Bonus Points

Alaska Airlines & Hawaiian Airlines To Combine. Here’s What We Know.

In major news, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines will combine. The exact logistics for how this will impact members of both loyalty programs aren't known, but we know there will be just one loyalty program going forward. We also know that Alaska is acquiring Hawaiian; however, the verbiage in the press release oscillates between references to keeping both airlines and having a single airline going forward. Here's what we know and what we don't know about this major announcement.

Alaska Airlines Promotions: 500 Miles, 4X Miles With Hertz & More

Alaska has several promotions for Mileage Plan members to earn bonus miles. Right now, members can earn 4X miles on Hertz rentals and 500 bonus miles on a hotel stay. There are other promotions to status match from competing airlines and earn double Elite Qualifying Miles for flights within California. Here's a roundup of the different Alaska promotions available.

Alaska Mileage Plan “Erroneously” Charging Higher Taxes and Fees on Qatar Awards

Late last week, AwardWallet caught that Alaska severely increased the out-of-pocket costs for awards on Qatar Airways. Rather than charging under $50 out-of-pocket each way, awards are currently pricing as high as $800 one-way. Thankfully Alaska confirmed that these fees are being "erroneously" charged. Here's what you need to know about this situation - and your alternatives in the meantime.

Extended: Earn Up to 10K Bonus Alaska Miles With a Mountain Collective Season Pass

Alaska Airlines is helping Mileage Plan members prepare for winter. Members who purchase a Mountain Collective season pass by October 10, 2023 (using a special Alaska Airlines link) will earn 5,000 bonus miles. Even better, Mileage Plan elites will earn another 5,000 bonus miles for a total of 10,000 bonus miles. This promotion has been extended, giving you extra time to participate. Here are the details.

Alaska Airlines Launches Elite Status Match to Woo Delta Elites

Are you a Delta Medallion elite who's ready to bail on SkyMiles after Delta recently announced changes? If so, Alaska is ready to welcome you with a Mileage Plan elite status match. And, if you play your cards right (pun intended), you can score even higher elite status with Alaska. Here's what you need to know about this Alaska elite status match for Delta elites.

Spend Toward Alaska Elite Status, Plus Earn Double Elite-Qualifying Miles in California

Alaska Airlines is offering two promotions to earn elite-qualifying miles toward Mileage Plan elite status. The newest is a promotion to earn bonus elite-qualifying miles on flights within California through November 15, 2023. Plus, Alaska is offering an ongoing promotion to earn unlimited elite-qualifying miles (EQMs) with credit card spending through November 30, 2023. Here's how to register for these promotions to help you earn Mileage Plan status.

Ultimate Guide to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

With highly valuable miles, a strong elite program, and unique partnerships with global airlines, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is one of the best U.S. airline loyalty programs. Here, we provide a complete guide to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, including how to earn and redeem miles, the ins and outs of elite status, and the best Alaska Mileage Plan redemption options.

Now’s an Ideal Time To Match Status to Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines has offered several elite status promotions so far in 2023 — from targeted promotions for travelers in California to a fast-track for Mileage Plan members who failed to re-qualify for elite status in 2022. At this time, only one offer is left: Alaska Airlines' standard status match. If you're looking for a new home for your airline allegiance, the last half of the year is the ideal time to match your status to Alaska Airlines.

Crazy Good Availability for Starlux Flights Using Alaska Miles

Alaska Airlines and Starlux (the Taiwan-based airline) launched a partnership earlier this year, and mileage redemptions with Alaska Mileage Plan miles are now live. That means you can book Starlux awards. And I'm not just saying, "In theory, you can book awards." You really can book awards...pretty much any day you want. Let's show you how to take advantage of this award availability for a dream trip to Taiwan or onward to other points in Asia.

Alaska Mileage Plan Miles May Not Expire, But Your Account May Be Deactivated

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles do not expire. However, your account can be deactivated if you don't have earning or redemption activity at least once in a 24-month period. Fortunately, if you suffer a deactivation, you have one year to reactivate your account and miles free of charge. But with all these options for qualifying activity, that shouldn't be an issue.

Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card Review (2023)

The Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card has been a favorite of ours for years. Alaska and Bank of America recently refreshed the card with additional benefits like priority boarding, a free checked bag for authorized users, fresh spending bonus categories, a discounted lounge membership, and more. Now, Alaska is sweetening this card's sign-up bonus with a $0 Companion Fare (down from the typical $99 fare). Just pay taxes starting at $23 to bring someone along with you.

Mixed Bag: Alaska Airlines Makes Changes to Saver Fares

Alaska Airlines has a fairly generous basic economy ticket, though in the past it's been restricted by lack of elite status recognition and nonrefundable fares. Beginning May 22, however, those who have booked a Saver ticket will be able to take advantage of new benefits, including complimentary upgrades before departure.

Get Double Alaska Mileage Plan Miles on Qatar Airways

Alaska Airlines has teamed up with Qatar Airways to offer double miles. However, it won't last long. Through June 30, 2023, Alaska Mileage Plan members get double miles on Qatar Airways flights. Here's how to enroll in this promotion, full details for this promotion, and how many bonus miles you can earn.

American Airlines Slashes Mileage Earning Rate for Alaska Saver Fares

American Airlines just unveiled a cut to the AAdvantage earning rate for Alaska Airlines Saver fares. Starting May 1, 2023, Alaska Airlines Saver fares will earn just 1 AAdvantage mile per 10 miles flown. That's a 60% cut from the current earning rates. Here's what this means in practice and where else you might want to credit Alaska basic economy flights.