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What’s the Alaska Mileage Plan program?
Mileage Plan is the highly-regarded rewards program offered by Alaska Airlines. Why is it well-respected? because they’ve always been the most user-friendly program, with their commitment to keeping award charts up-to-date as well as their generous rewards on premium flights paid for, and their regularly-scheduled bonuses for buying miles.
Recently, Alaska has been in the news due to its acquisition from Hawaiian Airlines, and the two programs are combining. Here’s my take regarding Alaska’s Hawaiian Airlines reward program here..
In this blog I’m not planning to go into the specifics about the elite status part of the program. Instead, I’ll concentrate on the redemption aspect of this program.
Current “Promotion”
While it’s not within the definition of a “promotion”, by virtue that it allows a 1:1 point transfer resulting from the Hawaiian and Alaska merger and Hawaiian being an exchange partner for American Express Membership Rewards (MR) It is possible to temporarily transfer MR points to Alaska Airlines miles, also in 1:1 ratio. If you have a lot of MR points, the ability to connect with a new partner can be a thrilling opportunity. What time will this offer end? Most likely in 2025.
Do you need to move points to American Express?
Before I get into the details I’m sure you have what the solution to that question is. It’s a personal one in light of your travel plans, the present amount of MR as well as Alaska miles as well as the way cost-effectively you could earn points from both. It’s definitely not a bad idea in transferring points MR to Alaska or vice versa, and maybe that’s only the confirmation you’ve needed to get. But the quality of the deal you get depends on the use you make of the points. If you decide to transfer points, but you have no strategy to use them, and allow them to sit in the sand until the Alaska program decreases their value, did it really matter? It’s probably not. It is important to have a plan in place to make use of the miles, don’t simply transfer them because there’s a chance.
If you do choose to transfer, the amount to transfer is up to the individual. Don’t rely on any other person’s suggestion, just your own. Maybe you’ve got a travel plan in thoughts for Starlux business class flights from to the US from the US to Taiwan for two tickets roundtrip and don’t plan to do anything else over the next few years. The price of $75,000 Alaska miles x 2 people and 2 one-way flights that’s 300,000. Alaska miles to be used. If your account already has 50k Alaska miles, are you able to change two million MR into Alaska? Have you got 250,000 MR? Do you have any other plans to use the MR? Are you thinking of purchasing an additional Alaska credit card in order to pay certain costs? This may be a bit uncomfortable for me to have to ask so many questions before I give you some answers, however it is based on your personal situation. If you’re already swimming in MR I’d suggest it’s a simpler answer to accept the transfer. However, if you have other plans to use the MR or do not already have sufficient MR and require more, it’s difficult for me to decide for you.
I don’t believe this is a good enough an offer to move them in a proactive manner with no plans to utilize the devices.
Alaska Award Chart (on Alaska or Hawaiian)
Alaska has awards charts on flights in the other side of Alaska and Hawaiian and Hawaiian, or at least declare it to be the award charts. It’s better to think of the chart as a basis for prices that could be. The chart is usually based on distance however it has specific price points that is specific to Hawaii, Mexico, Central America in addition to the Caribbean.
- Contiguous US, Alaska, and Canada (0 700 miles) 5 miles minimum for economy, 15,000 miles minimum for first class
- Contiguous US, Alaska, and Canada (701 to 1,400 miles) Minimum 7,500 for economy and 25,000 for first class
- The Contiguous US, Alaska, and Canada (1,401 2100 miles) minimum of 10,000 for economy and 25,000 for first class
- Contiguous US, Alaska, and Canada (2,101 miles or more) at least 12,500 in economy class, 30k minimum for first class
- Hawaii flight (all distances) 15,000 minimum for economy class, 40,000 minimum for first class
- Mexico, Central America, and Central America, Mexico and Caribbean (all lengths) Minimum 10,000 for economy minimum, 30,000 minimum for first class
It’s important to know that in the event you have to connect, the distance of all flights will be taken into consideration for award price. It can be an inconvenience due to the possibility of connecting with Seattle to get to where you’d like to go. It’s also not very efficient to have their main hub of connecting located in the the contiguous USA.
What flights are available in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean? There aren’t many and a lot of it will originate via Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. If you’re not in any or more of the cities mentioned above, then you’re likely be required to connect there and I’m guessing that’s the reason distance isn’t considered when it comes to these flights, as they require a competitive advantage to convince potential customers to consider using these flights. Similar observations could be told about flights to Hawaii however, adding Hawaiian in this graph will open up direct flights to more destinations.
What’s the benchmark for determining the quality of these rates? Let’s examine what their competitor British Airways charges for flights on Alaska Airlines:
- Between 1 and 650 miles 12 miles in economy flights, 24,000 for business
- Flights that range between 1150 and 651 miles 16,000 miles in economy class, 32,000 for business
- Flights that range between 1,151 and 2 miles 18000 miles in economy class, 40,00 for business
- Flights that range between 2,001 and 3000 miles 22,000 miles for economy, 50,000 miles for business
They are identical to what Alaska utilizes for its own flights. it would seem to follow the use of Alaska miles for flights on its own is more sensible rather than the use of British Airways Avios. Only the most affordable (a.k.a. saver) awards are accessible to partners, so when you have two sets of miles you’ll need to utilize Alaska to reserve Alaska (assuming you own Alaska miles, of course).).
In light of the minimum cost, you’re likely be required to conduct the research yourself and look up the cash prices for the routes to ensure you’re getting the most value with miles for your travel.
Stopovers aren’t permitted on any trip that does not include Alaska or Hawaiian.
What is Alaska’s plan for international flights?
International flights’ prices on Alaska can be discovered by playing around with flights on their website however, be aware of the certain exceptions. Let’s consider the May 27th 2025 flight that will take us that will take us from Seattle from Seattle to Tokyo. It will cost 95,000 miles in business class.
Let’s now take Honolulu up to Seattle and then Tokyo. It’s a two-way flight. Honolulu route to Seattle flight will take place scheduled for 25 May 2025. that of the Seattle for Tokyo flight will take place on May 27 2025 (the same flight mentioned previously mentioned). This time, the entire flight will cost just 65,500 miles business class. Maybe it will be corrected however it is odd that flights to Hawaii are cheaper.
Partner Award Chart
Alaska maintains separate pages for award flights with partners airlines. This chart lists all oneworld airlines (such such as British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and other airlines) along with other airlines that are partner airlines (like Singapore Airlines, Condor, Icelandair, and others). An entire list of partners eligible that allow you to earn miles is found on Alaska’s site.
They are divided by region and cover the travel within the region as well as travel to and from USA to the region. Stopovers in the middle (defined as a stay lasting longer than one day) can be allowed provided they’re shorter than 14 days (no additional stopovers in the extent of, for instance nine months in order to tie to two totally unrelated trips).
Americas (think about this chart as Americas (think of this as American Airlines and LATAM award chart)
| Distance (miles) | Economy, derived from | Premium Economy, made from | Business From | Then, we’ll take it from |
| <=700 | 4,500 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 13,500 |
| 701-1,400 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 25,000 |
| 1,401-2,100 | 12,500 | 17,500 | 25,000 | 40,000 |
| 2,101-4,000 | 17,500 | 22,500 | 35,000 | 52,500 |
| 4,001-6,000 | 25,000 | 32,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| >=6,001 | 30,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
Europe, Middle East, Africa
| Distance (miles) | Economy is a term that comes from | Premium Economy, made from | Business From | Then, the first one comes from |
| <=1,500 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 22,500 |
| 1,501-3,500 | 22,500 | 30,000 | 45,000 | 67,500 |
| 3,501-5,000 | 27,500 | 35,000 | 55,000 | 82,500 |
| 5,001-7,000 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 70,000 | 105,000 |
| 7,001-10,000 | 42,500 | 55,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 |
| >=10,001 | 55,000 | 72,500 | 110,000 | 165,000 |
Asia Pacific
| Distance (miles) | Economy From | Premium Economy From | Business in the United States, from | Then, we’ll take it from |
| <=1,500 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 22,500 |
| 1,501-3,000 | 25,000 | 32,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| 3,001-5,000 | 30,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| 5,001-7,000 | 37,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 | 110,000 |
| 7,001-10,000 | 42,500 | 55,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 |
| >=10,001 | 65,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 | 195,000 |
What happens when the flight crosses several regions (i.e. for example, a flight that straddles Europe or Asia)? It is likely that the more expensive award chart is utilized (Asia). In the following example it is clear that the flight from London Heathrow to Haneda is just under 6,000 miles distance. The cost is based on the Asia chart but rather than it’s Europe chart.alaskaair.com
What flights would I want to book?
- Short-distance Asia flights . This includes routes such as Tokyo and Taipei (we loved it) the Starlux product that is available on the route ) in addition to Hong Kong to much of Southeast Asia. Be aware that when the flight is less than 700 miles and Hong Kong, these flights are more affordable when booked through British Airways Avios.
- Although business class may appear reasonably priced, I would not overlook the excellent high-end economy services that airlines offer in Asia.
- Short-distance Europe flights This covers the majority of Europe outside of London (Istanbul is only a little beyond reach). It is worth noting the fact that British Airways Avios could be a better choice for flights that are short, however I’m also compelled to note that Avios may not be as affordable and efficient as train tickets according to the particular routing you’re considering.
- The business class inside the IntraEurope isn’t something to boast about. It’s a typical economy class seat, which comes with a secluded middle seat, access to lounges (intra-Europe the business-class lounges provide only a few benefits) as well as checked baggage.
- I’d rather stick with the economy.
- High-end transcontinental USA flights with American Airlines in business class. For 35,000 miles is a discount if you are able to find awards available. Be aware you can book business class flights. This tickets will grant you access to lounges as well as an reclining seat. The main issue is finding a seat.
- West Coast USA to China, Taiwan and Japan in the business-class. Expect these routes to be from as little at 75,000 Alaska miles and that’s a fair cost for business class travel on this route. It’s even better if are able to book this flight as an overnight stop, which gives you the chance to check out two cities during one trip, without increasing the cost of your flight.
- Northeast USA to Dublin (or Western Europe) in business class. If you can find flights on Aer Lingus and you’re willing to be able to earn 45,000 miles with the smallest amount of taxes. To give an illustration of the Western Europe route, Boston to Dublin (stopover) to Paris is less than 3500 miles.
- Singapore Airlines business class from JFK to Frankfurt. This flight is only 55,000 miles, which is a substantial discount off of the price Singapore charges its own members on the identical route. It’s a pity that that the A380 isn’t being flown along this route anymore.
- USA from the USA to Iceland in economy class. The cost of this route is 35,000 or 30,000 miles, according to the airport from which you originate.
- The route is Between New Zealand and Los Angeles. This is a great route for getting under the threshold of mileage and is more affordable that flying from Australia as well as Los Angeles. Of of course, this will only be relevant in the event that you are able to find award-winning space.
There’s a reason why I didn’t include First class award options as something I’d think about. It’s due in part to the fact that American generally has more affordable prices for the first class flights than Alaska charges, and also because finding a lot of first class saver awards on flights with partner airlines is quite a challenge. If you do find one isn’t available, you’d be better off booking using the AA miles.Starlux A350-900 business class cabin, bookable with Alaska miles
How to Best Search for Availability?
Alaska offers a helpful website to search awards that gives you the capability to search for the entire month’s results in one go and also the ability to differentiate between the different types of services. Be aware that it will show the lowest cost in the schedule (which may not be the exact flight you’re seeking) and doesn’t differentiate multiple cabin results that could be confusing when connecting.
If you’re planning to make use of an unpaid stopover you can do it on the internet. You should first look up points-to-point flights for every segment you’d like to fly to ensure that they are offered for award-winning travel.
Go to Alaska’s website and type in the details of the flight segments you’re interested to fly. Make sure you click”Use miles” and then click the “Use miles” button to make sure that only award flights are listed. If I’m just beginning to look into flights that span a broad range in dates, I would like to click on the “Award calendar” button as well.alaskaair.com
You’ll notice on the left that the type of service is available if it’s in stock. You can also select the month in which you will be able to see the cheapest flight price for that class every day.alaskaair.com
If you are able to find all segments availability, you are able to select”Multi-city” to choose “Multi-city” option and enter the information for each flight that is required to the flights you’ve found. Make sure that the “Use miles” button is clickable. I’ve found that it sometimes requires a few tries to get it working.alaskaair.com
Assuming that you succeeded in writing down the right flight schedule (and even if there’s no married segment logic involved) You should be able to see result for the multiple-city trip you want.alaskaair.com
By clicking the “Details” link shows that the particular itinerary does include a free stopover built into the price.alaskaair.com
Do Miles Expire?
In official terms, Alaska claims that miles aren’t expired. Actually, Alaska cleaned up its terms and conditions to remove any language that mentions account expiration after inactivity (previously it said that miles do not expire until the account has been inactive for a period of time within the account).
Anything Else?
Alaska has a very highly competitive award chart. It’s not the top one available however, it’s one I consider worth a look at and an excellent alternative to store your Oneworld miles. I think Alaska recognizes that it requires to find a reason to use its miles to make up for the little presence that it truly has.
