Alaska Airlines Credit Card Offering 50K Miles and an Almost-Free Companion Ticket

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature^® credit card from Bank of America is offering a new welcome bonus that’s unlike any we’ve seen on the card before.

Typically, the card offers miles or a mix of miles with a Companion Fare ticket. Those companion vouchers aren’t totally free, though, as you’ll have to pay a $99 fare plus taxes and fees.

What’s unique about this limited-time welcome offer on the Alaska Signature card is that you can earn 50,000 bonus miles plus a companion fare with a $0 ticket cost — you’ll just pay the taxes and fees.

Alaska Signature Card: 50K Miles and a Cheaper Companion Fare

The Alaska Signature card from Bank of America has a new, limited-time welcome offer providing 50,000 bonus miles plus a “pay the taxes only” offer on the Alaska Airlines Companion Fare, available by spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

Normally, that companion voucher requires paying a fee of $99 plus taxes and fees (starting at $22) to bring someone with you on an Alaska Airlines flight, so you’ll save $99 on top of the savings you’re already getting when using this companion fare.

We value Alaska Airlines miles at 1.6 cents apiece. That makes 50,000 miles worth $800, though you can certainly redeem Alaska miles for much more than that with the program’s fantastic airline partners.

Other Perks of the Alaska Signature Card

The Alaska Signature card increased its annual fee from $75 to $95 while gaining additional perks in early 2023.

Cardholder perks include:

• 3x miles on Alaska Airlines purchases
• 2x miles on eligible gas, EV charging, ride-shares, cable, streaming, and local transit purchases
• 1x miles on other purchases
• A free checked bag for you and up to 6 companions on the same reservation when flying with Alaska Airlines
• Priority boarding on Alaska Airlines flights
• 20% back on Alaska Airlines inflight purchases made with your card
• $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ membership purchased with your card
• Annual Companion Fare received on your account anniversary (redeemable for a $99 ticket cost, plus taxes and fees from $22)
• Eligible to earn a 10% rewards bonus on purchases, based on your banking relationship with Bank of America

Should You Apply for the Alaska Signature Card Now?

The Alaska Signature card has seen a slew of varying offers over the past few months. We’ve seen offers on this card for 75k miles, 70k miles plus a Companion Fare, 60k miles plus a Companion Fare, and even a targeted offer for 60k miles paired with both a Companion Fare and a flight discount.

Those offers have been either short-lived or targeted, meaning not everyone was eligible. However, this new offer is public, so the advantage is that everyone is eligible. It offers fewer miles than some other offers, but the Companion Fare doesn’t have the $99 redemption fare — just the taxes and fees, which start at $22.

Would you trade 10,000 or 20,000 Alaska miles for this offer instead? It depends on your travel plans. Do you need more miles for partner award tickets — flights on which you can’t use the Companion Fare — or do you want to save on the cost of using the Companion Fare for Alaska Airlines-operated flights?

Weigh those elements as you decide on what’s best for you amongst any offers available to you right now.

Final Thoughts

The Alaska Signature card has a unique welcome offer right now, providing 50,000 bonus miles and a taxes-only Companion Fare — waiving the typical $99 fare cost associated with this pass, which lets you bring someone with you on an Alaska Airlines flight.

We’ve seen multiple welcome bonuses on this card recently. Compare your available options to help you decide if this offer is the right one for you.