Regardless of being smaller than the Huge Three legacy carriers, Alaska Airways has gained recognition amongst American vacationers because of its loyalty program, Mileage Plan.
As a member of Oneworld, this system presents quite a few high-value partnerships with airways like American Airways, British Airways and Cathay Pacific. Moreover, it has non-alliance partnerships with airways resembling Icelandair, Singapore Airways and LATAM, offering a variety of choices to earn and use miles.
Furthermore, Alaska Airways is without doubt one of the few airways that also awards miles primarily based on bodily miles flown. This implies you may nonetheless earn an affordable quantity of miles on low-cost tickets, which is nice for funds flyers. That is the case for each Alaska flights and flights operated by companion carriers.
This information will focus on the ins and outs of redeeming Alaska miles. We’ll additionally cowl its elite standing program and airline companions.
Alaska Airways Mileage Plan overview
Mileage Plan is Alaska Airways’ frequent flyer program. You earn Alaska miles by flying with Alaska or its companions. This system additionally presents extra incomes companions, resembling a buying portal, eating program and cobranded bank cards. When you accumulate miles, you may redeem them for journey on Alaska or its companions.
Mileage Plan contains an elite standing program with 4 tiers: MVP, MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K. Every tier contains upgrades, most well-liked seating and bonus mileage earned on Alaska flights. Elite members additionally get pleasure from restricted advantages on American Airways and different Oneworld companions.
Associated: 6 nice advantages I acquired as an American Airways elite flying Alaska Airways
Alaska Airways companions
Alaska Airways is understood for its enormous suite of airline companions, which incorporates airways in Oneworld and different alliances. Here is a fast overview of all the airline’s partnerships.
Oneworld alliance companions
As a refresher, Alaska joined Oneworld in late March 2021. Which means that the airline is now a companion with these airways:
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- American Airways
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Fiji Airways (Oneworld Join)
- Finnair
- Iberia
- Japan Airways
- Malaysia Airways
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian Airways
- SriLankan Airways
Non-alliance airline companions
Alaska has partnered with airways outdoors Oneworld for years now. We’re hopeful these non-alliance partnerships will stay long-term now that Alaska is a Oneworld airline, however solely time will inform. Here is the total listing of Alaska’s different airline companions:
| Airline | Alliance |
|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | None |
| Air Tahiti Nui | None |
| Condor | None |
| El Al | None |
| Hainan Airways | None |
| Icelandair | None |
| Korean Air | SkyTeam |
| LATAM | None |
| Ravn Alaska | None |
| Singapore Airways | Star Alliance |
| Starlux Airways | None |
Associated: 6 issues to know in regards to the Alaska Airways Mileage Plan program
Alaska Airways elite standing
Here is a fast overview of every Alaska standing tier.
MVP
MVP is Alaska’s entry-level standing tier. It presents restricted advantages however is comparatively straightforward to acquire for many semifrequent vacationers.
You’ll be able to earn MVP standing by doing the next:
- Earn 20,000 elite qualifying miles on Alaska or its companions, or fly 30 qualifying segments with Alaska or its companions.
- Should fly a minimal of two segments with Alaska Airways.
A few of the most notable MVP standing advantages embrace:
- 50% bonus mileage incomes on Alaska and companion flights
- Complimentary upgrades to first or Premium class beginning 48 hours earlier than departure
- Precedence check-in and boarding
- Two free checked baggage
- Most well-liked seat choice
- $100 low cost on an Alaska Lounge membership
- Devoted telephone help line
- Oneworld Ruby standing
MVP Gold
Issues get slightly extra attention-grabbing with MVP Gold standing. The necessities are double that of MVP standing.
Here is how a lot you will must fly to earn MVP Gold standing:
- Earn 40,000 elite qualifying miles on Alaska or its companions, or fly 60 qualifying segments with Alaska or its companions.
- Should fly a minimal of six segments with Alaska Airways.
MVP Gold advantages embrace:
- 100% bonus mileage incomes on Alaska and companion flights
- Complimentary upgrades to first or Premium class beginning 72 hours earlier than departure
- Companion upgrades to first or Premium class
- 4 one-way visitor upgrades
- Complimentary premium beverage in the primary cabin
- Free same-day flight modifications
- Precedence check-in and boarding
- Two free checked baggage
- Most well-liked seat choice
- Specific safety at choose airports
- $100 low cost on an Alaska Lounge membership
- Devoted telephone help line
- Oneworld Sapphire standing
MVP Gold 75K
Alaska’s subsequent tier of standing is MVP Gold 75K. The advantages can massively enhance the frequent traveler’s onboard expertise.
Here is a have a look at the necessities:
- Earn 75,000 elite qualifying miles on Alaska or its companions, or fly 90 qualifying segments with Alaska or its companions.
- Should fly a minimal of 12 segments with Alaska Airways.
You will get the next advantages with MVP Gold 75K standing:
- 125% bonus mileage incomes on Alaska and companion flights
- Complimentary upgrades to first-class beginning 120 hours earlier than departure
- Area-available improve to Premium class on all Predominant Cabin tickets on the time of reserving, excluding Saver fares
- Companion upgrades to first or Premium class
- 4 one-way visitor upgrades
- Complimentary premium beverage in the primary cabin
- Free same-day flight modifications
- Precedence check-in and boarding
- Three free checked baggage
- Most well-liked seat choice
- One worldwide improve certificates on American Airways
- Specific safety at choose airports
- 4 Alaska Lounge passes
- $100 low cost on an Alaska Lounge membership
- Devoted telephone help line
- Oneworld Emerald standing
- Reward MVP standing to a different member
- 50,000 Alaska miles upon qualification
MVP Gold 100K
MVP Gold 100K is Alaska’s top-tier elite standing stage. It launched in 2022 and provides members a broader vary of advantages and higher improve precedence.
Here is a have a look at the necessities:
- Earn 100,000 elite qualifying miles on Alaska or its companions, or fly 140 qualifying segments with Alaska or its companions.
- Should fly a minimal of 24 segments with Alaska Airways.
You will get the next advantages with MVP Gold 100K standing:
- 150% bonus mileage incomes on Alaska and companion flights
- Complimentary upgrades to first-class beginning 120 hours earlier than departure with the best improve precedence
- Area-available improve to Premium class on all Predominant Cabin tickets on the time of reserving, excluding Saver fares
- Companion upgrades to first or Premium class
- Complimentary premium beverage and snack in the primary cabin
- Free same-day flight modifications
- Precedence check-in and boarding
- Three free checked baggage
- Most well-liked seat choice
- Two worldwide improve certificates on American Airways
- Specific safety at choose airports
- $100 low cost on an Alaska Lounge membership
- Devoted telephone help line
- Oneworld Emerald standing
Associated: All American and Alaska elites now eligible for reciprocal complimentary upgrades
Learn how to earn Alaska miles
Incomes Alaska miles may be difficult because the airline is just not related to main bank card packages like American Specific Membership Rewards and Chase Final Rewards. Nonetheless, you may nonetheless earn miles by flying with varied airline companions. Alaska Airways additionally presents a cobranded bank card, a buying portal and a eating rewards program that can assist you accumulate extra miles. For an in depth understanding of methods to earn Alaska miles, discuss with our complete information.
Earn miles when flying with Alaska Airways
Mileage Plan is an airline loyalty program, so naturally, you may earn while you fly with Alaska Airways.
In contrast to different main U.S. airways, Alaska continues to award miles primarily based on the precise size of a flight. You will earn 1 mile per 1 bodily mile flown in customary financial system. Saver tickets earn 30% of the miles flown. Which means that a one-way flight from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) to John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) earns 2,586 miles in customary financial system, as that is how lengthy the flight is.
First-class tickets obtain a minimal 50% mileage bonus, leading to larger mileage earnings. For instance, a flight from SFO to JFK would earn 3,879 redeemable miles. Word that this bonus applies solely to paid first-class tickets, not upgrades. Elite members additionally earn bonus miles on all Alaska flights. As an illustration, an MVP Gold 75K member flying from SFO to JFK in first-class would earn 6,789 miles with their 125% bonus.
Bonus miles can accumulate rapidly for frequent vacationers. Moreover, higher-fare financial system lessons provide bonus miles, though they could be costlier than customary financial system tickets. You’ll be able to discuss with Alaska’s web site for extra details about incomes Alaska miles on Alaska flights.
Associated: The airline miles which are hardest to earn — and why you need them anyway
Credit score companion flights to Mileage Plan
You’ll be able to credit score companion flights to Mileage Plan, permitting you to earn each redeemable and elite qualifying miles. The miles earned depend upon the airline, flight size and fare class. To find out the incomes ranges, go to Alaska’s companion web page and find the incomes chart for the particular companion and fare class. Multiply your flight’s distance by the proportion within the “Miles earned (complete)” column.
As an illustration, a British Airways I-fare business-class flight from JFK to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), which is 3,451 miles, earns 8,627 Alaska miles (250% mileage flown). Elite members obtain bonus miles on companion flights as effectively. An Alaska MVP elite member would earn 12,940 miles on this flight with their 50% bonus. The “Elite-qualifying miles” column signifies the variety of status-qualifying miles earned.
On this instance, 5,176 elite qualifying miles could be earned with British Airways’ I fare class (150% elite qualifying miles). On account of these beneficiant incomes charges, many credit score companion flights to Alaska Airways. Moreover, Alaska miles are extremely helpful in comparison with different airline miles, as you will uncover within the redemption part of this text.
Spend on an Alaska Airways bank card
Alaska Airways has two cobranded bank cards with Financial institution of America: a private card and a enterprise card.
These allow you to earn Alaska miles in your on a regular basis spending and provide stable sign-up bonuses. The playing cards embrace different inflight advantages, together with an annual Companion Fare that helps offset their annual charges.
Here is a have a look at each playing cards:
Alaska Airways Visa® bank card
The Alaska Airways Visa Signature bank card is Alaska’s private bank card. It earns 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Alaska purchases and 1 mile per greenback spent in all places else. Plus, you will get pleasure from an annual Companion Fare to deliver a good friend or member of the family with you on a visit beginning at $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and charges from $23). You additionally get a free checked bag on all Alaska flights and 20% again on inflight purchases.
Associated: Unlock entry to helpful miles: A assessment of the Alaska Airways Visa card
Alaska Airways Visa® Enterprise card
The Alaska Airways Visa® Enterprise card is just the enterprise model of the non-public Alaska card. The cardboard earns the identical 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Alaska Airways purchases and 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases, and features a Companion Fare and a free checked bag on all Alaska flights.
Associated: Bank card showdown: Alaska Airways Visa vs. Alaska Airways Enterprise Visa
Different methods to earn Alaska miles
There are lots of different nice methods to earn Alaska miles on on a regular basis purchases. Two of one of the best choices are utilizing the Mileage Plan Buying portal when buying on-line and the Mileage Plan Eating program when eating out. Here is a fast overview of each packages.
On the buying facet, Mileage Plan Buying awards bonus miles everytime you click on via the Alaska portal earlier than making an internet buy. It presents bonus miles with lots of of various retailers, together with Apple and Saks Fifth Avenue. Every service provider awards a special variety of miles per greenback spent, and charges can fluctuate steadily.
Be careful for buying portal offers supplied by Mileage Plan Buying. It often runs limited-time bonuses the place you may earn further miles by spending a particular sum of money. These presents are a good way to spice up your mileage steadiness whereas making deliberate purchases.
Mileage Plan Eating is one other alternative to earn bonus miles. Create an account on the Mileage Plan Eating web site and hyperlink your bank cards. You will earn Alaska miles and factors out of your bank card by eating at taking part eating places. Use a card that provides bonus factors on eating for optimum advantages.
Go to Alaska’s web site to search out eating places taking part within the Mileage Plan Eating program. They also have a instrument that can assist you find eating places close to your chosen location.
The miles you earn rely in your Mileage Plan Eating membership tier. These embrace:
- Primary members: 1 mile per 2 {dollars} spent
- Choose members: 3 miles per greenback spent, earned after you enroll in electronic mail communications from Mileage Plan Eating
- VIP members: 5 miles per greenback spent, earned after you enroll in electronic mail communications and dine at taking part eating places 11 instances
You’ll be able to earn 500 bonus Alaska miles after your first buy. To qualify, spend $30 at a taking part restaurant and assessment it on the Mileage Plan Eating web site.
There are different methods to earn Alaska miles, resembling reserving rental vehicles and lodge stays with Alaska companions. You’ll be able to study extra about these incomes alternatives in our full information to incomes Alaska miles.
Associated: Your information to maximizing buying portals to your on-line purchases
Learn how to redeem Alaska miles
Here is a quick overview of methods to redeem Alaska miles. For extra data, take a look at our complete information to redeeming Alaska miles.
You should utilize your Alaska miles for flights on Alaska Airways and its companion airways. The most effective worth is usually discovered when redeeming on companion airways, particularly for worldwide first- or business-class flights. I’ll spotlight a few of the high offers later within the article.
Issues to find out about Alaska Airways awards
Earlier than we dive into award pricing, it is best to know a couple of issues about Mileage Plan award tickets.
The primary is that awards supplied by Alaska Airways are dynamically priced. Your value for a particular award ticket varies by route and day.
You will typically discover the lowest-priced awards on brief flights — suppose Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) to Portland Worldwide Airport (PDX) and Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) to San Francisco.
That stated, it is also attainable to search out moderately priced award tickets on longer routes. Take a look at this flight from Seattle to Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR).
Curiously, utilizing your Alaska miles for an Alaska award ticket is usually not essentially the most optimum strategy to redeem them. The following part on award tickets will clarify why. Nonetheless, when you have a surplus of Alaska miles and must fly with Alaska, evaluate the money value of the ticket and consider if it is worthwhile to make use of your hard-earned miles for the reserving.
Issues to find out about companion awards
Issues get attention-grabbing when reserving companion award tickets.
On the airline’s web site, you will see award pricing for all of Alaska’s companions.
This offers you an concept of what to anticipate while you enter your award search on the Alaska Airways web site.
In some circumstances, the value variations may be fairly vital from one companion to the following. As an illustration, Alaska’s latest redemption companions, like Iberia, Royal Air Maroc and Royal Jordanian, cost a lot larger charges than Alaska’s unique companions.
Additionally, be aware that some companion awards are dynamically priced. As an illustration, American Airways award flights within the U.S. and Canada now solely have beginning costs after which “range relying on demand.” Alaska additionally launched dynamic pricing for sure awards booked on Aer Lingus, LATAM, Malaysia Airways and Qatar Airways.
Associated: Alaska Airways raises the price of some British Airways awards
You’ll be able to add stopovers to one-way award tickets
One of many nice benefits of reserving companion tickets with Alaska Airways is the flexibility so as to add stopovers to one-way award tickets. Reserving a ticket with a stopover prices the identical as a nonstop flight to your remaining vacation spot.
You’ll be able to have a stopover operated by Alaska Airways or a single companion in its hub metropolis.
For instance, you may ebook a ticket from JFK to London on British Airways, spend a couple of days in London, after which proceed to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) on British Airways. Theoretically, this could value the identical miles as a flight from JFK to FCO.
Associated: Learn how to ebook free stopovers with Alaska Airways Mileage Plan
Learn how to ebook Alaska Airways award tickets
You’ll be able to ebook most award tickets on alaskaair.com. Log in to your account and enter your search standards on the house web page, making certain you choose the “Use miles” choice for award flights. Click on “Discover Flights” to go looking and look at accessible choices within the heart of the display screen. In case you discover a appropriate ticket, choose it and click on “Add to cart” to proceed with reserving.
For reserving stopovers, click on the “All search choices” hyperlink on the homepage and choose “Multi-city” beneath the flight sort header. Enter your flights and seek for connecting tickets. All accessible choices will probably be displayed within the heart of the display screen. In case you discover a fascinating itinerary, ebook your ticket as traditional.
For instance, I discovered a ticket from New York to London with a visit Helsinki Airport (HEL) on Finnair. This ticket prices 30,000 miles in financial system, the identical value as flying the identical route with out a stopover on Finnair.
Watch out for mixed-class award tickets
Search for the chair icon subsequent to the premium-cabin award value, indicating a mixed-cabin itinerary. This happens when one leg of your connecting ticket would not have the requested class of service. Click on on the icon to determine the leg that’s downgraded to a decrease class.
On this case, the primary leg is in financial system class.
At all times double-check this data earlier than reserving an award ticket with Alaska Airways. Typically, the shorter leg of your flight might have business-class availability, whereas the longer leg solely presents financial system award house. Sadly, Alaska fees the identical business-class value no matter which leg is in enterprise or financial system class.
Associated: Here is why Alaska Airways miles are essentially the most helpful
Mileage Plan redemption candy spots
Now that you recognize about Mileage Plan, let’s discover some high methods to make use of your Alaska miles. Keep in mind that this listing is not exhaustive, so discuss with our complete article on Alaska award chart candy spots for extra concepts.
Cathay Pacific first and enterprise class to Australia
Cathay Pacific, primarily based in Hong Kong, is famend for its distinctive first- and business-class merchandise. With top-notch onboard service, lie-flat seats and excellent catering, it’s thought-about certainly one of Asia’s finest airways.
Alaska Airways presents implausible offers on flights to Australia, with business-class one-way tickets costing 60,000 miles and first-class tickets simply 80,000 miles. This award presents unbelievable worth as a result of round-trip Cathay Pacific first-class tickets from the U.S. to Asia can exceed $30,000. Moreover, you may embrace a stopover in Hong Kong at no further mileage value, permitting you to discover two superb international locations in a single journey.
Associated: Now reside: Cathay Pacific awards bookable on the Alaska Airways web site
Fiji Airways to Fiji, Australia and New Zealand
On the lookout for a Pacific journey? Think about using your Alaska miles to ebook a flight on Fiji Airways.
Fiji Airways operates from Nadi Worldwide Airport (NAN), the biggest airport in Fiji, connecting to locations in Asia, North America and the South Pacific. The airline presents a dependable business-class expertise on flights from the U.S. to Fiji, making certain a snug journey.
You’ll be able to redeem simply 55,000 miles for a one-way business-class flight from the U.S. to Fiji, which is a superb deal. What’s extra, you may add a stopover to discover different international locations within the South Pacific, resembling New Zealand and Australia, at no extra mileage value. Even when Fiji Airways solely flies from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) and Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), you may join to those gateways from different U.S. cities utilizing Alaska Airways flights.
LATAM to Peru, Brazil and the remainder of South America
Even after leaving the Oneworld alliance, LATAM maintains partnerships, together with one with Alaska Airways.
LATAM operates main hubs in cities like Lima, Peru; Sao Paulo; and Santiago, Chile, making it a handy choice for journey inside South America. In line with Alaska, South America is outlined as something south of Panama, so quite a few alternatives exist for excellent offers.
LATAM award tickets begin at 25,000 miles for financial system and 45,000 miles for enterprise class on a one-way foundation. By benefiting from the included stopover, you may ebook flights like Miami to Lima to Santiago, permitting you to expertise two vibrant South American cities in a single journey.
Aer Lingus flights to Europe (with a cease in Dublin)
Primarily based in Dublin, Aer Lingus is an Irish service with an in depth U.S. route community, serving main cities and smaller gateways like Bradley Worldwide Airport (BDL), Minneapolis-St. Paul Worldwide Airport (MSP) and Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL). This offers handy connections to each Eire and different European locations.
Aer Lingus has semidynamic pricing, which means its flights have a spread of costs. Saver award house is out there on the decrease finish of the spectrum, whereas different flights might have larger costs.
You will discover implausible offers on the decrease finish, resembling reserving business-class flights from the U.S. to Europe for simply 60,000 miles, an unbelievable worth.
Aer Lingus’ broad route community permits you to attain varied elements of Europe. Nonetheless, be aware that the majority Europe routes don’t provide enterprise class, so your award reserving might embrace a mixture of lessons.
Backside line
Alaska Airways Mileage Plan is a high airline loyalty program, because of its wide selection of companions and dependable award chart. Nonetheless, this system has been devalued because it has launched dynamic award pricing and excessive charges for brand spanking new redemption companions. Regardless of this, it’s nonetheless price contemplating incomes miles with Alaska Airways Mileage Plan when flying with its companion airways.
