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Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. SHARE: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images February 15, 2022 Checkmark Bankrate logo How is this page expert verified? At Bankrate, we take the accuracy of our content seriously. "Expert verified" means that our Financial Review Board thoroughly evaluated the article for accuracy and clarity. The Review Board comprises a panel of financial experts whose objective is to ensure that our content is always objective and balanced. Their reviews hold us accountable for publishing high-quality and trustworthy content. Holly Johnson writes expert content on personal finance, credit cards, loyalty and insurance topics. In addition to writing for Bankrate and CreditCards.com, Johnson does ongoing work for clients that include CNN, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, Time Magazine and more. India Davis is an editor specializing in credit cards and updates. She believes in putting the reader first and carrying out a brand’s voice to its fullest potential. She has lived and worked in three different countries and hopes to explore more of the world post-pandemic. Claire Dickey is a product editor for Bankrate, and . Before joining Bankrate, Claire worked as a copywriter for brands within the telecommunications industry as well as a hybrid marketing and content writer. Bankrate logo The Bankrate promise
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Like other major airlines, Alaska Airlines has its own frequent flyer program. This program lets basic members earn a mile for each mile flown with Alaska Airlines, and you can redeem them for flights starting at just 5,000 miles. Joining Mileage Plan is free, and you can climb the ranks to elite status to score benefits like priority boarding, free checked baggage and preferred seating. How to earn Alaska Airlines miles
Where some airlines make it difficult to rack up miles in their frequent flyer programs, Mileage Plan gives you a plethora of options. Note, you can use multiple strategies from this list to boost your mileage balance as much as you can. Earn miles by flying
Economy fares earn miles at a 100 percent rate, but some recent adjustments were made for full-fare tickets in first class as well as discounted flights in first class. Also, note that the fare classes themselves have changed, which makes it difficult to make a full comparison. Be aware that you can earn miles with Alaska Airlines when you fly with its partners to more than 800 destinations around the world. You can redeem your miles to fly with partners, which we’ll cover in more detail below. Book hotel stays and rental cars
Alaska’s hotel and rental car partners offer another way to earn miles in the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program. You can earn miles while you sleep, although the number of miles you’ll earn per night (or per stay) varies depending on the partner you book with. When it comes to rental car partners, you get the chance to earn miles per day or per rental period, depending on the partner. Shop with partners
If you shop online with major retailers, earning miles on your spending is a breeze. First, download the to your computer desktop and earn miles when you shop with more than 850 retailers, including Best Buy, Macy’s and Walmart. Other partners you can earn miles with include 1-800-Flowers, Rover.com, SoFi, Teleflora, Vinesse Wine Club, GCI, Diners Club International and Carrs-Safeway. Join the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan dining club
, which is free to sign up for, gives you miles each time you dine with a participating restaurant and pay with a linked credit card or debit card. When you sign up, you can even earn 1,000 bonus miles with your first meal. Sign up for an airline credit card
Finally, don’t forget about the easiest way to earn airline miles with Alaska Airlines. By signing up for the right , you can earn miles for each dollar you spend regardless of how often you fly. Best credit cards for Alaska Airlines
There are a handful of that let you earn miles that work directly within the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan rewards program. These options also come with frequent flyer perks, including Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card
40,000 bonus miles, plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare from $121 ($99 plus taxes and fees from just $22), when you spend $2,000 on your card within 90 days of account opening 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases and 1X miles on everything else $75 annual fee No foreign transaction fees Frequent flyer benefits include a free checked bag and discounts on both in-flight purchases and Alaska Lounge day passes. The is the flagship offering from Alaska Airlines. This airline credit card starts you off with 40,000 bonus miles and Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare from $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22) when you spend at least $2,000 within the first 90 days of opening your account. You also get the chance to earn 3 miles for every $1 you spend on Alaska Airlines and partner flight purchases and 1 mile for every $1 you spend on everything else. Frequent flyer benefits are pretty basic, but they’re still worth noting. You’ll get a free checked bag for you and up to six guests on your itinerary, and you’ll also receive 20 percent off all in-flight purchases and 50 percent off lounge day passes when you pay with your card. The $75 annual fee seems reasonable when you consider all you get in return. Alaska Airlines Visa Business credit card
60,000 bonus miles, plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare from $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from just $22), when you spend $3,000 or more within the first 90 days of account opening 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases and 1X miles on everything else $50 annual fee for the company and $25 annual fee for each card No foreign transaction fees Benefits include a free checked bag as well as discounts on day passes at the Alaska Lounge and Alaska Airlines in-flight purchases. The also offers a generous initial bonus and Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare, with a relatively low minimum spending requirement of just $3,000 within 90 days of account opening. You’ll get the same earning rate of 3X miles on Alaska Airlines purchases and 1X miles on everything else, and you’ll get a free checked bag for you and up to six companions on your itinerary. Other benefits include 50 percent off day passes at the Alaska Lounge and 20 percent back on all Alaska Airlines in-flight purchases. A $50 annual fee for the company is required, yet you’ll also need to pay a separate fee of $25 for each employee card. How much are Alaska Airlines miles worth
According to monthly valuations from , miles in the Alaska Airline Mileage Plan rewards program are worth approximately 1.8 cents each. This makes them more valuable than miles from competing programs like the American Airlines AAdvantage program, Delta SkyMiles and Southwest Rapid Rewards. How to redeem Alaska Airlines miles
The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan offers some flexibility regarding how you can redeem your earned miles. For example, you can use your miles to book flights to more than 800 destinations with Alaska Airlines or its partners, but you can also cash in your miles for hotel stays at more than 400,000 properties worldwide. Other redemption options include booking a stopover or using your miles to upgrade to a premium cabin. You can even use your miles to purchase magazine subscriptions or share your miles with someone else. Best redemption options for your wallet
For the most part, you’ll get the most bang for your buck out of Alaska miles if you redeem them for flights. This airline even offers a that helps you figure out how many miles you’ll need for the flight you want. Note that award flights start at just 5,000 miles, which is an exceptional value. Some sweet spots in the award charts include: Fly Cathay Pacific from the mainland U.S. and Alaska to Australia in Business class for 60,000 miles one-way Fly American Airlines from the mainland U.S. and Alaska to Hawaii for 22,500 miles one way (in economy) Fly Alaska Airlines from the mainland U.S. and Alaska to Mexico in economy for as little as 10,000 miles one-way (flights of 1,400 miles or less) Fly American Airlines from the mainland U.S. and Alaska to New Zealand for 40,000 miles one way (in economy) Redemption options to steer away from
Generally speaking, non-flight options offer the lowest value for your Alaska miles. This includes hotel stays, upgrades and magazine subscriptions. Alaska Airlines travel partners
make it possible to earn more miles or redeem your miles in another way. The current list of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan partners is featured below. Airlines partners
American Airlines Aer Lingus British Airways Cathay Pacific Condor EL AL Israel Airlines Fiji Airways Finnair Hainan Airlines Iberia Icelandair Japan Airlines Korean Air LATAM Airlines Malaysia Airlines Qantas Qatar Airways Ravn Alaska Royal Air Maroc Royal Jordanian S7 Airlines Singapore Airlines SriLankan Airlines Hotel partners
Alaska Airlines Hotels Best Western Choice Hotels Coast Hotels IHG Marriott Bonvoy Rocketmiles Westmark Hotels Rental car partners
Alamo Avis Budget Dollar Hertz National Thrifty Shopping partners
Mileage Plan Shopping Mileage Plan Dining 1-800-Flowers Carrs-Safeway Diners Club International GCI GetYourGuide The Opinion Terminal Rover SoFi Teleflora Vinesse Wine Club Alaska Airlines elite status and memberships
Alaska Airlines is offering a fast track to elite status levels, making it easier to earn more miles or be more comfortable when you fly. However, be aware that Here are a few benefits the airline is offering in order to make elite status qualification easier this year: MVP—Members must earn 5,000 base miles. MVP Gold—Members must earn 10,000 base miles. MVP Gold 75K—Members must earn 20,000 base miles. The following table shows what you need to earn in 2022 to keep each tier of elite status for the rest of the year, as well as the main benefits you’ll receive when you get there. MVP MVP Gold MVP Gold 75K How to earn it Earn 20,000 eligible miles with Alaska Airlines and partners **Eligible miles and segments must include at least 2 flights marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines Earn 40,000 eligible miles with Alaska Airlines and partners **Must include at least 4 flights marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines Earn 75,000 eligible miles with Alaska Airlines and partners **Must include at least 6 flights marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines Mileage bonus 50% 100% 125%, plus 50,000 bonus miles when you attain status Oneworld reciprocal status Ruby Sapphire Emerald Airport benefits Priority check-in and boarding Two free checked bags Preferred seating Express security line at select airports Alaska Lounge membership discount Priority check-in and boarding Two free checked bags Preferred seating Alaska Lounge membership discount Standby and waitlist for full flights Express security line at select airports Priority check-in and boarding Two free checked bags Preferred seating Alaska Lounge membership discount Standby and waitlist for full flights Express security line at select airports Four Alaska Lounge day passes First and premium class upgrades on Alaska non-qualifying fares 48 hours 72 hours 120 hours First class upgrades at the time of booking (flights after March 31, 2021) Y, B fares Y, B, H or K fares Y, B, H, K or M Premium class upgrades at the time of booking (flights after March 31, 2021) Y, B or H fares Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, S or N fares All fares except Saver fares Companion upgrades to first class and premium class Yes Yes Four one-way first class upgrades Yes Yes Complimentary premium beverage in main cabin Yes Yes Complimentary same-day flight changes Yes Yes Waived ticket fee changes Yes Yes Elite leave for new parents Yes Yes Yes Opportunity to nominate someone for MVP status Yes MVP
MVP status with Alaska Airlines gets you basic benefits like a 50 percent mileage bonus, reciprocal status with the Oneworld alliance and the ability to qualify for upgrades. You’ll also qualify for priority check-in and boarding, two free checked bags, preferred seating and an Alaska Lounge membership discount, among other perks. MVP Gold
The next tier of status, known as MVP Gold, takes your benefits up a notch. You’ll get the same frequent flyer benefits as MVP offers, except standby and waitlist for full flights. You’ll also get a 100 percent mileage bonus at this tier. Important: Alaska Mileage Plus members who fly one million miles on Alaska Airlines are granted MVP Gold status for life. MVP Gold 75K
MVP Gold 75K status makes it easier to earn miles with a 125 percent mileage bonus plus 50,000 bonus miles when you attain status. You also get added benefits like four Alaska Lounge day passes, the opportunity to nominate another person for MVP status and better access to upgrades. This tier of status also qualifies you for waivers for service charges and ticket change fees. Alaska Airlines FAQs
How do I sign up for the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Signing up for the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is easy. All you need to do is head to AlaskaAir.com and click the “Mileage Plan” tab to . Information you’ll need to enter includes your name, date of birth, gender, phone, email address and physical address. How many miles do you need for a free flight with Alaska Airlines
Flights booked with the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program start at 5,000 miles. The bottom line
The Alaska Air Mileage Plan is a viable travel rewards option for frequent domestic and international travelers, and especially those who fly from the West Coast. Additionally, the company offers several great that can help you earn miles faster while being rewarded with frequent flyer perks. If you plan to fly with Alaska Airlines or one of its partners in the future, there’s no reason to ignore this free program. The information about the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card and the Alaska Airlines Visa Business credit card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer. SHARE: Holly Johnson writes expert content on personal finance, credit cards, loyalty and insurance topics. In addition to writing for Bankrate and CreditCards.com, Johnson does ongoing work for clients that include CNN, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, Time Magazine and more. India Davis is an editor specializing in credit cards and updates. She believes in putting the reader first and carrying out a brand’s voice to its fullest potential. She has lived and worked in three different countries and hopes to explore more of the world post-pandemic. Claire Dickey is a product editor for Bankrate, and . Before joining Bankrate, Claire worked as a copywriter for brands within the telecommunications industry as well as a hybrid marketing and content writer. Related Articles