AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
When the calendar flipped to October, we saw the end of Hawaiian Airlines' loyalty program, for good. On that date, HawaiianMiles was officially folded into Atmos Rewards as the merger of these programs finally became a reality.
But along with that, Alaska also implemented a handful of changes to its Atmos Rewards program. Effective immediately, the airline has updated its award chart for domestic Alaska and Hawaiian flights, and there's both good and bad news.
Let's take a look at how award prices have changed.
New Award Charts for Alaska and Hawaiian Flights
Alaska Airlines publishes separate charts for booking awards on its own flights, Hawaiian flights, and on various partners. Alaska Atmos Rewards prices awards based on both regions and distance flown. The new chart below applies to all awards booked on Alaska or Hawaiian-operated flights within North America (with Hawaii included in this region).
| Mileage Band | Economy starting at | First starting at |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 700 miles | 4,500 | 15,000 |
| 701-1,400 miles | 7,500 | 25,000 |
| 1,401-2,100 miles | 10,000 | 25,000 |
| 2,101-3,500 miles | 12,500 | 30,000 |
| 3,501 miles or more | 20,000 | 60,000 |
For comparison, here’s the previous chart:
Which Atmos Rewards Awards Changed in Price?
Short-haul flights
At first glance, the changes don’t look too dramatic. In fact, awards in the lowest distance band have dropped to 4,500 points in economy. For example, this Seattle (SEA) to Sacramento (SMF) flight prices at the new award rate.
Keep in mind that the chart lists “starting at” costs, so you won’t always find the lowest prices available.
Medium-haul flights to Hawaii
The biggest changes happened at the top end of the chart. Previously, awards over 2,101 miles priced at 12,500 points in economy and 30,000 in business class. Now, Atmos Rewards rolled out a new band beginning at 3,501 miles flown.
That means medium-haul connecting routes like Minneapolis (MSP) to Honolulu (HNL) are no longer part of the “Hawaii” band, which used to be 15,000 points in economy, but instead fall into the longest distance band. These flights now cost 20,000 points in economy — a 33% increase.
Related: Best Ways to Fly to Hawaii Using Points and Miles
Mexico, Central America, and Caribbean Flights
Flights to destinations south of the border used to start at a flat 10,000 points in economy. Under the new chart, these routes now fall into the distance-based bands. That means longer routes over 2,100 miles will cost more.
For example, flights from Portland (PDX) to Cancun (CUN) now start at 20,000 points in economy — double the previous price.
What About Partner Awards?
Luckily, one of Atmos Rewards' best aspects — its partner award flights — remains untouched. Alaska Airlines confirmed this would be the case to AwardWallet when it relaunched Mileage Plan as Atmos Rewards, and we're glad to see it hasn't changed with the new Hawaiian and Alaska award chart.
For example, flights from the East Coast to Europe can still be booked for 45,000 points in business class.
Bottom Line
With the moving landscape surrounding the merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, changes were inevitable. The introduction of a new award chart for domestic Alaska and Hawaiian flight is not surprising. The results, though, are mixed.
While award prices start lower for short flights, those with longer flights may not like the new pricing. Whether you are a winner or a loser in this new price scheme largely depends on where you are flying from. Luckily, partner award charts remain untouched, still making Atmos Rewards one of our favorite airline loyalty programs.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
