Even if you’re not based on the West Coast, the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program can unlock incredible travel rewards. While you can always use your miles for Alaska Airlines flights, the true value lies in their extensive network of partner airlines. It’s true that earning Alaska miles might seem a bit different compared to other programs, as Marriott Bonvoy stands as the primary transferable currency. However, there are still numerous strategic avenues to accumulate Alaska Mileage Plan miles for your dream redemptions.
This guide will delve into the world of Alaska Mileage Plan partners, showing you how to effectively earn and redeem your miles for maximum travel experiences.
Exploring Alaska Mileage Plan’s Airline Partners
Alaska Airlines boasts a diverse portfolio of airline partners, spanning both the Oneworld alliance and independent carriers. This provides Mileage Plan members with a wide array of destinations and redemption opportunities.
Oneworld Alliance Partners:
By partnering with Oneworld, Alaska Mileage Plan gives you access to a global network of airlines. These partnerships allow you to redeem miles across prestigious carriers, enhancing your travel possibilities. Alaska’s Oneworld partners include:
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Fiji Airways (Oneworld connect partner)
- Finnair
- Iberia
- Japan Airlines
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian
- SriLankan Airlines
Non-Oneworld Airline Partners:
Beyond Oneworld, Alaska Airlines also collaborates with several non-alliance airlines, further expanding your reach. While redemption options may vary, these partners offer unique routes and opportunities to use your miles:
- Aer Lingus
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Condor
- El Al Israel Airlines
- Hainan Airlines
- Icelandair
- Korean Air
- LATAM Airlines
- Mokulele Airlines + Southern Airways Express
- Ravn Alaska
- Singapore Airlines
Related: Your comprehensive guide to earning and redeeming with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
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Understanding Alaska Mileage Plan Award Charts
Historically, Alaska Mileage Plan provided specific award charts for each partner airline. However, the current system features three primary award charts on the Alaska Airlines website:
- North America Award Chart
- Money & Miles Award Chart (for Alaska Airlines flights)
- International Award Chart
Related: Updates to Alaska Mileage Plan Partner Award Charts
Here are examples of the award charts currently available:
North American Award Chart:
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Image alt text: Alaska Airlines North American Award Chart showing mileage costs for flights within North America.
Money and Miles Award Chart:
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Image alt text: Alaska Airlines Money and Miles Award Chart outlining options to combine miles and cash for Alaska flights.
International Award Chart:
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Image alt text: Alaska Airlines International Award Chart displaying starting mileage rates for international partner flights.
It’s important to note that these charts primarily show starting rates. For precise award pricing, especially for international travel, you’ll need to search directly on the Alaska Airlines website, inputting your origin, destination, and travel dates. Redemption availability and pricing can vary based on partner agreements and routes.
Related: Strategies for maximizing your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan redemptions
Redeeming Alaska Miles for Partner Award Flights: A Step-by-Step Guide
Ready to use your Alaska miles for an exciting trip with a partner airline? Here’s how to search and book award flights:
- Visit the Alaska Airlines Website: Go to alaskaair.com.
- Log in to Your Mileage Plan Account: Ensure you are logged in to access member benefits.
- Select “Use Miles”: Check the “Use miles” box on the flight search widget.
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Image alt text: Screenshot of Alaska Airlines flight search interface with the “Use miles” option highlighted for award bookings.
- Optional: Utilize the “Award Calendar”: For flexible travel dates, check the “Award calendar” box to view a month-long availability snapshot. This can help you find the lowest mileage options.
- Enter Your Search Criteria: Input your origin, destination, dates, and class of service.
- Explore Partner Options: Browse the search results to identify flights operated by Alaska’s partner airlines and compare mileage costs.
Example: Business Class Awards from New York to Hong Kong
Let’s consider a search for one-way business class travel from New York to Hong Kong to illustrate the value of partner redemptions:
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Image alt text: Screenshot showing Korean Air business class award flight option from New York to Hong Kong at 120,000 Alaska miles.
- Korean Air (Mixed Cabin): 120,000 Alaska miles + $26 (per person, one-way).
- Singapore Airlines (Business Class): 100,000 Alaska miles + $25 (per person, one-way).
- Cathay Pacific (Business Class): 50,000 Alaska miles + $19 (per person, one-way).
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Image alt text: Screenshot highlighting Cathay Pacific business class award flight option from New York to Hong Kong at 50,000 Alaska miles, showcasing a sweet spot redemption.
As you can see, partner redemptions can offer significantly better value, especially when targeting sweet spots like Cathay Pacific business class.
Important Considerations for Partner Award Bookings
Before you finalize your partner award booking, keep these key points in mind:
- Partner Award Booking Fee: A nonrefundable fee of $12.50 per person, per direction applies to itineraries including partner segments.
- No Stopovers within International Regions: Stopovers are not permitted on awards within the same international region (e.g., within Asia or Europe).
- 72-Hour Advance Booking (International): For origins/destinations outside the U.S. and Canada, book at least 72 hours prior to departure.
- Carrier-Imposed Charges: Be aware of potentially high carrier-imposed charges on select partners like British Airways, Hainan Airlines, and Icelandair.
- Ravn Alaska Award Exception: Alaska miles cannot be used for Ravn Alaska awards between Fairbanks and Anchorage.
- Korean Air One-Way Award Pricing: One-way Korean Air awards are priced the same as round-trip awards, reducing their value proposition for one-way travel.
- Lap Infants on International Partner Awards: Some international partners may have restrictions on lap infants. Alaska recommends booking a separate seat at the standard mileage rate for infants on these flights.
- Mixing Partner Airlines: You cannot combine flights from multiple partner airlines within a single award ticket. However, you can incorporate Alaska Airlines flights into a partner itinerary.
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Image alt text: Screenshot illustrating the option to add Alaska Airlines flights to a partner award itinerary, enhancing flexibility.
Related: Unlock free stopovers with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Uncovering Sweet Spots in Partner Redemptions
While Alaska’s removal of partner-specific award charts introduced some uncertainty, many popular sweet spots remain. These sweet spots often represent exceptional value for your Alaska miles.
Cathay Pacific: A Premier Sweet Spot
Cathay Pacific continues to be a prime example of Alaska Mileage Plan’s sweet spots. Previously, one-way awards from the U.S. to Asia on Cathay Pacific were known to be 50,000 miles for business class and 70,000 miles for first class. While first-class availability can be elusive, business class awards at 50,000 miles are still frequently found.
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Image alt text: Screenshot confirming Cathay Pacific business class award availability from the U.S. to Asia for 50,000 Alaska miles, highlighting ongoing sweet spot value.
Consider leveraging this sweet spot to not only reach Hong Kong, but also to include a free stopover before venturing to other Asian destinations like Bali, all for the same mileage cost.
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Image alt text: Screenshot demonstrating the possibility of a free stopover in Hong Kong on a Cathay Pacific award ticket, maximizing travel value.
Fiji Airways to Fiji and Beyond
Fiji Airways represents another excellent redemption opportunity. Historically, one-way awards between the U.S. West Coast (Los Angeles, San Francisco) and Nadi, Fiji, were priced at 40,000 miles in economy and 55,000 miles in business class. These favorable rates are generally still available.
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Image alt text: Screenshot showing Fiji Airways business class award availability from the U.S. to Fiji for 55,000 Alaska miles, confirming another valuable redemption.
Maximize your Fiji Airways redemption by incorporating a stopover in Fiji before continuing onward to Australia, often at no additional mileage cost.
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Image alt text: Screenshot illustrating the option to include a Fiji stopover and onward travel to Australia on a Fiji Airways award, enhancing itinerary flexibility.
Related: Plan your dream trip to Fiji without breaking the bank
Beyond Flights: Other Partner Redemptions with Alaska Mileage Plan
While flights are the most rewarding use of Alaska miles, you can also explore other redemption options with non-airline partners. These include:
- Hotel stays
- Car rentals
- Cruises
- Alaska Airlines Extras (events, experiences)
However, carefully evaluate the value proposition before redeeming miles for these non-flight options. Generally, you’ll achieve the highest value per mile by focusing on flight redemptions, particularly in premium cabins with partner airlines.
Related: Top 5 ways TPG staff would redeem 70,000 Alaska miles
Earning Alaska Mileage Plan Miles Through Partners
To take advantage of these fantastic partner redemptions, you need to accrue Alaska miles. While flying Alaska Airlines is a direct way to earn miles, partner collaborations provide numerous additional earning avenues.
Flying with Partner Airlines
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Image alt text: Image of an airplane taking off, representing earning Alaska miles by flying with partner airlines.
You can earn Alaska miles not only on Alaska Airlines flights but also on flights marketed or operated by their extensive partner network. Earning rates are determined by the partner airline and the fare class you book. Note that certain deeply discounted fares may not be eligible for mileage accrual.
Always consult Alaska’s partner airline page to understand the specific earning rates for your flight.
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Image alt text: Screenshot of Alaska Airlines partner airline page, guiding users to find earning details for specific airlines.
For example, here is the earning structure for flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by American or other Oneworld carriers:
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Image alt text: American Airlines earning chart on Alaska Airlines website, detailing mileage accrual rates based on fare classes.
If your fare class is not listed in the earning table, you will not earn miles by crediting the flight to Alaska Mileage Plan.
Alaska Airlines Credit Cards: A Fast Track to Miles
Co-branded credit cards offer a streamlined way to accumulate Alaska miles on everyday spending. Consider these options:
- Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card: Currently offering 70,000 bonus miles + Companion Fare ($99 fare + taxes and fees from $23) after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.
- Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card: Providing a bonus of 70,000 bonus miles + Companion Fare ($99 fare + taxes and fees from $23) after spending $4,000 in the first 90 days.
Both cards reward you with 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
Transferring Marriott Bonvoy Points
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Image alt text: Image of Marriott Bonvoy logo with Alaska Airlines logo, representing Marriott Bonvoy as a transfer partner.
Marriott Bonvoy is a valuable transfer partner for Alaska Mileage Plan. Points transfer at a 3:1 ratio (3 Marriott points = 1 Alaska mile). Furthermore, for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred, you receive a 5,000-mile bonus. Keep in mind that Marriott transfers can take up to four days to process.
Related: Maximize your Marriott Bonvoy points with unique airline partners
Hotel Partners
Earn Alaska miles on hotel stays through various partnerships:
- Alaska Airlines Hotels: Book through alaskaairhotels.com to earn up to 10,000 miles per night.
- Direct Hotel Bookings: Earn miles by booking directly with brands and selecting Alaska Mileage Plan as your earning preference:
- Best Western Hotels and Resorts
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Choice Hotels
- Rocketmiles
- Coast Hotels
- Westmark Hotels
- InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
Before choosing to earn Alaska miles for hotel stays, consider whether earning points in the hotel’s own loyalty program might be more beneficial.
Car Rental and Rides Partners
Earn Alaska miles on car rentals and rides with these partners:
- Alaska Airlines Car Rental: Book via alaskaair.com/car-rental to earn 50 miles per rental day on most rentals.
- Partner Car Rental Companies:
- Alamo
- Avis
- Budget
- Dollar
- Enterprise
- Hertz
- National
- Payless
- Sixt
- Lyft: Earn miles on Lyft rides.
Always review the partner-specific terms and conditions, as some may require specific booking codes, exclude certain locations, or apply only to rentals in select countries.
Everyday Partners
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Image alt text: Diverse group of people shopping and dining, representing everyday spending opportunities to earn Alaska miles.
Numerous other Alaska Mileage Plan partners allow you to earn miles on everyday purchases, including:
- Shopping portals
- Dining programs
- Mileage Plan Shopping partners
Explore Alaska’s Everyday partners page for a comprehensive list and details.
Related: Comprehensive guide to earning Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles
Conclusion: Unlock Global Travel with Alaska’s Transfer Partners
Alaska Mileage Plan stands out for its highly valuable partner network, offering exceptional redemption opportunities for savvy travelers. By strategically leveraging airline and non-airline partners, you can unlock incredible travel experiences.
While various earning methods exist, including car rentals, dining, and shopping, the most efficient ways to accumulate Alaska miles are through co-branded credit cards like the Alaska Airlines Visa credit card and by transferring points from Marriott Bonvoy.
Additional reporting by Benji Stawski and Victoria M. Walker.
Updated as of 1/8/2025.
