The Ultimate Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Guide

What is the Mileage Plan™?

Mileage Plan™ is the loyalty program of Alaska Airlines. The Mileage Plan™ program is consistently ranked among North America’s top frequent flyer programs for its excellent rewards – which are also applicable to well over a dozen other airlines across the globe.
Earning Mileage Plan™ Miles

How to Earn Points

The easiest way to earn Mileage Plan™ miles is by booking flights with Alaska Airlines. When flying with Alaska, Mileage Plan™ members earn one rewards mile for every mile flown – it’s that simple. These earnings apply regardless of the type of fare, meaning that even those flying on the cheaper Saver fares earn one mile for every mile flown. On short flights, members earn a minimum of 500 miles.

Miles earned also vary based upon flight class, meaning those with higher class fares will earn increased miles over the base one mile per mile flown. Those in first class, for instance, will earn 75% bonuses on miles flown, meaning they will receive 175 miles for every 100 miles flown.

Those in the main economy on Y or S class flight services will earn a 50% bonus (150 miles per every 100 miles flown), while those in the main economy on M or B class service flights earn a 25% bonus (125 miles per 100 miles flown).

Earning with Other Partners

Earning points with other partners is easy – especially now that Alaska Airlines is part of the Oneworld Alliance.  The Oneworld Alliance consists of over a dozen global carriers:

Mileage Plan™ members can also earn miles when they spend money with Alaska Airlines partners, including:

• Hotels: Alaska partner hotels include Alaska Airlines Hotels, Best Western, Choice, Coast, InterContinental, Marriott Bonvoy, and Westmark, as well as bookings made with RocketMiles.
• Rental Cars: Alaska rental car partners include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, and Thrifty.
• Mileage Plan™ Dining: Members also earn miles every time they dine at one of over 10,000 participating restaurants across the U.S.
• Shopping: Mileage Plan™ miles can also be earned when making purchases through Mileage Plan™ shopping, where miles are earned for making purchases with over 850 leading brands. There’s even a handy extension button to make shopping and earning easier.

Credit Cards

One of the best ways to earn miles with Alaska Airlines is through its co-branded credit cards. Offered through Bank of America, the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card, and Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card both offer a bonus mile introductory offer after an initial spend in the first 90 days. Both cards also offer Alaska’s Companion Fare once a year, allowing a customer’s companion to fly round-trip for as little as $121.

Do Mileage Plan Miles Expire?

No – your Alaska Mileage Plan points will never expire as long as your account is open and active. Keeping an account active is as easy as booking a flight, dining through the dining program, buying points, or another qualifying transaction. 

Redeeming Mileage Plan™ Miles

There are several redemption options for Mileage Plan™ miles:

Flights with Alaska Airlines

The easiest way to use miles is by booking award tickets with Alaska Airlines. To use miles for flights, members need to book their flight on the Alaska Airlines website and pay with miles. Miles can also be used for first-class upgrades within 24 hours of departure.

Alaska rewards flights start at as few as 10,000 miles for main cabin flights between 700 and 1,400 miles, with first class flights on the same routes starting at 30,000 miles one-way. For longer trips (greater than 2,000 miles), expect reward flights to begin at roughly 17,000 for the main cabin, and 30,000 for first class.

Alaska allows for free stopovers on reward flights – even on one-way fares – meaning booking a sightseeing getaway with rewards has never been easier!

Flights with Alaska Airlines Partners

Alaska also allows miles to be used with their codeshare partners, but this is trickier than simply booking with Alaska. One of the great things about Alaska’s Mileage Plan™ is that it is a true mileage plan – meaning you get a mile for every mile you fly. This perk means that it’s possible to amass an impressive number of miles that can be transferred to other airlines, such as British Airways, Cathay Pacific, or Emirates.

Bookings for partner airlines must be completed through Alaska Airlines, so it is key to check with the airline to see which award flights are available with partner carriers. Some awards fares may not be visible; if this is the case, contact Alaska Airlines customer support at 800-252-7522.

Hotels

Mileage Plan™ miles are also redeemable towards hotel stays with some of the biggest names in the industry, including bookings made through Alaska Airlines Hotels, Best Western, Choice, Coast, InterContinental, Marriott Bonvoy, Westmark, as well as bookings made with RocketMiles.

Other Ways to Redeem Miles

Alaska miles are also redeemable for gift cards or magazine subscriptions.

What are Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles Worth?

Miles in the Mileage Plan program are among the most valuable in the airline miles game, thanks to the Alaska network’s tremendous codeshare and destination coverage. Here is the current data for average credit card point and mile valuations: