Top Strategies to Earn Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles – Unlock the Skies (Update 2024)

Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan is an attractive loyalty program for frequent fliers, offering a range of ways to earn miles that can take you further. While the traditional method of amassing Mileage Plan miles is by flying on an Alaska Airlines or a partner’s revenue ticket, there are several alternative strategies to increase your Mileage Plan balance. In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways to earn Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles. 

How to become a member of the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Program

Enrolling in the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Program is straightforward:

• Visit the Alaska Airlines website: Navigate to the “Mileage Plan” section.
• Register: Fill out the form with the required details, such as name, address, and email.
• Confirmation: Once registered, you will receive a unique Alaska Mileage Plan number. Make sure to keep this number handy, as it will be your primary identifier for transactions.

If you ever find yourself pondering, “How do i find my Alaska Mileage Plan number,” simply log into your account on the Alaska Airlines website. In the Mileage activity tab, this number is displayed in Mileage Plan number.

When flights are credited to Mileage Plan, each traveler must credit miles to their individual accounts. It’s not possible for a family to pool miles from their flights into one member’s Mileage Plan account. Every individual should have their own Mileage Plan account and link their specific Mileage Plan number to their reservation.

To enroll a child in the program, please contact 800-ALASKAAIR (800-252-7522). The representative will assist in generating the Mileage Plan numbers for young members. After obtaining these numbers, you can establish online access for them on AlaskaAir.com.

How To Earn Alaska Airlines Miles

Co-branded Alaska Airlines Credit Cards Review

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature consumer credit card

Get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™* ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. 

To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

$95 annual fee

Alaska Airlines Credit Card Benefits

• Experience the renowned Alaska Companion Fare™*. For each account anniversary, after spending $6,000 or more in the preceding anniversary year, receive a Companion Fare priced at $99 (along with taxes and charges starting from $23). This is valid for every Alaska Airlines flight reserved through alaskaair.com.
• Baggage Benefit: Whenever a cardholder books their flight using their card, both they and up to 6 other passengers on the same booking can check their first bag at no cost. Avail of early boarding privileges and reach your seat faster when your flight is paid for with your card. 
• Earn 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible Alaska Airlines transactions. Plus, expand your mileage earning options through partnerships with oneworld® airlines and Alaska’s global partners.
• Earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases of gasoline, electric vehicle charging, cable TV, streaming, and local transportation, including ride-sharing.
• Earn 1 mile per dollar for all other transactions. Plus, your miles remain valid as long as your account is active.
• If you hold a qualifying Bank of America® account, get an additional 10% mileage bonus on all card purchase miles. 
• Receive a 20% refund on all inflight purchases with Alaska Airlines and a $100 discount on an annual Alaska Lounge+ Membership when using your new card. 
• Through partnerships with oneworld® Alliance airlines and Alaska’s Global Partners, Alaska now connects to over 1,000 destinations globally, offering more airline collaborators and enhanced opportunities to collect and redeem miles. 
• Relish the flexibility of no blackout dates for Alaska Airlines flights when reserving using miles or the companion fare. 
• Moreover, there are zero foreign transaction charges.

Alaska Airlines Visa Business credit card

Receive a bonus of 50,000 miles, a $100 credit on your statement, and an Alaska’s Renowned Companion Fare™* (with a $99 ticket plus additional charges and taxes starting from $23) once you spend $3,000 or more within the initial 90 days after account creation.

No international transaction fees and an annual fee of $70 for the company and $25 per card

Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card Benefits

• On each account anniversary, after spending $6,000 or more in the previous year, acquire another Alaska’s Renowned Companion Fare™ (with a $99 ticket plus taxes and additional charges from $23).
• Benefit from a complimentary checked bag for the cardholder and up to six accompanying guests on the same booking when the flight is covered with your card, saving $60 per traveler for a round trip!
• When you book with the Alaska Airlines Business card, the cardholder enjoys priority boarding.
• Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines transactions.
• Earn 2 miles per dollar on eligible gas, shipping, and local travel (including carpools), and 1 mile per dollar on other spending.
• If your business holds a qualifying Bank of America® small business account, gain an additional 10% mileage bonus on all card-spent miles.
• Get a 20% discount on inflight Alaska Airlines purchases with your new card.
• Avail a $100 discount on the annual Alaska Lounge+ Membership when using your Alaska Airlines Business card.
• Through affiliations with oneworld® Alliance and Alaska’s Global Partners. 
• Book tickets for miles or a ticket for an accompanying passenger without any date restrictions.

How do EQMs work with the Alaska Airlines credit card in 2024?

The Alaska Airlines credit card now plays a pivotal role in earning status. For every $10,000 spent, members will automatically earn 4,000 EQMs, up to a total of 20,000 EQMs. This addition provides a faster and more flexible way to climb up the status tiers.

Can EQMs earned on multiple Alaska Airlines Visa cards be combined?

Yes, the offer also applies to holders of multiple Alaska Airlines Visa consumer and business cards with the ability to combine purchases to reach the required spending level.

To qualify for this new earning mechanism, members must meet certain conditions. They include a combination of transactions totaling at least $10,000, excluding fees, returns and adjustments.

Cardholders should note that these miles are non-redeemable and only count towards elite status qualification for the calendar year 2025.

*Alaska Companion Fare: A Quick Overview and How to Use It

What is Alaska Companion Fare?

Alaska Companion Fare is a unique benefit offered to eligible holders of the Alaska Airlines Visa® card and the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card. It allows cardholders to purchase a companion ticket at a significantly reduced price when they buy a regular priced ticket.

How Does it Work Alaska Companion Fare?

1. Purchase One, Get One for a Discount: When a cardholder buys one round-trip coach ticket, they can get a companion ticket for as low as $122 (USD) – which breaks down as $99 base fare plus applicable taxes and fees which can start from $23. Both tickets must be on the same itinerary and booked at the same time.

2. Booking Process: The travel booking must be done at alaskaair.com and payment should be made using the eligible Alaska Airlines credit card.

3. Earning Miles: While you can’t use miles to purchase the companion fare, both the primary traveler and the companion can accrue mileage credit for their travel.

4. Fees & Taxes: All travelers are responsible for the applicable taxes, fees, surcharges, and any checked baggage fees.

5. Restrictions: The companion fare discount code cannot be used for award travel or combined with other discounts. Some cardholders might also have an annual spending requirement to access this benefit.

How to Use the Alaska Companion Fare?

1. Earn the Companion Fare: After you’re approved for an eligible Alaska Airlines Visa card and meet any required spend, you’ll receive a companion fare code in your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan online account.

2. Log In: Go to the Alaska Airlines website and log into your Mileage Plan account.

3. Search for Flights: Input your travel details, ensuring both travelers are on the same itinerary.

4. Apply the Companion Fare Code: Before finalizing the booking, apply your companion fare discount code.

5. Review and Pay: Ensure that the discount has been applied and the total reflects the companion fare pricing. Complete the booking using your eligible Alaska Airlines credit card.

6. Travel & Earn Miles: Once your booking is complete, all you have to do is enjoy your trip! Remember, both you and your companion will earn miles for the journey.

By leveraging the Alaska Companion Fare, cardholders can save significantly on travel expenses, especially when planning trips with a partner or friend.

Other Credit Cards That Earn Alaska Miles

While Alaska doesn’t partner with typical bank rewards programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards, there’s a silver lining. However, you can transfer points to the Alaska Mileage Plan from at least three Alaska Airlines hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, Choice Privileges).

How Marriott Bonvoy points are transferred to Alaska Airlines miles

Conversion Rate: Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Alaska Airlines miles at a 3:1 ratio. Transferring in multiples of 60,000 Bonvoy points is ideal, as this garners a bonus of 5,000 miles, giving you a total of 25,000 Alaska miles.

You can find information on Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit cards in our article The Marriott Bonvoy Program, All You Need to Know.

Other Alaska Airlines Hotel Partners

Earn and redeem miles with Alaska partner hotels, here are examples of transfers between some of them:

• IHG One Rewards: transfer 10,000 points into 2,000 Alaska miles (to convert IHG points into airline miles, you need to reach out to the IHG One Rewards Service Center via phone, as online transfers aren’t available. Here are the contact numbers: in the U.S. and Canada: 888-211-9874, in Mexico: 001 800-272-9273)
• Choice Privileges Rewards: transfer 5,000 points into 1,000 Alaska miles (to make a transfer, please contact customer support)

Earn miles by flying on Alaska or its partner airlines

You have the opportunity to accumulate miles with every partner airline. Some of these partners offer extra perks to Mileage Plan members, such as redeeming miles and availing elite status benefits. The table below provides a comprehensive breakdown of these details.

*Tipe 1 – Alaska Mileage Plan partners in the oneworld® Alliance

• American Airlines
• Finnair
• Qantas
• SriLankan Airlines
• British Airways
• Iberia
• Qatar Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Japan Airlines
• Royal Air Maroc
• Fiji Airways
• Malaysia Airlines
• Royal Jordanian

With these partners, you can earn and redeem miles, as well as enjoy the elite status of the Mileage Plan™ program, which corresponds to Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald service levels on all oneworld airlines.

*** Type 2 – Other Alaska Mileage Plan partners who earn and redeem miles traveling to 1,000+ destinations

• Aer Lingus
• Hainan Airlines
• Ravn Alaska
• Air Tahiti Nui
• Icelandair
• Singapore Airlines
• Condor
• Korean Air
• STARLUX Airlines
• EL AL Israel Airlines

***Type 3 – Other partners who earn miles

• Cape Air
• Kenmore Air
• Mokulele Airlines
• Southern Airways Express

Alaska Airlines is the last airline to earn 1 bonus mile for every 1 mile flown. This works even for basic Alaska “Saver” economy fares, and you’ll also get bonus miles for booking First Class or a more expensive economy fare.

In order to redeem a ticket, it must be on the list of eligible flight numbers below. These flights must either be sold and operated by Alaska Airlines or sold by Alaska Airlines and operated by its partner airlines.

Alaska Airlines Partner Award Chart

Global Reach with Partner Airlines in 2024

A significant development in the Mileage Plan 2024 is the reduction in starting points for partner award flights. Starting March 2024, partner award flights will begin at 4,500 miles each way, with a majority of nonstop routes, including premium cabins, starting at lower price points. This change opens a world of travel possibilities, making global destinations more accessible than ever before.

For more information on this, see on the Alaska website.

Purchasing Alaska Miles

Alaska offers Mileage Plan miles for sale at a foundational rate of 2.75 cents each, exclusive of taxes and fees. With the compulsory tax recovery fee, the cost rises to roughly 2.96 cents per mile. While this may seem a bit steep, it can be a worthwhile option if you’re short on miles and lack hotel points to convert into Alaska miles.

Since Alaska conducts its miles sales via Points.com, such transactions won’t be classified as travel expenses. If you’re considering a buy miles deal, use your most beneficial general spending card. 

It’s common for Alaska to hold promotions related to mile purchases. Although we’ve seen bonuses peak at 60% for Alaska miles purchases (with such a bonus, the effective rate for purchasing Mileage Plan miles drops to 1.85 cents each), a 50% bonus is more typical. It’s advisable to hold off on buying miles until there’s a promotional bonus on offer.

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Alaska Airlines elite program, what’s the deal? How to earn elite status? What are the benefits?

Alaska Airlines provides a comprehensive elite program packed with premium benefits. Securing elite status with Alaska is often simpler than with other airlines. Unlike Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines, there’s no spending threshold. Moreover, you generally need fewer miles to qualify. Given these advantages and its convenience for those on the U.S. West Coast, Alaska’s program stands out as an excellent choice.

MVP

Accumulating 20,000 miles on Alaska Airlines and their elite partners.

MVP Gold

Amassing 40,000 miles on Alaska Airlines and their elite partners.

MVP Gold 75K

Gathering 75,000 miles on Alaska Airlines and their elite affiliates.

MVP Gold 100K

Earning 100,000 miles with Alaska Airlines and their elite collaborators.

Simplification of obtaining elite status in 2024

In 2024, the Alaska Mileage Plan status will be determined solely by the amount of elite qualifying miles (EQMs) accumulated, maintaining the same thresholds as before. The rate at which EQMs are earned remains unchanged. However, two significant modifications have been implemented:

Firstly, achieving Mileage Plan status by the number of segments flown is no longer an option. Previously, attaining statuses like MVP required a minimum of 30 segments, and MVP Gold 100K needed up to 140 segments. Secondly, there’s no longer a requisite to complete a specific number of segments on Alaska flights to gain Mileage Plan status. This means you can now obtain Mileage Plan status entirely through travel with partner airlines, if desired.

MVP Gold 100K Member Advantages in 2024

MVP Gold 100K members are in for a treat. Any EQMs earned beyond the 100K threshold in 2023 will roll over, giving them a significant advantage in requalifying for their status in 2024. This head start is a token of appreciation for their loyalty and commitment.

The benefits of each Alaska Airlines elite status

General MVP Perks:  Priority check-in, boarding, preferred seating, express security lines (select airports), Alaska Lounge membership discount, priority phone assistance

Learn more about the benefits of elite status in the article Alaska Airlines Elite Status Challenge.

*Single-Trip International Upgrade Vouchers for use on American Airlines flights

One of the more recent benefits introduced is the provision of single-trip international upgrade vouchers for use on American Airlines flights. These are given at the start of the year following when you qualify. So, for instance, if someone achieves MVP Gold 75K status in 2023 for the 2024 membership year, they would be granted a one-way upgrade voucher in the beginning of 2024.

These vouchers can elevate your travel experience to long-distance business class, potentially representing a value of several hundred or even thousands of dollars. Additionally, Alaska elite members get corresponding Oneworld priority membership, ensuring advantages like priority seat reservation, expedited boarding, and baggage services, as well as entry to business- or first-class lounges based on your membership level.

In 2025, Alaska Mileage Plan is set to reduce the elite mileage bonuses for most of its tiers

While the initial reaction to this news might be negative, the impact may not be as severe as it appears. Here’s a breakdown of the changes:

• MVP members will see their elite mileage bonus decrease from 50% to 25%.
• MVP Gold members will experience a reduction in their elite mileage bonus from 100% to 50%.
• MVP Gold 75K members will have their elite mileage bonus lowered from 125% to 100%.
• However, MVP Gold 100K members will continue to receive a 150% elite mileage bonus.

It’s beneficial that these changes are being communicated well in advance. Additionally, there’s a silver lining: the upcoming Alaska Airlines Choice awards are expected to offer options to adjust elite bonus mileage percentages as one of their perks. Essentially, this means you can maintain your current elite bonus mile level, but it will come at an extra cost. This approach seems equitable, offering more flexibility to members.

Shopping Platforms

The Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping platform allows you to accumulate Alaska miles from over 1,100 online stores. The number of bonus miles can change daily. For optimal use, mark your preferred stores in your favorites to receive notifications about enhanced bonuses.

There are often promotional offers on the Mileage Plan Shopping platform that provide additional points when you hit certain spending limits. For instance, a past deal gave an extra 1,500 Alaska miles when spending a minimum of $550 via the shopping platform.

To ensure you never miss an opportunity to earn through the Alaska shopping platform, consider installing the Mileage Plan Shopping browser extension for either Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. This tool not only reminds you to activate your miles accumulation when shopping at a participating store but also automatically uses any relevant coupon codes and compares prices for the same product across different mileage-acquisition platforms.

Accumulate Miles with Alaska Airlines’ Dining Program

You have the opportunity to accumulate miles with Alaska’s Mileage Plan Dining. On average, dining through this program lets you collect three Alaska miles for every dollar you spend. Linking a partnered Alaska card to your account grants you an extra mile for every dollar spent at enrolled restaurants. By dining at these establishments 11 times in a year, you’ll achieve VIP status, increasing your earning rate to five Alaska miles for each dollar, valid until the year’s end.

From time to time, Mileage Plan Dining introduces special sign-up bonuses for newcomers. At the moment, there’s an offer to gain 500 bonus miles if you register and eat at an affiliated restaurant within the first month, given you spend at least $30.

It’s worth noting that the success of dining programs can vary based on location. Some places might not have any associated restaurants. But, in contrast, most major cities or populated areas tend to have a substantial list of participating dining venues.

Transfer of miles between accounts

Alaska Airlines offers the option to shift miles among its members. There’s a charge of $10 for every 1,000 miles transferred. Given this fee, directly buying miles is often a more cost-effective approach than transferring them.

Do Alaska Miles Expire?

Alaska miles do not have an expiration date, they are always active, which is beneficial for both regular travelers and those who travel from time to time.

However, while Alaska Airlines miles themselves don’t expire, your account may be limited. If you have not made any activity for more than two years, your account may be suspended.

Conclusion

The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan offers an impressive blend of rewards and opportunities for its loyal customers. From the straightforward process of membership registration to the myriad of ways to earn miles – be it through credit cards, transfer partners, or flying – there’s no shortage of strategies to maximize your mile balance. Furthermore, Alaska’s elite status program is notably one of the most generous and attainable, providing unmatched benefits for frequent fliers.

The partnerships with a broad array of airlines and the flexibility of the Mileage Plan further enhance its allure. With the integration of shopping platforms and regular promotions, the program ensures that even non-frequent fliers have avenues to accrue and redeem miles.

The 2024 Mileage Plan marks a significant step forward for Alaska Airlines, with changes that give members more flexibility and opportunities to earn and maintain their elite status.