Alaska Airlines award miles are some of the most valuable for domestic flights in the U.S., especially for those great award flight redemption rates – like booking an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Dallas for just 7,500 miles plus $19 in taxes. That’s a pretty fantastic deal compared to a typical cash fare of $214.
Alaska Airlines miles also offer valuable award flight options for international travel. For routes between North America and Europe or Asia, Alaska Airlines miles provide cost-effective options with low taxes and fees. For example, a premium economy class ticket from Seattle to Frankfurt on Condor can be redeemed for just 45,000 miles, or 70,000 miles for business class. Similarly, a flight from San Francisco to Taipei on Starlux Airlines requires only 50,000 miles for premium economy class and 75,000 miles for business class, with taxes as low as $19.
- Further reading: Booked: Off To Hong Kong – Thanks To Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan!
- Further reading: How To Save 50% On Short-Haul Flights With Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
However, earning Alaska Airlines miles isn’t as easy as earning miles for other airlines because Alaska Airlines isn’t a partner with popular flexible points programs like American Express Membership Rewards (Amex MR), Chase Ultimate Rewards (Chase UR), Citi ThankYou Rewards (Citi TY) or Capital One Miles. But don’t worry – there are other ways to get Alaska Airlines miles that could be even more effective. Here’s a breakdown of your best options and why you might want to rethink converting Amex MR for “Alaska Airlines miles”.
Option 1: Alaska Airlines Miles Sale Promotion: A Solid Strategy
One reliable way to build your Alaska Airlines miles is through Alaska Airlines frequent miles sale promotions. There have been seven promotions just this year, running from January through October, 2024. Prices range from about 1.74 to 1.97 cents per mile, which can still be cheaper than buying a ticket outright, especially for shorter domestic flights. If you’re planning a trip, these promotions are worth keeping an eye on!
Option 2: New Transfer From American Express: Alaska Airlines / Hawaiian Airlines Merger
Alaska Airlines recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines brings exciting news: for now, you can transfer Hawaiian Airlines miles to Alaska Airlines at a 1:1 ratio. Since Hawaiian Airlines is a transfer partner of Amex MR, you’ve now got a route to turn Amex MR points into Alaska Airlines miles by going through Hawaiian Airlines first.
The Amex MR-to-Hawaiian Airlines-to-Alaska Airlines route is certainly a handy new option, but it might not be the most efficient use of your Amex MR points. As mentioned, Alaska miles are generally valued around 1.7 cents per mile. You may want to reserve those points for higher-value redemptions and instead consider buying Hawaiian Airlines miles directly, especially during the mileage sales going on at the moment.
Let’s crunch the numbers – Imagine you need 100,000 Alaska Airlines miles:
- Transferring 100,000 Amex MR Points: This would likely cost you over $1,700 in value, though there’s no immediate cash outlay involved.
- Purchasing 50,000 Miles through Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaiian Airlines is currently offering a promotion where you can buy 50,000 miles and get a 50,000-mile bonus, giving you 100,000 miles for $1,270. This option also allows you to keep your 100,000 Amex MR points available for other, potentially more lucrative award flight redemption.
Ultimately, whether purchasing miles is worth it depends on 1) how many Amex MR points you have and 2) how you plan to use your Alaska Airlines miles, so the answer will vary based on your situation.
3. Take Advantage Of Hawaiian Airlines’ Own Miles Sale Promotion
Hawaiian Airlines has recently offered a 100% mileage bonus on purchases of 5,000 miles or more, which drops the cost down to just 1.27 cents per mile. If you want Alaska Airlines miles, buying Hawaiian Airlines miles at this rate and then transferring them could be a clever way to save cash and keep your Amex MR points for other high-value redemptions.
4. Don’t Forget Co-Branded Credit Card
While Alaska Airlines doesn’t partner with the major flexible points programs except Bilt Rewards, getting their co-branded credit card is the best way to earn the miles. Now your have more options:
- Alaska Airlines Visa Signature from Bank of America (The most direct way!)
- Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard from Barclays (Remember to transfer Hawaiian Airlines miles to Alaska Airlines)
That said, leveraging the credit cards from American Express is another rewarding way to earn miles and points.
- American Express Gold (Sign-Up Bonus: 60,000 points)
(Convert your flexible Amex MR points to become Hawaiian Airlines miles, then to Alaska Airlines miles.)
Final Thoughts
Here’s a quick recap of the options for building up Alaska Airlines miles without relying only on Amex MR transfers:
- Buy Alaska Airlines miles during one of their frequent sale promotion.
- Use the new Hawaiian Airlines transfer function as an alternative way to earn Alaska Airlines miles.
- Consider buying Hawaiian Airlines miles during the sale promotion, then transferring them to Alaska Airlines.
- Look into the Alaska Airlines / Hawaiian Airlines co-branded credit card and Amex credit cards for steady mileage earnings.
Each method has its own benefits, so the best choice depends on your travel needs and whether you’d rather save your Amex MR points for other redemptions. With these options, earning Alaska Airlines miles can be both effective and flexible.
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Hi, I’m Maria Fung, the founder of Maria Points The Way`, an award travel writer, coach and speaker, in specific to family award travel to Asia. I help families take the overwhelm out of points and stretch their dollars to create unforgettable adventures. Download my FREE guide: 5 Apps to Simplify Your Family Travel and Maximize Points and start planning smarter today!
