Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.

Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard review

Get premium travel perks and a generous welcome bonus when you spend money on this frequent flyer card. 

Avatar

By

Claire Horwood

Updated

No longer offered in the market

The Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard is no longer available for new applications. However, we’ve kept the information online for the benefit of existing customers and for those who are interested.
You can compare MBNA credit cards in Canada here.

The Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard is a first-rate loyalty card offered by MBNA bank. It lets you earn miles to put towards Alaska Airlines flight. You’ll earn one mile for every dollar you spend on everyday purchases and three miles on Alaska Airlines purchases. You’ll also get a generous welcome bonus as well as travel perks like an annual companion fare, car rental discounts and free checked baggage.

30-second take

  • Think about this card if you’re a frequent flyer with Alaska Airlines and you want a welcome bonus.
  • Choose something else if you’re looking for low interest or you don’t want to pay an annual fee.
  • You’ll need to have an individual income of $80,000 or a household income of $150,000 to apply for this credit card.

The basics

If you’re a frequent flyer and you want to earn miles to put towards flights and other purchases, then the Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard could be just the ticket.

  • High earn rate. Earn three miles for every dollar you spend on purchases with Alaska Airlines and one mile for everything else.
  • Welcome offer. Earn 3 Miles on every $1 you spend on tickets, vacation packages, and cargo services from Alaska Airlines, and earn 1 Mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases. Cash in on an extra 30,000 miles when you spend over $1,000 on your card in the first 90 days
  • Companion fare. Book a round-trip flight and earn one companion flight per year for a loved one to accompany you for a nominal fee
  • Free checked baggage. Get one complimentary checked bag per passenger when you fly (good for up to six people on the same reservation)
  • Purchase assurance. Protect the purchases you make on your card against loss and damage with purchase assurance and extended warranty coverage.

The perks

  • Car rental discounts. Save a minimum of 10% when you rent a car with Avis and Budget in Canada or the US (and 5% off internationally)]
  • Travel perks. Take advantage of embedded travel perks like lost luggage, ticket replacement and emergency card replacement assistance when you travel.
  • Concierge services. Work with dedicated concierge services to book travel and to find out about the latest deals on dining, events, entertainment and more.
  • Price protection. Lock in a refund for the difference of any products or tickets you buy if you find a better deal within 60 days of purchase (up to $500 per year)
  • Zero-liability insurance. Avoid paying for fraudulent purchases on your account with zero-liability insurance.
  • Many partner airlines. Miles can be redeemed for flights with 15 Alaska Airlines partners including Finnair, Qantas, Emirates and British Airways.
  • Enhanced security. Purchases are protected by security features like PIN-protected microchips, verification codes and online fraud prevention mechanisms.

What to watch out for

  • Annual fee. It costs $99 per year to maintain this card.
  • High interest. Interest rates will cost you 19.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances and balance transfers.
  • High minimum income. You’ll need to make at least $80,000 per year to qualify (or $150,000 in household income).
  • Rigid rewards. You’ll have to use your rewards with Alaska Airlines, and they’re not transferrable to other MBNA rewards programs.
  • Few benefits. You won’t get benefits like travel medical insurance or roadside assistance to compensate for the high fee you pay.

MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard interest rates

Interest TypeInterest Rate
Purchase interest rate19.99%
Cash advance rate22.99%
Standard balance transfer rate22.99%

What should I know before I apply

How to apply

  1. Head to the MBNA website to begin your application.
  2. Complete the application, which includes providing your name, email address, social insurance number and birth date.
  3. Review and submit your application.

Bottom line

The Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard is a customer loyalty card designed to reward frequent flyers for making purchases with Alaska Airlines. It offers a welcome bonus and basic insurance when you sign up, along with a handful of travel perks. The downside is that you won’t get comprehensive benefits or a low interest rate on purchases.

Compare other credit cards

Name Product Welcome Offer Rewards Purchase Interest Rate Annual Fee Min. Credit Score Description
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
OFFER
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
10% cash back
Up to 2% cash back
19.95%
$0
Min. recommended credit score: 600
Earn 10% cash back (up to $100) when you spend $1,000 in the first 2 months. Valid until October 31, 2023. Plus, get a 1.95% interest rate on balance transfers for the first 6 months.
Apply now
More Info
BMO CashBack Mastercard
BMO CashBack Mastercard
5% cash back
Up to 3% cash back
20.99%
$0
Min. recommended credit score: 660
Get 5% cash back on all eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership (up to max. spend of $2,500). Plus, get a rate of 0.99% on balance transfers for 9 months. A 2% fee applies to transferred balances.
Apply now
More Info
Tangerine World Mastercard
OFFER
Tangerine World Mastercard
10% cash back
Up to 2% cash back
19.95%
$0
Min. recommended credit score: 600
Earn 10% cash back (up to $100) when you spend $1,000 in the first 2 months. Valid until October 31, 2023. Plus, get a 1.95% interest rate on balance transfers for the first 6 months.
Apply now
More Info
RBC Avion Visa Infinite
RBC Avion Visa Infinite
55,000 points
Up to 1 point per $1 spent
20.99%
$120
Min. recommended credit score: 650
Get up to 55,000 Welcome Points (value of up to $1,100). Apply by November 27, 2023.
Apply now
More Info
American Express Cobalt Card
American Express Cobalt Card
30,000 points
Up to 5x points per $1 spent
20.99%
$155.88
Min. recommended credit score: 700
Earn up to 30,000 Membership Rewards points in your first year. Earn 2,500 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $500 in net purchases on your card (up to 30,000 points). That’s up to $300 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets.
Apply now
More Info
RBC ION+ Visa
RBC ION+ Visa
12,000 points
3 points per $1 spent
20.99%
$48
Min. recommended credit score: 660
Get 12,000 Avion points when you get approved for the card. Apply by October 31, 2023.
Apply now
More Info
BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard
BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard
0.99% rate on balance transfers for 9 months
N/A
13.99%
$0 annual fee for the first year ($29 thereafter)
Min. recommended credit score: 660
Get a rate of 0.99% on balance transfers for 9 months with a 2% transfer fee. Plus, get the $29 annual fee waived in the first year.
Apply now
More Info
RBC ION Visa
RBC ION Visa
6,000 points
1.5 points per $1 spent
20.99%
$0
Min. recommended credit score: 660
Get 6,000 Avion points when you get approved for the card. Apply by October 31, 2023.
Apply now
More Info
American Express Green Card
American Express Green Card
10,000 points
1 point per $1 spent
20.99%
$0
Min. recommended credit score: 700
Earn a Welcome Bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your card in the first 3 months as a new Cardmember. That’s $100 towards groceries or concert tickets.
Apply now
More Info
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard
60,000 points
Up to 5x points per $1 spent
20.99%
$0 annual fee for the first year ($150 thereafter)
Min. recommended credit score: 760
Get up to 60,000 points and get the $150 annual fee waived in the first year.
Apply now
More Info
loading

Frequently asked questions about the Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard

More guides on Finder

Go to site