Alaska Airlines is one of the most popular U.S. airlines, but you’ve probably seen them on flight boards in Toronto, Alberta, and B.C. If you’re looking into joining an airline reward program and often fly with Alaska, you might be interested in their Mileage Plan.
As a member of oneworld Alliance and Porter Airlines partner, you can use the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles to fly anywhere in the world. Take a look at how you earn points, what you can redeem them for, and mileage value to help you decide if the Alaska Airlines rewards program is worth it.
Key Takeaways
- Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan allows members to use points for travel all over the world.
- Alaska Airlines miles can be used for more than just flights, with hotels being one option.
- There are currently no credit cards in Canada that offer Alaska Airline miles but the airline is partners with Porter.
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What is the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan?
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is the frequent flyer program for Alaska Airlines. It’s free to join and you’ll earn miles for every flight you take with Alaska or a qualifying airline partner..
When you’re ready to redeem your miles, you can spring for a free flight from Alaska or another qualifying airline, or put your miles towards accommodations or rental cars. We’ll break down the value below so that you can see how much your miles are worth – and the best way to spend them.
How to earn Mileage Plan miles
You can earn miles while travelling, shopping, or dining. You can also earn points by shopping with a Mileage Plan co-branded credit card, but these are only available in the U.S.
| How to earn | Earn rate | Other details |
|---|---|---|
| Flights with Alaska Airlines and airline partners | * Varies based on fare class purchased and distance travelled in miles | |
| Hotel or cruises packages | * Typically 1 point per $1 spent | * Book through Mileage Plan portal |
| Hotel stays with partners | * Best Western: 250 miles per stay on qualifying rates * Marriott Bonvoy: 2 miles per $1 USD spent on all qualifying charges, or 1 mile per $1 spent on room rate, depending on hotel * Choice Hotels: 250 total miles per eligible stay * Coast Hotels: 500 miles per qualifying stay * InterContinental: Up to 2 miles per $1 spent or 500 miles per qualifying stay | * Must provide Mileage Plan number when making a reservation and checking in |
| Car rentals | * AVIS and Budget: Up to 1,250 miles * Alamo: 50 miles per day on qualifying rentals (U.S./Canada only) * Hertz: 200 miles/day for rentals 1 to 4 days OR 2,000 miles for rentals 5+ days * National: 50 miles per day on qualifying rentals (U.S./Canada only) * Thrifty: 150 miles per day on rentals of 3+ days * Dollar: 150 miles per day on rentals of 3+ days | * Mileage Plan members get 35% off AVIS and Budget base rental rates * Alaska elite members can match status with Avis Preferred Plus or Avis President’s Club |
| Lyft | * 1 mile per $1 spent | |
| Shopping | * Varies by store | * Partner retailers include Macy’s, Walmart (U.S.), 1-800-flowers.com, Diners Club International, Rover, and more |
| Dining | * Up to 5 miles per $1 spent, including food, drinks, taxes and tips | * Includes dine in, take out or get delivery at 32,000+ participating restaurants across the U.S. * Sign up for Mileage Plan Dining and earn 500 bonus miles when you spend $30 on eating out in the first 30 days |
How to redeem Mileage Plan miles
It’s true—you don’t have many options for redeeming your miles aside from travel. You can use your miles for flights with Alaska or a partnering airline, but you can also book hotels, vacation stays, and rental cars.
All Mileage Plan award travel must be booked through Alaska Airlines or online through partners.
If you’re flying wholly on Alaska Airlines, here’s what your redemptions look like:
| From Contiguous US (including Alaska and Canada) to | Economy starting at | First starting at |
|---|---|---|
| Contiguous US, Alaska, and Canada: less than 700 miles | 5,000 miles | 15,000 miles |
| Contiguous US, Alaska, and Canada: 701–1,400 miles | 7,500 miles | 25,000 miles |
| Contiguous US, Alaska, and Canada: 1,401–2,100 miles | 10,000 miles | 25,000 miles |
| Contiguous US, Alaska, and Canada: 2,101 miles and above | 12,500 miles | 30,000 miles |
| Hawaii | 15,000 miles | 40,000 miles |
| Mexico, Central America, and Caribbean | 10,000 miles | 30,000 miles |
If your flight redemption includes any of Alaska’s’ 24+ partner airlines, mileage rates vary depending on the destination and distance.
Americas
| Distance (miles) | Economy starting at | Premium Economy starting at | Business starting at | First starting at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 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 and above | 30,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
Europe, Middle East, and Africa
| Distance (miles) | Economy starting at | Premium Economy starting at | Business starting at | First starting at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 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 |
| 10,000 and above | 55,000 | 72,500 | 110,000 | 165,000 |
Asia
| Distance (miles) | Economy starting at | Premium Economy starting at | Business starting at | First starting at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 1,500 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 22,500 |
| 1,501-3,500 | 25,000 | 32,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| 3,501-5,000 | 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 |
| 10,000 and above | 65,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 | 195,000 |
If you’re feeling generous, you could share, gift, or donate your miles to charity, too.
How much are Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles worth?
With only a limited number of ways to use your miles, there unfortunately isn't much flexibility. But what this mileage plan lacks in flexibility, it more than makes up for in value.
We've surveyed the various options to let you know how to best redeem your miles.
Flights: 1.8 cents per mile (CPM)
If you want the best value for your miles, use them for flights.
The number of miles needed for your flight depends on two factors: how far you fly and who you fly with, as per the above redemption tables. But remember that these are starting points and the actual number of miles you need could be much higher depending on your chosen route.
We looked at 11 different flights booked 4 months in advance – 3 within North America on Alaska, 3 within North American on American Airlines, and 5 between major Canadian airports and international destinations on partner airlines. Overall, we got an average value of 1.8 cents per mile.
Here are our key takeaways based on our research:
- Low taxes and fees means higher value – we found British Airways, specifically, to have very high taxes and fees, so that’s likely not the best redemption choice
- Seat availability varies widely – it was easy to find rewards seats on Alaska and American, but some partners took more digging and others appeared to have none
Note: Porter Airlines is a relatively new Alaska Airlines partner. While we don’t yet know what redemption options look like for Porter flights, we’ll update this as we learn more.
Car rentals: 1.13 CPM
While you can book cars through numerous providers, if you use your Mileage Plan miles to book a car rental through AVIS or Budget, you’ll get a hefty discount.
Redemption rates vary based on location, rental car company, dates, and car class. To come to our average, we looked at 8 different bookings through AVIS or Budget in major cities across the U.S. for a 1-week rental in a compact car. We got values ranging from 0.7 CPM in Atlanta to 1.3 CPM in Orlando and Houston.
If you’re short on miles for your car rental of choice, don’t worry – you can pay with a combination of cash and miles.
Hotel stays: 1.05 CPM
This option allows you to use your points towards free nights at more than a million hotels and vacation rentals around the world. Your miles cover the taxes and fees, plus you can pay with a combination of points and cash..
We looked at hotels in major Canadian cities in the downtown core and chose the hotel that was best recommended. We came to an average value of 1.05 cents per mile.
Donations to charity
The last option you have for redeeming your miles is donation. There's a wide variety of charities to choose from and this is a great option if you want to pay it forward.
Since the Mileage Plan doesn't set a value for your mileage donation, you’ll be able to donate as many or as few as you like.
Alaska Airlines elite status
Alaska Airlines has 4 elite status tiers, each with a certain number of qualifying miles you’ll need to achieve that status level:
- MVP: 20,000 miles
- MVP Gold: 40,000 miles
- MVP Gold 75K: 75,000 miles
- MVP Gold 100K: 100,000 miles
All elite members will enjoy 8 perks when travelling with Alaska Airlines:
Other perks vary by status level but include:
- Class upgrades
- Complimentary premium beverages
- Free checked bags
- Same-day flight changes
- Alaska Lounge day passes
Learn more: 2025 updates to Alaska Airlines elite status
FAQ
How do I find my Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan number?
You can log into your online account to see your number or call guest care at 1-800-654-5669, Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 7:00 p.m. PT and Saturday, 8:00am - 5:00 p.m PT. If you have an Alaska Airlines credit card, your plan number is on the back of your card just below the signature box.
Who is Alaska Airlines mileage partners with?
Alaska Airlines partners with over 30 airlines around the world. Note that you’ll only earn, redeem, and have elite status with oneworld Alliance partners, although you can earn and redeem points with other partners, including Porter.
Do Alaska Mileage Plan miles expire?
No, your points won’t ever expire.
Can I transfer Alaska miles to another airline?
No, Alaska Airlines doesn’t allow mileage transfers between airline loyalty programs.
Can I use my Alaska Mileage Plan for someone else?
You can transfer miles between your Alaska plan and another person’s Alaska plan for a fee.
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