Alaska is a charming vacation spot with its pure magnificence and distinctive Alaskan experiences. Many vacationers go to Alaska to see the northern lights, cruise alongside awe-inspiring fjords and discover the rugged wilderness.
Whereas accessing Alaska will not be as easy as different elements of the U.S., a number of home airways provide providers to our northernmost state. This information will discover one of the best methods to make the most of factors and miles with airways and talk about point-friendly lodging choices in Alaska.
High airways for redeeming miles to Alaska
Alaska has three main airports: Anchorage’s Ted Stevens Anchorage Worldwide Airport (ANC), Fairbanks Worldwide Airport (FAI) and Juneau Worldwide Airport (JNU). Anchorage and Fairbanks see many of the flights from the decrease 48 states. However, particularly since Alaska has excessive seasonality, some routes are solely accessible throughout summer season.
Alaska Airways
Not like the most important home carriers, Alaska Airways Mileage Plan nonetheless employs a distance-based award chart with beginning award costs. This lets you get an concept of the variety of miles required in your flight upfront.
The space from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) to Anchorage is 2,018 miles. So award tickets on this route ought to begin at 10,000 Alaska miles every means in financial system and 25,000 miles every means in top notch, in response to Alaska’s award chart. However you may usually need to redeem extra miles on this route.
Award tickets over 2,101 miles within the contiguous U.S., Alaska and Canada begin at 12,500 Alaska miles every means in financial system and 30,000 miles every means in top notch. We are able to additionally discover one-stop awards from New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) to Anchorage for simply 12,500 miles one-way in financial system. You will often discover mixed-cabin awards with some legs operated by American Airways for 25,000 miles, however it’s best to anticipate to spend at the very least 55,000 miles for a first-class one-way award from the East coast to Alaska.
Sadly, Alaska will not be a switch associate of any main versatile financial institution currencies. Nevertheless, you may switch factors from Marriott at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for each 60,000 factors you switch. Or, if you wish to earn extra Alaska miles for a future redemption, you would open an Alaska Airways bank card.
Alaska Airways is a Oneworld airline, so you too can guide Alaska flights by Oneworld companions, together with American Airways and British Airways. British Airways calculates award costs based mostly on distance and segments, making direct flights probably the most cost-effective. As an example, you may guide a one-way flight between Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX) and Anchorage for simply 13,000 Avios every means.
It’s straightforward to earn British Airways Avios as a result of this system is a switch associate of a number of main transferable currencies, together with American Categorical Membership Rewards, Capital One, Chase Final Rewards, Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
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American Airways
American Airways operates flights to Anchorage from Dallas Fort Value Worldwide Airport (DFW) and Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD). Though American Airways would not provide many nonstop flights to Alaska, you may usually attain the state with only one cease, due to American’s intensive route community.
American AAdvantage makes use of dynamic award pricing, so it is inconceivable to foretell the award charges for a selected flight with out looking out. Nevertheless, one-way Alaska-operated award flights usually price 15,000 American miles in financial system and 30,000 miles in top notch. Anticipate to spend greater than that when you guide an award solely consisting of American-operated flights.
As with Alaska Airways, you may switch Marriott Bonvoy factors to American Airways. Nevertheless, you will not obtain the 5,000-mile bonus for each 60,000 factors you switch. You can even switch Bilt Rewards factors to American Airways at a 1:1 ratio. You can even earn American Airways miles by spending on American Airways bank cards.
American Airways is a Oneworld member, so you too can guide American-operated award flights by Oneworld companions like British Airways and Alaska Airways.
Associated: These are one of the best occasions to go to Alaska
Delta Air Traces
Delta gives nonstop flights to Alaska from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL), Minneapolis-Saint Paul Worldwide Airport (MSP), Salt Lake Metropolis Worldwide Airport (SLC) and Seattle. However like the opposite airways on this roundup, you will discover connecting flights to Alaska from numerous areas with one cease.
As the primary legacy service to implement dynamic award pricing, Delta award costs differ. However a one-way flight from Seattle to Anchorage usually prices 12,500 miles for fundamental financial system, 15,000 miles in financial system, 18,500 in Consolation+ and 32,500 miles in top notch when you guide far sufficient upfront.
It is easy to earn Delta miles, particularly since you may switch American Categorical Membership Rewards factors to Delta at a 1:1 ratio (watch out for Amex’s excise tax on transfers to U.S. airline loyalty applications, although). You can even earn Delta miles by Delta bank cards.
Additionally, since Delta is a SkyTeam airline, you may guide Delta-operated flights by numerous different airways. Particularly, you would possibly wish to think about reserving short-haul Delta flights by Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership.
Associated: When and methods to guide Delta awards with Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership
United Airways
United MileagePlus additionally makes use of dynamic award pricing. However, one-way flights from San Francisco to Anchorage often begin round 15,000 United miles in financial system class and 61,800 miles in top notch. Nevertheless, anticipate to spend considerably extra miles if you do not have flexibility in your journey dates and occasions.
Fortunately, it is simple to earn United miles. United is a switch associate of Bilt Rewards and Chase Final Rewards. Plus, you may earn United miles by United bank cards, together with the United Membership Infinite Card and the United Explorer Card.
Take into account reserving your United-operated flight to Alaska utilizing Air Canada Aeroplan or Avianca LifeMiles if award house is out there. The award price could also be lower than when you booked by United MileagePlus. Plus, you may switch numerous transferable currencies to Aeroplan and LifeMiles, making them extra accessible to some vacationers.
Associated: One-way Alaska cruises vs. round-trip: Which is finest?
Alaska motels you may guide with factors
Alaska gives numerous lodging decisions, together with some wilderness lodges. You will not discover many chain motels outdoors Alaska’s largest cities, so you might must depend on on-line journey company rewards, cash-back rewards or bank card journey portals to guide some stays with factors.
However when you’re visiting Alaska’s largest cities, you may discover numerous alternatives to redeem lodge factors in your keep. This is an summary of the choices throughout a few of the hottest lodge loyalty applications.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors has seven motels in Alaska. Apart from the Hampton Inn & Suites Fairbanks, all Hilton’s Alaska properties are in Anchorage.
Hilton makes use of dynamic pricing, so redemption charges differ. However we discovered the next award charges for Hilton motels in Alaska for a random date this fall:
- Home2 Suites by Hilton Anchorage/Midtown: 42,000 factors per night time
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Anchorage: 50,000 factors per night time
- Hampton Inn & Suites Fairbanks: 50,000 factors per night time
- Hilton Anchorage: 60,000 factors per night time
- Hampton Inn Anchorage: 60,000 factors per night time
- Hilton Backyard Inn Anchorage: 70,000 factors per night time
- Homewood Suites by Hilton Anchorage: 70,000 factors per night time
If it’s worthwhile to earn extra Hilton factors, think about signing up for a brand new Hilton Honors bank card or transferring factors from American Categorical Membership Rewards.
IHG One Rewards
IHG One Rewards has one lodge in Fairbanks and three in Anchorage. IHG makes use of dynamic award pricing, so you may’t predict how award nights will worth. However for a similar random date in October that we used within the Hilton instance, this is a have a look at IHG award pricing:
- Vacation Inn Categorical Anchorage: 26,000 factors per night time
- Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown: 32,000 factors per night time
- Staybridge Suites Anchorage: 35,000 factors per night time
- Candlewood Suites Fairbanks: 35,000 factors per night time
Word that some IHG One Rewards bank cards, together with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card and IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit score Card, provide a fourth-night reward that allows you to pay zero factors for each fourth night time on award stays of 4 nights or longer. To earn extra IHG factors, think about signing up for an IHG One Rewards bank card or shopping for IHG factors throughout a 100% bonus sale.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy is yet one more program that makes use of dynamic award pricing. This is a have a look at award pricing for Marriott motels on the identical random date in October that we used within the earlier two examples:
- Marriott Anchorage Downtown: 31,000 factors per night time
- Sheraton Anchorage Resort & Spa: 31,000 factors per night time
- Aloft Anchorage: 32,000 factors per night time
- SpringHill Suites Anchorage Midtown: 32,000 factors per night time
- SpringHill Suites Fairbanks: 35,000 factors per night time
- Residence Inn Anchorage Midtown: 37,000 factors per night time
- Fairfield Inn & Suites Anchorage Midtown: 38,000 factors per night time
- Courtyard Anchorage Airport: 41,000 factors per night time
- 4 Factors by Sheraton Anchorage Downtown: 44,000 factors per night time
- 4 Factors by Sheraton Juneau: 44,000 factors per night time
- TownePlace Suites Anchorage Midtown: 59,000 factors per night time
- SpringHill Suites Anchorage College Lake: Unavailable on this date
If you wish to earn Marriott factors for a keep in Alaska, think about using a Marriott Bonvoy bank card, such because the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit score Card.
World of Hyatt
World of Hyatt has three properties in Alaska: Class 3 Hyatt Place Fairbanks, Class 3 Hyatt Home Anchorage and Class 4 Hyatt Place Anchorage-Midtown.
At Class 3 Hyatt motels, you could redeem 9,000 to fifteen,000 factors per night time for the standard room. At Class 4 Hyatt motels, you may must redeem 12,000 to 18,000 factors per night time for the standard room.
If it’s worthwhile to earn extra Hyatt factors, you may switch Chase Final Rewards to Hyatt. You can even earn Hyatt factors with the World of Hyatt Credit score Card or the World of Hyatt Enterprise Credit score Card.
Alternative Privileges
Alternative Privileges has a number of motels in Alaska. This is a have a look at award pricing at every of those properties:
- Consolation Suites Anchorage Worldwide Airport: 20,000 to 30,000 factors per night time by Nov. 30, 2023
- Clarion Suites Downtown in Anchorage: 20,000 to 30,000 factors per night time by Nov. 30, 2023
- High quality Inn in Kenai: 20,000 to 30,000 factors per night time by Nov. 30, 2023
- High quality Inn in Kodiak: 30,000 factors per night time by Nov. 30, 2023
- Clarion Resort & Suites Fairbanks close to Ft. Wainwright: 20,000 to 30,000 factors per night time by Nov. 30, 2023
If it’s worthwhile to earn extra Alternative factors, you may switch factors from American Categorical Membership Rewards, Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards. You can even earn Alternative factors with the brand new Alternative Privileges Credit cards.
Wyndham Rewards
Wyndham Rewards has 12 motels in Alaska, together with some in cities not served by the loyalty applications we have mentioned to date. This is a have a look at the motels in Alaska you can guide with Wyndham factors:
- Ramada by Wyndham Anchorage Downtown: 15,000 factors per night time
- Bridgewater Resort, Trademark Assortment by Wyndham, in Fairbanks: 15,000 factors per night time
- Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Eagle River/Anchorage Space: 15,000 factors per night time
- Tremendous 8 by Wyndham Ketchikan: 15,000 factors per night time
- Baymont Inn & Suites by Wyndham Anchorage Airport: 30,000 factors per night time
- La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Anchorage Airport: 30,000 factors per night time
- Wingate by Wyndham Anchorage Downtown/Ship Creek: 30,000 factors per night time
- La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fairbanks Airport: 30,000 factors per night time
- Ramada by Wyndham Juneau: 30,000 factors per night time
- Tremendous 8 by Wyndham Juneau: 30,000 factors per night time
- Travelodge by Wyndham Juneau: 30,000 factors per night time
- Gilmore Resort, Trademark Assortment by Wyndham, in Ketchikan: 30,000 factors per night time
If it’s worthwhile to earn extra Wyndham factors, you may switch factors from Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards. You can even earn Wyndham factors with Wyndham Rewards bank cards.
Associated: One of the best Alaska cruises for each kind of traveler
Backside line
A number of airways present service to Alaska’s three major airports. Alaska Airways has probably the most intensive protection and likewise supplies many flights inside Alaska. Nevertheless, relying in your departure airport, you too can use your factors and miles to fly with Delta, United or American Airways. In the event you plan to redeem transferable factors, evaluate money fares with award redemption charges to make sure you get deal.
On the lodge entrance, the most important chains have you ever lined in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. However when you plan to enterprise outdoors Alaska’s main cities, you might want to make use of on-line journey company rewards or guide by a bank card journey portal if you wish to use factors.
Further reporting by Jasmin Baron, Carissa Rawson, Katie Genter and Ariana Arghandewal.
