Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card

Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card Review

The Alaska Airlines Visa® is an excellent airline rewards card – not just for those residing in the 49th state. With over 900 destinations worldwide, Alaska Airline Visa cardholders have an opportunity to boost their already impressive mile-earning capabilities towards one of the most lucrative US-based airline rewards programs.

Introductory Bonuses

What immediately sets this card apart from other airline cards is the generous signup bonus that includes exclusive access to their companion fare pass and several cost-saving passenger benefits. New accounts get a $100 statement credit, 50,000 Bonus Miles, and Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ after making $2,000 or more purchases within the first 90 days of an account opening.

Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ entitles the cardholder to purchase one round-trip coach companion fare on Alaska Airlines from $122 (USD) ($99 base fare plus applicable taxes and fees from $23 depending on your flight itinerary) when traveling with another guest on a paid published coach airfare on the same Alaska Airlines itinerary.

How to Earn Rewards

Cardholders can earn an unlimited 3X miles for every dollar spent on Alaska Airlines purchases, unlimited 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, cable, streaming services, and local transit purchases, and 1X miles for every dollar spent elsewhere. Miles never expire if your account is active and in good standing.

How to Redeem Rewards with Alaska Airlines

The easiest way to use miles is by booking award tickets with Alaska Airlines. To use miles for flights, members must book their flight on the Alaska Airlines website and pay with miles. Miles can also be used for first-class upgrades within 24 hours of departure.

Alaska rewards flights start at as few as 10,000 miles for main cabin flights between 700 and 1,400 miles, with first-class flights on the same routes starting at 30,000 miles one-way. For longer trips (greater than 2,000 miles), expect reward flights to begin at roughly 17,000 for the main cabin and 30,000 for first class.

Alaska Airlines also has codeshare agreements with the Oneworld airline alliance. This codesharing Lets travelers buy a ticket on one of Alaska’a’s partner airlines to have a seamless flight experience without buying separate tickets. Here are all of Alaska’s partners:

Related Article: The Ultimate Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Guide

Domestic Airline Credit Card Comparison

How does the Alaska Airlines Visa stack up against other domestic airline credit cards? Here is how the Alaska Airlines Visa and Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier compare:

	Alaska Airlines Visa®	Rapid Rewards® Premier
Network	Visa	Visa
Annual fee	$95	$99
Earning	Earn 3X miles per dollar on eligible Alaska purchases; 2X miles per dollar on gas, local transit (including ride-hailing), cable and select streaming services; 1X miles per dollar on other purchases.	Earn 3X pts. on Southwest purchases, 2X pts. on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming, and 1X on all other purchases
Airline benefits	Annual Companion Fare (each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year); Free checked bag when you pay with your card; 20% off inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi; $100 off one Alaska Lounge+ Membership annually when purchased with your card; Priority boarding when you pay with your card.	Two EarlyBird Check-In® each year; Earn 1,500 TQPs toward A-List status for every $10,000 you spend–there is no limit on the amount of TQPs you can earn; 25% back on inflight purchases, Bags fly free
Other benefits	10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from purchases with an eligible Bank of America business account; No foreign transaction fees.	Lost luggage reimbursement, Baggage delay insurance; No foreign transaction fees.

Decent Perks

Regarding airline perks, the Alaska Airline Visa performs well for a card with a moderate annual fee. The first checked bag is free for you and up to six guests on the same reservation (normally $30 each, that’s up to $180 in savings on baggage fees). In-flight, cardholders can enjoy a 20% rebate on inflight purchases, including food, beverages, and Wi-Fi, in the form of a statement credit. For those who enjoy the luxurious things in life, the Alaska Airlines Visa also offers 50% off day passes at any Alaska Lounge, another exclusive cardholder perk, which saves $25 per lounge visit (regularly $50 each).

Other Card Features

Other noteworthy features of the Alaska Airlines Visa Card include EMV chip technology for an extra layer of security when shopping online or in-store, no foreign transaction fees when using the card globally, and Visa Signature network protections:

Bank of America Ratings

What is Bank of America like to live with as a bank and credit card issuer? Here is a selection of ratings for Bank of America:

Should You Apply for the Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card?

Overall, the Alaska Airlines Visa® airline rewards credit card has plenty of practical benefits that would provide long-term value to cardholders. Those on the western side of the United States might have more opportunities to use the carrier’s affordable flights – but regardless of your location, anyone who flies on Alaska Airlines at least twice a year will be more than able to make it worth the $95 annual fee. 

The limited earning potential doesn’t provide enough incentive to make the Alaska Airlines Visa® your main credit card or even your designated travel card. Instead, use it to earn the $2,000 signup bonus and only pull it out of your pocket for direct Alaska Airlines purchases afterward.