Bottom Line

This card won't be at the top of anyone's list, but it still provides some nice value. If you qualify for business version of this card -- grab that first, since it won't count towards your 5/24. If you fly their routes regularly, or can use one of their transfer partners, both the personal and business card might be good for you. You should also wait till they have a special offer for sign-up points.

Why You Might Want This Card

No Alliances, No Problem

One thing that makes Alaska Airlines stand alone is that it’s not any part of the 3 major airline alliances. But don’t let that deter you because you still have the option to book with their partners and/or transfer points to 15+ international participants and 3+ domestic ones. Something to keep in mind is American Airlines doesn’t swap points anymore with Alaska. No worries though, they still partner with Qantas, Korean Air, Emirates and Singapore, so you still have a lot of options on how to use your Alaska miles. Earning miles is super quick, with the non-business version of the card offering the same welcome bonus as the business version. You also get first checked bag free, 20% back on in-flight purchases and 50% off Alaska Lounge day passes.

Only On Alaska Airlines

There are a few extremely valuable things that Alaska uniquely offers. The first being, taking advantage of Alaska’s one-way (one stopover award ticket). Click “multi-city” & “use miles” tab to book your ticket. Keep an eye on the cabins that you’re seated in, and make sure you're booking "one way" tickets instead of roundtrip. That's how you'll get the most value. Another exciting thing Alaska offers is their famous Companion Fare. You can add your companion along on your paid trip for just $121. The fine print here is that round-trip flights are usually the best way to get the most value from this -- and companion fare can only be added to a ticket that you paid for with your Alaska Airline Visa.

Because Alaska Airlines isn’t a colossal name, they have a lot more leniency with how they chose to utilize their mileage program. They offer some really great deals and have an efficient fleet of their own, along with a solid set of global partners. When it comes down to it, if you just want to get from point A to point B with your miles, Alaska can do that. There may not be a lot of perks while flying Alaskan, but taking advantage of their stopover tickets and partners can get you some pretty great trips.

Exceptions To The Rule

About Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska Airlines is one of those fun mileage programs that you need to be flexible and clever with to get the most value out of it.

Let's start with the bad news: Alaska Airlines utilizes four different distance-based levels for points redemption. So point redemption can vary widely depending on how far you're going and what class you want to fly in. They also do not offer lay-down seats -- so if you’re splurging for premium seating, don’t be disappointed or shocked when your seat doesn’t go all the way down. The last thing people don’t love about Alaska Airlines is that they only fly domestic, Canada and Central America.

So, why would you want Alaska Airlines miles? One of the biggest reasons is the stopover option. This may not look like a whole lot since they don’t fly very far, but another beautiful thing about Alaska Airlines is their partners, which include Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines, to name a few. You can book a round-trip ticket and have a stopover on the way there and on the way back, attaching essentially 3 different trips. Not that domestic is all that bad because Alaska Airline miles can get you to Hawaii and Alaska on some really excellent deals -- and even during peak travel time you can almost always find a reward seat.

Where Alaska Airlines Fits In This Point Ecosystem

Personal Experience