A mile flown is a mile earned in this generous rewards program.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is one of the few programs that offers a bonus mile for each mile flown. The program also has a range of partner flights and cards that can be used to transfer points to the Mileage Plan.
How much are Alaska miles worth?
Alaska miles are worth roughly 1.8 cents per mile according to our valuation at the time of writing. This average point value is higher than several of their competitors, such as United Airlines.
Do Alaska miles expire?
Alaska miles don’t expire provided your Mileage Plan account remains active. Failure to redeem awards or accrue mileage within a two-year period renders your account inactive, and Alaska may close your account and delete your miles.
How do I earn Alaska miles?
There are two primary ways members can earn miles with a Mileage Plan: Traveling on Alaska Airlines or on qualifying partner airlines and earning miles through a cobranded credit card.
You can also earn miles by using your card at various Alaska partnered retailers or by taking advantage of special promotions offered on the Mileage Plan website.
Consider the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card if you’re just entering the Mileage Plan and want a head start on banking miles. You’ll earn 40,000 bonus miles if you spend $2,000 within your first 90 days of account opening. You’ll earn 3 additional miles for every dollar you spend with Alaska Airlines and 1 mile for every dollar spent on everything else.
Learn more about earning and redeeming Alaska Airlines miles
For more information on how you can best earn Alaska miles, check out our complete earning guide. Once you’ve built your miles, compare your redemption options to find out which offers the best value for your points.
Our pick for transferring to Alaska miles
Compare credit cards with lounge access
Marriott Bonvoy points, for example, can be transferred at a 1 mile per point ratio to Alaska, and you’ll earn a 5,000 mile bonus for every 20,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.
Loyalty program elite levels
Earn even more miles and rewards by climbing the ranks of the Alaska Mileage Plan elite member program.
Becoming an elite member also earns you a host of benefits related to travel and Mileage Plan earnings.
Upgrading your status
The Alaska status program offers four ranks: MVP, MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K and Million Miler. To upgrade your rank, you’ll need to fly a certain number of miles through Alaska Airlines or its elite-qualifying partners.
| Qualifying flights | MVP | MVP Gold | MVP Gold 75K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible miles on Alaska Airlines | 20,000 miles | 40,000 miles | 75,000 miles |
| Eligible miles on Alaska Airlines and elite-qualifying partners | 25,000 miles | 50,000 miles | 90,000 miles |
| Segments flown on Alaska Airlines and elite-qualifying partners | 30 segments | 60 segments | 90 segments |
Data obtained March 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.
You’ll be granted MVP Gold status for life if you fly 1,000,000 miles on Alaska Airlines.
Bonus mile rates
| MVP | MVP Gold | MVP Gold 75K | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elite bonus miles | 50% bonus on miles | 100% bonus on miles | 125% bonus on miles |
| 50,000 bonus miles upon qualification | No | No | Yes |
| Segments flown on Alaska Airlines and elite-qualifying partners | 30 segments | 60 segments | 90 segments |
Data obtained March 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.
Flight benefits
Companion upgrades, first class upgrades, guest upgrades and complimentary beverages and entertainment are available to certain elite members depending on status level and fare.
Airport benefits
Elite membership can earn you preferred seating, priority check-in and boarding, two free checked bags and more to help make your airport experience more enjoyable.
Service benefits
Depending on your status level, you’ll have new service benefits available to you, including waived ticket change fees, complimentary same-day flight changes and dedicated phone lines for reservations.
Bottom line
Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan has strong earning opportunities and is a worthwhile investment if you want to use award points for flights. Even if you don’t fly with Alaska Airlines directly, this can still be a good option because of how many associated partner airlines there are to choose from.