Becoming a member of the Atmos™ Rewards program is essential for frequent flyers with the airline.
While Alaska Airlines only flies to 115 destinations — including in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica — the airline has more than 20 domestic and international partners, expanding your list of options to more than 1,000 destinations around the world.
The program’s rewards points are among the most valuable airline points available, based on our point valuations, and award travel starts at just 4,500 points on one-way flights.
How to earn Atmos™ Rewards points
There are many ways you can earn points with the airline’s free loyalty program, Atmos™ Rewards. The easiest way to earn points quickly is to use one of the airline’s co-branded credit cards for your everyday spending.
Here’s a summary of what you can get with both of Alaska Airlines’ credit cards, along with some other ways you can rack up points.
Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card
Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card
The Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card offers 70,000 Atmos™ Rewards points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after you spend $2,500 on purchases in the first 90 days after account opening.
You’ll also get a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23), allowing you to book a companion flight from just $122, every year on your credit card account anniversary if you spent at least $6,000 on purchases within the prior anniversary year.
With the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card you’ll earn …
- 3 points per $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
- 2 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, local transit and streaming service purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on everything else
Plus, as long as your account is active, your points won’t expire.
Card benefits also include a free checked bag and preferred boarding for you and up to six others on your reservation with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, and 20% back on in-flight purchases.
This card charges a $95 annual fee. Learn more about the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card.
Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card
Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card
If you’re looking for more premium perks, the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card will take you there. You can earn 80,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.
You’ll earn three points per $1 spent on eligible dining, foreign transaction, and Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases. All other purchases earn one point per $1 spent. You’ll also receive eight Alaska Lounge passes each year.
These perks are great, but the card charges a $395 annual fee, so make sure it fits your budget before applying.
Other ways to earn Atmos™ Rewards points
In addition to the airline’s co-branded credit cards, you can also earn points in other ways. These can supplement your credit card spending or provide you with multiple options to earn if you prefer not to get a new credit card.
- Travel with Alaska Airlines or its partners: You earn Atmos Rewards points when you fly with Alaska, Hawaiian or eligible partner airlines. You can choose how to earn on flights — by distance traveled, dollars spent or segments flown.
- Book hotel stays with partners: Alaska Airlines partners with Best Western, Choice Hotels, IHG, Marriott and other hotel brands to offer bonus miles when you book stays with them.
- Book rental cars with partners: As with the hotel option, Alaska Airlines also allows you to earn bonus points when you book through the Alaska Airlines car rental program or through one of its partners. Options include Avis and Budget.
- Shop online and in store: The Atmos™ Rewards shopping portal allows you to earn bonus points when you shop at more than 1,000 retailers, both online and in store. You can even add a button browser extension that notifies you when you’re visiting a participating website.
- Dine out: The Atmos™ Rewards dining program offers up to five points per $1 spent when you dine at participating restaurants, bars and clubs. After you join and link a debit or credit card, you’ll earn points automatically when you dine with a participating partner.
How to redeem Atmos™ Rewards points
On average, Atmos™ Rewards points are worth 1.55 cents apiece, according to Credit Karma’s valuation. That said, the value of your Atmos™ Rewards points will vary depending on how you redeem them.
One thing to note is that there are no blackout dates when redeeming for travel with Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines, though redemptions on partner airlines may be subject to blackout dates and limited award availability. In addition, Atmos Rewards points don’t expire as long as the program remains active, though Alaska may close or terminate accounts in certain circumstances, which can result in forfeiture of unused points.
Here are some different ways you can redeem your points.
Use the airline’s award chart
Alaska Airlines award flights start at just 4,500 points one way, depending on your fare class and how far you’re flying. If you know where you want to travel, you can use the airline’s award chart to get an idea of how many points you’ll need to book.
Keep in mind that flights with partner airlines typically require more points than if you were to book Alaska Airlines flights.
Other redemption options
It’s best to use your Atmos™ Rewards points for flights, but if you don’t have enough points to book an award ticket, there are other potential options to explore.
- Buy subscriptions to top magazines
- Share your points with another Atmos Rewards member
- Donate your points to an eligible charitable organization
- Gift points to friends and family
Next steps
The Atmos™ Rewards program offers valuable rewards — and if you qualify for airline status, you can unlock even more perks like bonus points on flights, free checked bags and upgrade opportunities.
Before signing up, it’s a good idea to check the airline’s route map to determine if your home airport is an Alaska Airlines destination and how you might best take advantage of the airline’s rewards program.