Alaska Airlines has a fantastic rewards program, one of the best in the industry.
The Alaska Mileage Plan offers some of the most lucrative award options available.
It’s also one of the easiest to get started with because you don’t need much to get
started.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is one of the most lucrative loyalty programs
currently available. With its generous earning potential, Alaska Airlines Mileage
Plan is a no-brainer if you fly often on Alaska and value your frequent flyer points.
With such a great track record as well, there’s little reason to not sign up if you
travel frequently or have numerous friends who do. Alaska Airlines has three
different mileage programs depending on how much you plan on flying with the
airline.
The first and most lucrative is their Main Cabin program. If you fly more than 200
flight segments in any one calendar year, your eligibility for this program increases
dramatically and you can earn significantly more miles from each ticket.
This article will explain everything you need to know about Alaska Airlines’s
Mileage Plan, from how it works to when it’s best to join and leave the program.
Keep reading for all the details…
What Is the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan?
As its name implies, Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan is a frequent flyer program
where members earn Alaska Airlines miles for flying with the airline. Earnings are
based on how much you fly, the airline partner flights you fly, how long you are a
member of the program and the number of Alaska Airlines Premier frequent fliers
you have accumulated.
Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan has a few tiers where the benefits and earning
potential vary depending on how much you fly with the airline. Alaska Airlines’s
Main Cabin program is the basic tier with the most generous benefits and earning
potential.
Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan Platinum and Gold tiers are paying less per mile
than the Main Cabin program, but offer additional perks like priority boarding and
upgrades.
Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan Gold tier is the most lucrative, but the Alaska
Airlines Mileage Plan Gold tier is also the most restrictive and limited to Alaska
Airlines flights only.
How Much Does the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Cost?
The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan costs $99 for a one-year membership. Alaska
Airlines also offers a one-time $50 intro bonus for new members. If you already
have an Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan membership, you can extend your
membership by paying the then-current monthly rate of $59 plus taxes and fees.
Membership in Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan offers some benefits like
complimentary upgrades, priority boarding, and free checked bags. Alaska Airlines
also has elite-level benefits like Admirals Club access, but these are separate from
Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan membership.
Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan also has a variety of discounted partner benefits,
including discounts on car rentals, hotel rooms, and cruises. For example, Alaska
Airlines members can get up to 35% off on car rentals at all Hertz locations.
Alaska Airlines also partners with various other travel companies such as American
Airlines, British Airways, Condor, and Cathay Pacific where you can also earn miles
and get a significant discount when booking your travel.
Benefits of Joining Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan
All Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members can enjoy the following benefits: Enjoy
complimentary upgrades on flights up to 14,000 miles roundtrip with the Main
Cabin program.
Enjoying complimentary checked bags on flights up to 1,000 miles roundtrip with
the Main Cabin program. Enjoying priority boarding with the Main Cabin program
for up to two bags with the Main Cabin program (three bags on Alaska Airlines’s
Boeing 787-9 aircraft).
Enjoying up to $75 in travel credits from participating partners such as Expedia,
Hotwire, Travelocity, and more. Enjoying a 50% discount on car rentals when
booking through Alaska Airlines partners such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, and
National. Enjoying a 10% discount on hotels booked through TripAdvisor and
Expedia.
Requirements to Join Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan
Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan is open to all members, regardless of whether you fly
Alaska flights or not. To join Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan, you must be at least 18
years old and have a valid government-issued photo ID with you when you fly with
an airline.
You can also just show your ID to the ticket counter employee at the ticket counter
if you don’t have your ID and they’ll allow you to fly with the airline with a photo
ID.
The Alaska Mileage Plan is one of the best programs for earning miles for your
airfare. Even if you fly frequently on other airlines and stay within the same travel
region, the Alaska Mileage Plan could still be worth considering.
Things You Should Know Before Signing Up for the
Alaska Airlines Miles Plan
Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan is a great program, but it’s also very lucrative.
You’re always at risk of getting kicked out of the program if you don’t meet your
earning threshold or fly Alaska flights enough.
● There are also some restrictions on how you can use your miles as you can
only use them for Alaska Airlines flights. If you don’t fly Alaska flights often or
don’t have many friends who fly Alaska often, then Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan
isn’t for you.
● Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan also has a variety of partner benefits. While
most are quite good, some are only Alaska Airlines-specific, like Admirals Club
access.
● If you already have a membership with one of Alaska Airlines’ partners, you
can’t mix and match the benefits. It’s best to look at each partner’s benefit
individually to see if it’s of interest to you.
● Alaska Airlines’s Mileage Plan also has a variety of partner benefits. While
most are quite good, some are only Alaska Airlines-specific, like Admirals Club
access.
Final Words: Is the Alaska Airlines Program Worth It?
This is a case where Alaska Airlines has gotten it almost exactly right. While the
airline has taken a little bit of a hit on its Great Circle distance, the price for its
travelers has been stellar. It goes without saying that the airline has done
something right. And while the airline offers many of its services on its sister
carrier Horizon Air, it has chosen not to include Horizon’s lack of baggage fees in
this price comparison.
With such a great track record as well, there’s little reason to not sign up if you
travel frequently or have numerous friends who do. Alaska Airlines has three
different mileage programs depending on how much you plan on flying with the
airline.
So, your next step is to work out which route you want to fly on Alaska
Airlines. The airline has great options all over the United States, including
routes to Great Falls, Montana to the east, and Anchorage to the west. You will
also have the option to fly anywhere in the Lower 48 states if you do a lot of
traveling. And, you can even fly to Canada