19 Best Ways To Earn Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles [2023]

Q: How do I use Alaska Airlines companion tickets?

In your Alaska Airlines account, select Valid under Discount Codes on the left side of your account page. On the loaded page, select Shop and use the code listed under the Shop button to find flights. Note the expiration date for this code. Choose your desired flights for 2 people and then go through the checkout process ensuring your discount code was applied (it should appear in the summary of the total price for 2 travelers).

Alaska Airlines began offering flights from Anchorage, Alaska in 1932. Today, the airline offers flights to over 115 destinations across U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Costa Rica and is part of the Oneworld alliance and partnered with many other airlines operating all over the world.

Luckily for you, there are some great ways to earn lots of miles with Alaska’s Mileage Plan program, from flights on Alaska Airlines or its partners to credit cards and shopping.

Sign Up for an Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Account

The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program allows you to earn miles without signing up for an affiliated credit card. To earn points, you simply need to create an account.

The Mileage Plan account number you receive upon signing up will be used almost every time you want to earn miles. Make sure you keep this number within reach when you utilize the earning tactics below.

Earn Alaska Miles With Credit Cards

There are 2 paths to earning Alaska miles with credit cards. One involves 2 cards that earn Alaska miles directly, while the other 2 cards earn points that can be transferred to your Alaska account.

You might think earning Alaska miles directly is the best way to go, but stick with us — you might be surprised.

1. Bank of America Alaska Co-branded Credit Cards

While it is possible to earn points without signing up for its co-branded credit cards, the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card and Alaska Airlines Visa® Business Credit Card from Bank of America allow you to earn substantial miles simply for signing up for a card and using it on everyday purchases.

Hot Tip: If you want to apply for either of these cards, visit our article on credit cards and credit scores explained to learn more about getting approved!

2. Refer a Friend for Bonus Miles

The Alaska Signature card occasionally offers bonus miles for each referral you provide that is approved. All you have to do is get a friend or family member to sign up using the link you sent to them.

Alaska Airlines Visa Referral 8312022 — Offer captured on August 31, 2022, and may not be available to all applicants. Image Credit: Bank of America

There isn’t a limit to how many times you can receive this referral bonus, so this is a great way to boost your Mileage Plan miles when these referral bonuses are offered.

3. Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards

You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points and transfer those to Alaska Airlines at a transfer rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you’ll receive an extra 5,000 Alaska Airlines miles bonus.

Recommended Marriott Bonvoy Cards

4. Transfer Points From Diners Club International

Points transfer from Diners Club International credit cards at a 10,000 to 11,825 transfer ratio.

As of the time of writing this article, Diners Club International is not accepting new consumer credit card applicants. We’re hopeful that this will change in the future.

Earn Miles Through Shopping & Dining

We all spend plenty of money on shopping and dining out, so why not get some Mileage Plan miles in return for it?

5. Mileage Plan Shopping

Regardless of whether you sign up for the Alaska Signature card, as a Mileage Plan Account member, you have access to the Mileage Plan Shopping portal.

Through the shopping portal, you can earn miles on purchases regardless of which credit card you use.

Alaska Airlines has partnered with over 850 stores to offer a mileage bonus for each purchase made through the portal. All of the stores can be viewed on the portal website, but here are some of the top stores:

Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping — Just a few of the stores available in the Mileage Plan Shopping portal. Earn bonus miles for tons of normal, everyday purchases! Image Credit: Mileage Plan Shopping

To earn Mileage Plan miles for your purchases:

Go to Mileage Plan Shopping
Sign up or sign in to your account with your Mileage Plan number
Search for and select a product or store offer
A new browser window should open
Shop around on the store’s website
Make sure you are still logged into the portal when you head to checkout

Pay close attention during the holidays as the Mileage Plan Shopping portal often offers bonus miles on top of the miles you would normally earn.

6. Mileage Plan Dining

Many airlines participate in a dining program to help customers earn extra miles on eating out at participating restaurants. Mileage Plan Dining has over 10,000 participating restaurants, bars, and clubs.

Alaska Mileage Plan Dining — A view of the Mileage Plan Dining program portal. Find hundreds of restaurants to eat at and earn bonus Alaska Mileage Plan miles. Image Credit: Mileage Plan Dining

Signing up is free and you don’t have to use an Alaska-branded card to enroll.

To earn miles with the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Dining:

Go to Mileage Plan Dining
Use the Add a card link on the right side to add any credit card or multiple cards you want to use out at restaurants (any card will do, not just an Alaska-branded card)
Search for restaurants near you using the search engine at the top
Start using your registered credit card(s) at participating restaurants

Usually, you will earn up to 5 miles per $1 you spend at participating restaurants, bars, and clubs. First-time members have the chance to earn up to 500 bonus miles.

These extra miles are given if you spend $30 or more at a participating restaurant within 30 days of joining the program and review your experience within 30 days after dining.

Find this new member bonus offer and other bonus offers under the Earn more section.

Hot Tip: You can only link a credit card to 1 dining portal at a time, so choose the one that is best for you. Remember that you’ll earn points on your credit card in addition to miles from the dining program.

7. Other Retail Purchases

There are other ways to earn even more Mileage Plan miles on everyday spending, including the following partnering retail offers:

Retail Company	Bonus Miles
1-800-FLOWERS.COM	20 miles per $1 spent (use code AKA3)
CARRS/Safeway	Every 100 points gets you a Reward to clip for 100 Mileage Plan miles
GCI	1 mile per $1 spent on phone, internet, and TV in Alaska
GetYourGuide	4 miles per $1 spent
Laithwaites	Earn 2,250 miles with your introductory case and 1,000 miles with each subsequent subscription case you take. Plus, earn 3 miles per $1 spent on non-subscription purchases.
Rover	3 miles per $1 spent on your first booking, 1 mile per $1 after
Teleflora	10 miles per $1 spent (use code BAAAL10)
Vinesse	5,000 miles upon initial sign-up, as well as 5 miles per $1 spent (use code ALASKA)

Earn Alaska Miles Through Travel

With all of the interesting ways to earn Mileage Plan miles, it’s easy to forget that you can earn them when traveling.

8. Airfare & Alaska Airlines Partners

As we mentioned above, the Alaska Signature card and Alaska Airlines Business card earn 3x miles per $1 on Alaska Airlines tickets.

You will also earn bonus Mileage Plan miles flying with any of Alaska’s Oneworld partners or other partner airlines when you attach your Mileage Plan number to your booking.

For the most part, your mileage earnings will be anywhere from 25% to 500% of the miles flown, depending on the partner and fare class you’re flying in.

Hot Tip: Here’s more information about crediting your miles to a partner airline.

9. Airfare Class Bonuses

Alaska Airlines offers a class of service/premium cabin bonus.

This means that you’ll earn 10% to 100% more miles depending on if you’re flying in first, business, and certain economy classes on Alaska Airlines and some partner airlines.

The percent bonus on actual miles flown with partnering airlines varies greatly.

The following is the bonus breakdown when flying in certain seats on Alaska Airlines:

Alaska Airlines Economy Class Cabin

Earn actual flight miles flown in M, L, V, S, N, Q, O, G, or X (Alaska-operated) class
Earn actual flight miles flown in H or K class plus 25% Bonus Miles
Earn actual flight miles flown in Y or B class plus 50% Bonus Miles

Alaska Airlines First Class Cabin

Earn actual flight miles flown in D or I class plus 50% Bonus Miles
Earn actual flight miles flown in C class plus 75% Bonus Miles
Earn actual flight miles flown in J class plus 100% Bonus Miles

Visit the Bonus Miles section to see more about this bonus.

10. Elite Status Bonuses

Alaska Air crew with masks — Earn extra miles once you become an MVP: Most Valued Passenger. There are 4 levels of elite status. Image Credit: Alaska Airlines

Mileage Plan has an elite qualifying program called “Most Valued Passenger” or MVP. Reach MVP levels by flying often on Alaska Airlines or partnering airlines.

Here is a table outlining what you need to do to qualify for each MVP level:

Annual Qualification Period January 1 to December 31	MVP	MVP Gold	MVP Gold 75K	MVP Gold 100K
Miles on Alaska and Qualifying Partner Airlines	20,000	40,000	75,000	100,000
Segments on Alaska and Qualifying Partner Airlines	30	60	90	140
Minimum Number of Segments Flown on Alaska to Earn/Retain Status	2	6	12	24

You’ll earn more miles each time you fly once you reach a given status level. Earn 50% bonus Mileage Plan miles as MVP, 100% bonus as MVP Gold, 125% bonus as MVP Gold 75K, and 150% bonus as MVP Gold 100K.

Those who fly enough to reach MVP Gold 75K status will also receive 50,000 Bonus Miles upon qualification!

11. Air Cargo and Shipments

If you have something to ship, Alaska Airlines has the biggest passenger airline cargo operation on the U.S. West Coast. All packages — small (16 ounces) up to large (ULD) — can be shipped on board Alaska Airlines flights.

You’ll earn extra miles when you use Alaska Airlines for your shipments. Simply book at the Alaska Air Cargo website and use your Alaska Signature card when you make your purchase.

You will earn 3x miles per $1 spent on your cargo shipment using your card.

12. Car Rentals and Other Transportation

Dollar Young Renters 2 Females Sunglasses — Image Credit: Dollar Car Rental

Rent a car with a partnering car rental company and you will also earn mileage bonuses:

Car Rental	Bonus Miles Offer
Alamo	50 per day
Avis	Earn up to 1,250 miles
Budget	Earn up to 1,250 miles
Dollar	50 per day; 150 per day on all rentals of 3 or more days
Hertz	50 per day (up to 4 days); 500 per rental over 5 days
National	50 per day
Thrifty	50 per day; 150 per day on all rentals of 3 or more days

Be sure to check the Mileage Plan Deals section of the Alaska Airlines website. The partnering car rental companies occasionally have promotions where you can earn even more miles per rental.

13. Lyft

You can earn Alaska Airlines miles by using Lyft, earning 1 mile for every $1 spent. Just link your accounts and select Alaska Airlines as your earning preference.

14. Hotel Partner Offers

The Mileage Plan has multiple hotel partners with which you can earn additional miles for your stay or per night booking.

Check out the bonus miles you could earn for your stay at one of the participating hotels:

Hotel	Bonus Miles
Alaska Hotels	Up to 10,000 miles per night
Best Western	250 miles per stay
Choice Hotels	250 miles per stay
Coast Hotels	250 miles per stay
IHG Hotels & Resorts	2 miles per $1 spent or 500 per stay
Marriott Bonvoy	1 to 2 miles per $1 spent, depending on hotel
Rocketmiles	500 to 10,000 miles per night
Westmark Hotels	2 miles per $1 spent

Hot Tip: Be sure to choose “Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan” as the program for which you would like to earn miles when you make reservations and check in at the hotel.

15. Hotel Transfer Partners

Some hotel points can be transferred to your Alaska Mileage Plan account to earn more miles, but this should be avoided if at all possible because of the terrible transfer rate.

Save your hotel points for when you need hotel award stays.

16. Cruise Line Partners

If you have always wanted to go on a cruise to Alaska, look no further. You can earn bonus miles by booking through Alaska Airlines partner CruisesOnly (“America’s Largest Cruise Agency”).

You’ll earn 1 mile per $1 spent, and an additional mile per $1 spent if you’re an Alaska Signature cardholder.

Earning miles through your booking is simple. Visit ak.cruisesonly.com, search for a cruise, and enter your Mileage Plan number at checkout.

Specialty Earnings for Mileage Plan Miles

There are several other interesting ways to earn Mileage Plan miles from surveys to credit card partners to buying miles.

17. Refinance Your Student Loans (or Take Out a Personal Loan)

Alaska Airlines and finance company SoFi recently partnered to give new SoFi customers Mileage Plan miles when refinancing a student loan or taking out a new personal loan.

Currently, you can earn 1 Mileage Plan mile per $2 borrowed when refinancing a student loan or taking out a new personal loan through SoFi. Just note that there’s a 50,000-mile cap on mileage earning for both student loan refinances and new personal loans.

This option can make sense if you’re already considering refinancing a student loan or taking out a new personal loan. However, always make sure to shop around for the best interest rate before settling on SoFi.

18. Fill Out Surveys for Mileage Plan Miles

Earning bonus miles is easy even without spending lots of money or owning one of the Alaska Airlines credit cards. Simply sign up for a free account with Mileage Plan partner The Opinion Terminal to start earning immediately — 400 miles when completing the first survey!

Surveys are often rather long (15+ minutes). Do this a few times a week, and the miles you earn from them will add up faster than you realize!

This can help you top off your account when you’re a few miles short of a free flight.

19. Buy Alaska Airlines Miles

If you’re planning on redeeming miles for a certain value, you can calculate the cost to see if buying Mileage Plan miles is worth it.

Rarely is buying miles worth it. Leave it for topping off an account when you don’t have time to earn the last few miles for your next award flight.

For those without Alaska elite status, you are now limited to purchasing 150,000 miles per calendar year. Elite status holders can continue to buy miles without limit. Keep an eye out for any promotional sales!

Final Thoughts

The above strategies for earning Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles will help you earn tons of miles.

Whether through the credit card sign-up bonuses or the many partnering airlines with which you can fly, your options for earning miles are endless!

As soon as you start applying the strategies above, you’ll be rolling in tons of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles. Then, when you’re itching for a vacation, you can begin researching ways to use them!

The information regarding the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding Alaska Airlines Visa® Business Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, click here.

Featured Image Credit: Alaska Airlines

Frequently asked questions

What are Alaska Airlines miles?

Alaska Airlines' points program is called Mileage Plan. The miles you earn, redeem, and transfer are Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles.

How much are Alaska Airlines miles worth?

The value of Alaska Airlines miles depends on the ticket you are getting. You'll usually always get somewhere between 1 and 2 cents per point. For example, the lowest fare first class ticket will give you a value of up to 1.6 cents per point.

At 1.6 cents per point, that's like getting a $100 ticket for the equivalent of about 6,250 Alaska Airlines miles.

Which credit cards can earn Alaska Airlines miles?

You can sign up for the Alaska Signature card and Alaska Airlines Business card. You can also use Marriott Bonvoy credit cards to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and transfer those to Alaska at a 3:1 rate.

What is Alaska Airlines Club 49?

Club 49 was set up to benefit Alaska residents as a thank you for 80 years of loyalty. Alaska residents can enroll to receive special benefits like discount fares with Alaska Airlines.

How do I use Alaska Airlines companion tickets?

In your Alaska Airlines account, select Valid under Discount Codes on the left side of your account page. On the loaded page, select Shop and use the code listed under the Shop button to find flights. Note the expiration date for this code.

Choose your desired flights for 2 people and then go through the checkout process ensuring your discount code was applied (it should appear in the summary of the total price for 2 travelers).

Can Alaska Airlines miles be transferred?

Mileage Plan miles cannot be transferred to other airlines. They can, however, be redeemed for flights on other carriers, hotel stays, car rentals, and more.

Is Alaska Airlines partners with United?

No. See Alaska's list of partners.

Is Alaska Airlines partners with Delta?

No. See Alaska's list of partners.

When do Alaska Airlines miles post in your account?

Alaska Airlines miles should post to your account within 7 days. Miles from partner airlines activity can take 2 to 3 weeks to post.

If miles do not post in this time frame, you may request missing credit.

Are Alaska Airlines miles refundable?

Alaska Airlines miles are fully refundable without needing to pay any cancellation fees.

When do Alaska Airlines miles expire?

Alaska Airlines miles expire after 24 months of inactivity. Earn or redeem at least 1 mile a minimum of every 24 months to keep your account from expiring.

Sending feedback...

Your feedback has been sent. Thank you!

We take your comments very seriously as they really help us to improve the site.

If you'd like to add a comment to this article and share your valuable feedback and opinions, please click here to leave your comment.

We really appreciate it!
- Alex & Erin

An error occurred please try again later

About Spencer Howard

Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience. Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class! Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal).

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

20 comments

OR97 June 7, 2018
Rocketmiles.com for hotel reservations. Often some high bonuses. Upcoming hotel reservation with a Marriott will net 11k AS miles.
Reply
- anita August 15, 2018
  Rocketmiles charge you a big fee (equivalent to cost of the free miles they give you) which is not broken down in detail and which includes in the tax amount.
  Reply
Judith Manuel June 11, 2018
Just need clarification – the above indicates that Delta is a partner w/Alaska Airlines yet Alaska’s website does not list Delta?
Reply
- Michael McHugh June 12, 2018
  Hi Judith!
  Alaska and Delta ended its partnership. I’ve updated the article to reflect that. Thanks for letting us know.
  Reply
JohnB July 28, 2018
Buying Starpoints can be a less expensive way to get Alaskan miles. It remains to be seen if the combined program with Marriott will be an easy way to get Alaskan miles. My suspicion is that Marriott, being the cheapo organization they are, will eventually end the transfer program.
Reply
DaninMCI March 13, 2019
Alaska has some flights with partners that can only be booked as awards and not available for cash. That is another scenario where buying miles or transferring can make slight sense
Reply
- Stephen Au March 19, 2019
  Hey Danin,
  You bring up a great point. Check out our guide for the best ways to redeem Alaska Airlines miles:
  https://upgradedpoints.com/how-to-redeem-alaska-mileage-plan-miles/
  Reply
John May 14, 2019
Does purchasing Alaska airmiles move you closer to Elite status, or are elite miles only miles ‘flown’ that year?
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton May 14, 2019
  Hi John. Unfortunately purchasing miles does not move you closer to elite status. You would be purchasing only redeemable miles. And yes, elite qualifying miles are flown miles.
  Reply
Paul Roschke July 12, 2019
I flew on Alaska Air on 4 July 2019 and read in the flight magazine that Alaska Air has an agreement with a company to award frequent flyer miles for walking. That is, so many steps equals a flyer mile. Could you please tell me the name of the program that offers Alaska Air miles for walking?
Thank you.
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton July 13, 2019
  Hi Paul. This was a challenge but I found a copy of the Alaska Airlines in-flight magazine online and scanned through the pages. On page 142 you’ll find the offer from Semler Heart. Here’s a link to the online publication for July. https://www.paradigmcg.com/digitaleditions/abm-0719/
  Reply
Sonny July 28, 2019
Hi there. I’d like to know if buying miles is considered activity and extends the life of miles in my account for another 24 months?
Thanks!!
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton July 28, 2019
  Hi Sonny. Yes, purchasing Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles will be considered activity and keep your account active.
  Reply
Mary August 6, 2019
Do segments flown on an award ticket count toward elite status? (I know the miles flown wont count.)
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton August 6, 2019
  Hi Mary. Just as the miles flown on award tickets do not count toward elite status, neither do the number of segments flown on an award ticket.
  Reply
Toan August 27, 2019
With the lack of a transfer partner, i.e. a bank, earning a lot of Alaska miles will take either forever or cost you a lot of money. Compare that to ways to earn united, American or even delta miles (the worst of all three) and you’ll see how tough it is to earn Alaska miles.
Reply
Toni Silverman June 30, 2021
I want to fly to Europe in the next few months. I would like to apply for the credit card to start earning points. What do you suggest on the best way to achieve the maximum benefits assuming I qualify? Thank you
Reply
- Jarrod West June 30, 2021
  Hi Tony,
  Which credit card are you referring to?
  Reply
Victor V July 23, 2022
Question:
If I buy family tickets (wife and kids) with my Alaska Credit card and set my mileage account for my ticket only (I can’t add it for the other tickets as web complains about it is the same), and leave the other tickets empty, will I get miles for those tickets?
Or do I need to create mileage account for each ticket and then try to transfer?
Reply
- Jarrod West July 26, 2022
  Hi Victor,
  Unfortunately not. You would need to create separate mileage accounts for your wife and children.
  Reply