use of miles for trans-Pacific travel, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan offers stellar premium economy award fares between the South Pacific and the contiguous U.S., starting at 45,000 miles. If you wanted to try out Qantas' 787-9 aircraft in premium economy, you'd find the best deal when booking via Mileage Plan. This same route would otherwise cost 65,000 AAdvantage miles.
Here's an example of an award ticket on Qantas between Sydney (SYD) and Los Angeles (LAX), which more often than not costs 47,500 Mileage Plan miles.
Related: What Flights Can I Book With Miles?
Select domestic economy awards on Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles are some of the most challenging miles to earn. Outside of Marriott Bonvoy, Alaska isn't a transfer partner of any major transferable currency such as Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards. As such, unless you fly on partner airlines, open an Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card or Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card, or take advantage of Alaska's shopping portal, it might be hard to build a sizable point balance large enough to make a high-end redemption.
Thankfully, some of the easiest Oneworld awards to book through Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan depart and land in the United States. Whether your Mileage Plan balance is small or you want to get the most out of the miles you do have, you'll find decent value in booking domestic short-haul flights with your Alaska miles. Depending on the distance of your intended flight, North American awards start between 5,000 and 12,500 miles — excluding Hawaii, which starts at 15,000 miles in economy.
For example, a flight between Raleigh–Durham (RDU) and Seattle (SEA) is frequently available for 10,000 Mileage Plan miles. Booking via Alaska Airlines is a better option than booking through American Airlines, as the latter routinely charges 12,500 AAdvantage miles. You don't always have to go far to find great value.
Related: How Far in Advance Can You Book Airline Award Tickets?
Bottom Line
There are lots of ways to book award travel on Oneworld airlines, but not all are equal when it comes to the mileage requirement for specific destinations. Although its miles might be difficult to earn, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan routinely offers more compelling value than American Airlines AAdvantage for booking the flights above.
As you consider your travel goals and points and miles strategies, don't forget about Mileage Plan miles. There's lots of value in Alaska's award charts — value that often flies under the radar.
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