Overview
There’s a fair chance you’ve never flown Alaska Airlines. The Seattle-based carrier (confusing, I know) has sat outside the nation’s big four for some time now, primarily plying its wares on the West Coast as it seeks to become the go-to regional carrier. It is expanding, and its recent merger with Hawaiian Airlines has helped that along, but it’s still primarily a go-to for a small percentage of the country.
But its loyalty program has a far greater reach.
Atmos Rewards (formerly Alaska Mileage Club) has long been one of the best value programs in the industry, with its outstanding award chart offering savvy travelers spectacular redemptions on a long list of strong partners. Recent devaluation has diminished that reputation slightly, but it’s still more than worth your time…if you can get your hands on its points, that is.
Let’s take a deep dive into Atmos Rewards, including the nitty-gritty surrounding its recent merger with Hawaiian.
What Is Alaska Mileage Plan, Now Atmos Rewards?
Atmos Rewards is the combined loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. It replaced Alaska Mileage Plan in August 2025, then absorbed HawaiianMiles on October 1 of the same year.
Generally speaking, members earn Atmos Rewards points by flying with Alaska, Hawaiian, and their partner airlines, spending on co-branded credit cards, transferring points from selected programs, and using an array of shopping, dining, hotel, rental car, and rideshare partners.
Like other airline programs, those points can then be redeemed for flights operated by Alaska or Hawaiian, as well as a pretty impressive list of more than 30 international airline partners. If you’re a regular Alaska customer, you’d be mad not to be a member. For everyone else, it’s a program that’s worth checking out to see what sort of value you can dig out.
Atmos Rewards Points vs. Status Points
As with most airline loyalty programs, there are two sides to the setup: the rewards side and the elite status side.
On the rewards side, you have Atmos Rewards points. These are the program’s redeemable currency that you can earn through flights, cards, transfers, and partners, then spend them on award flights and other redemptions. For most people, this is the interesting part.
Status points, meanwhile, determine your elite status level. They can’t be redeemed for travel and generally reset with each qualification year. Earning these allows you to climb the elite ladder with Alaska, unlocking perks and benefits.
The distinction can be a little confusing because many activities earn both at the same rate. A 2,000-mile Alaska flight, for example, might earn 2,000 redeemable points and 2,000 status points, but you’ll only be able to use 2,000 of those to redeem future travel. The other 2,000 are simply a tally that could take you to the next elite status.
Elite Status and Status Points
What Are Status Points?
Under the old Mileage Plan program, elite members earned elite-qualifying miles. Atmos has renamed these status points while expanding the number of ways they can be earned.
Flying remains the most obvious route, but, as is the trend nowadays, members can now work toward status through credit card purchases, award travel, dining, rideshares, vacation packages, car rentals, cruises, and selected shopping partners. In short, there are a lot of ways to do this. But flying is still the strongest earner.
This makes elite status more accessible to people who aren’t constantly in the air. Of course, it also means a person with a decent credit card bill could theoretically outrank a more frequent traveler — who you could argue is more loyal — which highlights the state of the loyalty space these days.
Atmos also offers milestone rewards before and between its main status levels. These begin at 10,000 status points and can include bonus points, lounge passes, discounts, upgrade certificates, and temporary elite benefits.
Atmos Rewards Elite Status Levels
Atmos has four published elite tiers:
Atmos Silver: 20,000 status points
Atmos Gold: 40,000 status points
Atmos Platinum: 80,000 status points
Atmos Titanium: 135,000 status points
Silver corresponds with oneworld Ruby, Gold with oneworld Sapphire, and both Platinum and Titanium with oneworld Emerald.
It’s actually a pretty generous program. Even the lowest tier includes useful benefits like free checked bags, preferred seating, priority services, bonus points, and eligibility for complimentary upgrades.
The higher tiers bring increased point bonuses, stronger upgrade priority, additional checked baggage, lounge benefits, and other perks. Gold, Platinum, and Titanium members can also receive oneworld lounge access on eligible international journeys.
Atmos status members earn bonus redeemable points on eligible flights at the following rates:
Atmos Silver: 25% bonus
Atmos Gold: 50% bonus
Atmos Platinum: 100% bonus
Atmos Titanium: 150% bonus
Once earned, status generally remains valid for the rest of that year, the following calendar year, and through January 31 after that — again, pretty generous.
How You Earn Atmos Rewards Points
One of the biggest caveats to Alaska Mileage Plan in the past was the comparative inaccessibility of its miles. With a far smaller customer base flying regularly and no credit cards offering transfers to the program, anyone outside its destination list was forced to open a co-branded credit card to earn points.
Thankfully, things have changed considerably since then, and there are now more ways to earn Atmos Rewards points than there ever were under Mileage Plan or HawaiianMiles.
Flying with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines
The simplest and most traditional way to earn miles with Alaska and Hawaiian is to fly with the airlines. Regular passengers can rack up serious points in this manner, while occasional flyers can bolster some of the other methods, too.
Interestingly, Alaska has announced plans to let members choose how they earn points on flights, but that new system has not launched yet. It’s expected to launch in late 2026, and we’ll briefly go over it in the next section.
For now, Alaska and Hawaiian flights generally earn according to the distance flown and the ticket’s fare class. Most Main Cabin tickets earn at least one redeemable point and one status point per mile flown, while more expensive economy and First Class fares receive additional bonuses.
The current earning rates are:
Standard Main Cabin fares: 100% of miles flown
Higher-priced economy fares: 125% or 150%
First Class fares: Between 150% and 200%
It’s great that these are still the earning rates, as many airlines have switched to a solely revenue-based model. It still rewards those who actually fly regularly with the airline as opposed to those with the deepest wallets.
With that said, there is one major exception. Saver fares no longer earn redeemable points or status points. This could be a sign of things to come…especially with the new choice-based system.
The new choice-based earning system
Later in 2026, Atmos plans to allow members to choose between three methods for earning points on flights:
One point for every mile flown
Five points for every eligible dollar spent
A flat 500 points per flight segment
Members will be allowed to change their selection once each year.
This, as long as they continue it, is a tremendous happy medium. It allows you to opt for the system that makes the most sense for your situation. Flying long-haul on a budget? Pick Option 1. Big spender? Option 2. Lots of short-haul flights? Option 3.
Long may it last.
Existing members will remain on distance-based earning unless they actively select another option. But, again, none of this is live yet. Until Atmos announces a firm launch date, the current distance and fare-class system remains in place.
Flying with partner airlines
Atmos points can also be earned on flights with the program’s airline partners.
How much you receive depends heavily on the airline, fare class, and where the ticket was purchased, but generally, partner flights booked through Alaska or Hawaiian earn more generously than those booked directly with the operating airline.
Make sure to check the individual airline before making a decision on the best platform to book and consider what other partners that airline has because those points may be more useful to you in the long run.
Credit cards and everyday spending
Atmos Rewards has several co-branded credit cards issued by Bank of America, including the Atmos Rewards Ascent, the Atmos Rewards Visa Business, and the premium Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card.
If you’re committed to earning a ton of Atmos Miles, it’s more than worth signing up for one of these cards as your transfer options from other cards are limited. These usually come with added perks too, like free checked bags and priority boarding.
Transferring Points
In the past, it wasn’t possible to transfer points to Alaska via a general credit card like Amex or Capital One. There was one loophole that allowed you to move points through Hawaiian to Alaska from Amex, but it was closed recently.
Now, however, Bilt has stepped into the fold, offering the only direct transfer from a general travel credit card, and this is great news.
Bilt points transfer at a 1:1 ratio, allowing members to move only what they need when an attractive redemption appears. This is great because Atmos has devalued considerably in recent years and putting all your eggs into an Alaska-shaped basket isn’t the best call for most travelers.
Marriott Bonvoy points can also be transferred, but the standard conversion rate is poor. Unless you have a huge Marriott balance with no better use, Bilt or a co-branded Atmos card will generally make more sense.
Redeeming Atmos Rewards Points
Redeeming Atmos Rewards is where things get interesting.
As mentioned, the program was devalued recently, with the program’s own flights switching to use variable “starting at” rates. Generally speaking, we don’t like these.
Partner awards are priced through regional, distance-based charts. We do like these. That structure can create some phenomenal opportunities, although finding the lowest rates can require a little patience. Using award flight finder sites like seats.aero is a good way to speed things up.
Award Flights on Alaska and Hawaiian
As mentioned, Alaska and Hawaiian flights use a “starting at “ system. In reality, it’s a dynamic program where rates are based on whatever metric they see fit to use at the time, but they begin at the following one-way rates:
Flights under 700 miles: From 4,500 points
Flights between 701 and 1,400 miles: From 7,500 points
Flights between 1,401 and 2,100 miles: From 10,000 points
Flights between 2,101 and 3,500 miles: From 12,500 points
Flights over 3,500 miles: From 20,000 points
Partner Awards
In contrast, partner awards are priced by region, distance, and cabin. This can mean brilliant value, and opens up some solid sweet spots on premium cabins, too.
There are solid opportunities with American Airlines, where you can find yourself in its Flagship Suite for transatlantic flights for as low as 55,000 miles, while Japan Airlines business class and Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite are both on the cards for 75,000 miles or less — all amazing redemptions. There’s a ton of scope here, and this is where the bulk of anyone’s focus should be, as opposed to Alaska and Hawaii flights.
Free international stopovers
One of the best remaining features from the old Mileage Plan program is the free international stopover. Members can add one stopover of up to 14 days to an eligible international one-way award. A round trip can include two stopovers, with one in each direction.
This lets you build an additional destination into your trip without booking a completely separate award. You’ll normally need to search using the multi-city tool, and the itinerary must follow Atmos’s routing rules. It takes more effort than a simple one-way search, but it can open up some pretty epic redemptions.
Other redemptions
Atmos points can also be redeemed for hotel stays, rental cars, experiences, event tickets, charitable donations, and other purchases.
As always, these options generally produce weaker value than flights. They might make sense if you have a small leftover balance or encounter an unusually expensive hotel, but international partner awards should remain the priority for anyone seeking the highest return.
What Changed With the Hawaiian Airlines Merger?
The biggest single difference is super simple: Hawaiian Airlines loyalty program no longer exists as an independent program.
All HawaiianMiles balances became Atmos Rewards points at a 1:1 rate on October 1, 2025. Existing Alaska Mileage Plan miles had already become Atmos points by that time.
If you were a Hawaiian elite member, you were transferred into one of the following tiers:
Pualani Gold became Atmos Silver
Pualani Platinum below 75,000 qualifying miles became Atmos Gold
Pualani Platinum at 75,000 qualifying miles became Atmos Platinum
Pualani Platinum at 100,000 qualifying miles became Atmos Titanium
Any bookings and reservations should have been updated to match the Atmos system but, by this point, that’s probably irrelevant to most people.
Hawaiian’s co-branded credit cards remain active and now earn Atmos points. The Huaka‘i by Hawaiian program for Hawaii residents also continues, including its free checked bag on Neighbor Island flights and selected local offers.
There are still a few unfinished parts of the transition, like using points for upgrades, which remains temporarily unavailable, with a replacement expected later in 2026. Atmos has also promised a 50% point and status-point bonus on Neighbor Island travel for Huaka‘i members, but that benefit has not yet launched.
Is Atmos Rewards Worth It?
Atmos Rewards remains one of the strongest airline loyalty programs in the United States.
For the average traveler, the elite status side of the program is fairly irrelevant, but its points wing still boasts a lot of value in partner redemptions. The addition of Bilt as a transfer partner has helped make that side more accessible, as you don’t have to overcommit to the program.
For those living in Hawaii or in Alaska’s major catchment areas, the improvements are even better. Regular flyers can take advantage of the ability to choose their earning style, and the elite program remains pretty generous across the board. Hawaiian Airlines customers probably gain the most overall, as they can now take advantage of Alaska’s huge network partners.
by your friends at The Daily Navigator
