Average sign-up bonus
The main drawback of the card is the modest sign-up bonus. It offers a 25,000-mile bonus after the first purchase. You will find many other airline cards, as well as general rewards cards, with more generous sign-up bonuses. However, there’s no spending threshold for the sign-up bonus on the Alaska Airlines card, which means you can apply the bonus sooner.
Good earning scheme for an airline card
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card pays you 3 miles back per dollar spent on Alaska Airlines tickets, vacation packages and cargo purchases. That’s 50 percent higher than the average airline earning scheme rate. Most co-branded airline cards offer two miles per dollar for airline purchases. The card also gives you one mile for all other purchases.
Alaska MileagePlan offers up to 5 miles at select restaurants for a dollar spent. The selection of restaurants may be somewhat limited depending on the area. But if you frequently dine out and find enough spots that honor the plan, you can earn thousands of extra miles every year.
Discounted companion pass
Just like many other airlines, Alaska offers a yearly discounted companion pass with a paid ticket. Unlike most other airlines, there are no “gotchas” or jumping through hoops required to obtain the pass. There are no spending requirements or fuel surcharges, and all fare brackets qualify. If you buy a ticket, you get a discounted fare for a companion starting at $121. And the redemption is painless – you simply apply the discount code at the time you purchase the primary ticket.
Wide network of domestic and international partners
Alaska Airlines primarily serves the West Coast. However, even if you don’t live on the West Coast, you may still find Alaska’s rewards program valuable, thanks to Alaska’s vast partner airline network. You can use Alaska miles on American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, British Airways, and many other airlines. Most of these airlines do not make you pay fuel or other carrier surcharges. The award levels are usually quite reasonable, and Alaska rules allow a free stopover – even on a one-way trip. That means two stopovers per round trip – more travel for your miles.
Valuable perks for frequent travelers
The Alaska Airlines card entitles the cardholder and up to six people traveling on the same reservation to one free checked bag each. On top of this valuable perk, the card comes with a slew of Visa Signature benefits, including car rental insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and concierge services.
Reasons to get it:
- You frequently fly on Alaska Airlines.
- You want to collect Alaska’s MileagePlan miles to redeem on one or more Alaska partner airlines.
- You’re interested in a discounted companion pass.
- You tend to fly with a big group and want to take advantage of the generous bag-checking allowance.
How to use it:
- Book all your Alaska flights and travel packages with the card to maximize earnings.
- Check if your favorite restaurants belong to the MileagePlan dining program to earn up to five miles per dollar.
- Try to utilize free stopovers on Alaska and partner airlines to get more bang for your miles.
- Watch for fuel surcharges on Icelandair and British Airways.
- Avoid using the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card abroad, since it imposes a 3 percent foreign-transaction fee.
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