airline
Alaska Airlines is the West Coast's most quietly competent carrier — the airline that runs on time, takes care of its frequent flyers, and somehow flies a Pacific Northwest sensibility down to LAX without losing the plot. Headquartered in Seattle and built around the 737 (with a fleet of 787-9s now joining the family courtesy of Hawaiian), Alaska is a oneworld member as of 2021, which transformed it from a regional dark horse into a credible international redemption play.
As of 2026, Alaska and Hawaiian operate under a single FAA operating certificate (granted October 2025) but keep their brands separate — same parent company, different cabin vibe. Loyalty for both carriers now lives under Atmos Rewards, which replaced MileagePlan and HawaiianMiles in late 2025. For the loyalty currency, transfer partners, elite tiers, and sweet-spot redemptions, head to the Atmos Rewards program page →.
The actual numbers. Get your nerd on, memorize the cheap ones.
The cheat sheet.
Distance-banded by region. Points shown are starting-at; routes can price higher based on city pair, demand, segments, and partner availability.
| Distance (miles) | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 700 | 4,500 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 13,500 |
| 701-1,400 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 25,000 |
| 1,401-2,100 | 12,500 | 17,500 | 25,000 | 40,000 |
| 2,101-4,000 | 17,500 | 22,500 | 35,000 | 52,500 |
| 4,001-6,000 | 25,000 | 32,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| 6,001 and above | 30,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| Distance (miles) | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 1,500 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 22,500 |
| 1,501-3,500 | 22,500 | 30,000 | 45,000 | 67,500 |
| 3,501-5,000 | 27,500 | 35,000 | 55,000 | 82,500 |
| 5,001-7,000 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 70,000 | 105,000 |
| 7,001-10,000 | 42,500 | 55,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 |
| 10,000 and above | 55,000 | 72,500 | 110,000 | 165,000 |
| Distance (miles) | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 1,500 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 22,500 |
| 1,501-3,000 | 25,000 | 32,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| 3,001-5,000 | 30,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| 5,001-7,000 | 37,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 | 110,000 |
| 7,001-10,000 | 42,500 | 55,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 |
| 10,000 and above | 65,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 | 195,000 |
Applies to awards wholly on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines.
| Distance (miles) | Economy | First |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 700 | 4,500 | 15,000 |
| 701-1,400 | 7,500 | 25,000 |
| 1,401-2,100 | 10,000 | 25,000 |
| 2,101-3,500 | 12,500 | 30,000 |
| 3,501 and above | 20,000 | 60,000 |
Premium economy on own-metal awards starts at 30 percent more than the economy rate.
Where your points punch above their weight.
Where this currency genuinely shines.
Sweet-spot redemptions on Alaska metal — and on Alaska's oneworld partners booked through Atmos — are catalogued on the Atmos Rewards page. Carrier-specific notes worth flagging:
How to get more points.
2 programs that transfer in.
Programs that transfer points or miles into Alaska Airlines.
| From | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bilt | 1:1 | Bilt is one of only two transferable currencies that reach Atmos, making it the easiest on-ramp for non-cardholders. Transfers are typically near-instant. No federal excise tax pass-through. |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 3:1 with 5K bonus per 60K block (effectively 2.4:1 in 60K increments) | Hotel-to-airline transfer; no federal excise tax. Transfer in exact 60K blocks to capture the 5K bonus — partial blocks lose the kicker. Posts in 2-7 days, not instant. |
The status ladder. 4 rungs, each unlocking better lounges, bags, and bragging rights.
4 status levels.
20,000 status points
40,000 status points
80,000 status points
135,000 status points
Where to vanish before takeoff. Your status (or ticket) opens which doors.
Who gets in, who doesn't, and the carve-outs.
Alaska Lounge — own-brand network
Alaska operates seven Alaska Lounges plus The Plumeria Lounge in Honolulu. As of 2026:
Membership pricing (current as of May 2026):
| Tier | Price | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Lounge | $595/yr | All Alaska Lounges + Plumeria |
| Alaska Lounge+ | $795/yr | All Alaska Lounges + Plumeria + ~90 partner lounges |
Atmos members who hit 30K elite-qualifying miles get $100 off either tier as an annual perk. Eligible Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature and Atmos Rewards Visa Business cardholders get $100 off Lounge+ when paid with the card (not stackable with other discounts).
Single-entry day passes:
Day pass entry rules:
Lounge+ partner network (selected): ~50 American Admirals Clubs (when flying AS/HA/AA), select Qantas Clubs (when flying AS/HA/QF internationally), United Clubs at MSP/PHL/DCA (when flying AS/HA/UA), Escape Lounge PHX, Aspire Lounge SAN, The Club LAS T3.
Complimentary lounge access by ticket / status:
oneworld lounge access while flying Alaska: Atmos Titanium and Platinum map to oneworld Emerald (First, Business, and frequent-flyer lounges); Atmos Gold maps to Sapphire (Business and frequent-flyer lounges); Atmos Silver maps to Ruby (no general oneworld lounge access). Eligibility kicks in only on international oneworld itineraries — see the oneworld page for the full alliance ruleset.
Capacity may be managed at any location based on operational demand. Hours and locations subject to change.
The high-leverage moves. Read this before you transfer a single mile.
The smart-money plays.
Earning and burning Atmos Rewards points — including transfer partners, partner-airline awards, and award-chart sweet spots — is documented on the Atmos Rewards page. Alaska Airlines flights are bookable with Atmos points, oneworld partner miles (American AAdvantage, British Airways Avios, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, etc.), and certain transferable currencies via partners that earn into Atmos.
Stopover rules, surcharges, the stuff nobody tells you until you've been burned once.
The fine print, decoded.
Cards that earn into Alaska Airlines directly (co-branded) or via flexible-currency transfers.
Last reviewed: May 2026
Loyalty programs change rules, fees, transfer ratios, and award pricing all the time — sometimes without warning. We do our best to keep these pages current, but the program's own site is always the final word. Always confirm specifics directly with Alaska Airlines before transferring miles or booking an award. Treat anything on this page as a starting point, not a guarantee. Crazy4Points is not responsible for actions taken based on information here — see our Terms of Service for full details.