How To Get Alaska Airlines Elite Status (And Is It Worth It?)

Key Takeaways

• Earn Alaska Airlines elite status by earning a certain number of status points with Alaska or its partners within a calendar year. The lowest tier requires 20,000 points.
• Elite tiers include Atmos Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium – each offering increasing benefits like complimentary upgrades, priority boarding, and bonus points.
• Status can also be earned through status matches and challenges, making it accessible for frequent travelers switching loyalty from another airline.

Who doesn’t love airline elite status? Getting perks like free checked baggage, upgrades, and lounge access can be helpful, but sometimes the path to elite status is unclear.

At Upgraded Points, we’ve covered ways to earn elite status with lots of popular airlines, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines. Today, it’s Alaska Airlines’ turn.

In this post, we’ll show you everything you need to know about how to get Alaska Airlines elite status, including the minimum requirements, tiers of elite status, the benefits of each level of status, and the all-important question — is it even worth trying to get Alaska Airlines elite status?

How To Earn Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Elite Status

Earning elite status in the Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards program relatively straightforward compared to many other airline elite status programs out there.

The earning period runs on a calendar year, from January 1 to December 31. You keep your status for the remainder of the year in which you earn it, as well as the following calendar year.

To earn elite status, you’ll need to meet the minimum number of status points. There is no longer a requirement to meet a minimum number of flights or segments.

Status points are earned by flying on Alaska Airlines and its qualifying partners, with a minimum of 500 points earned per flight. Award tickets earn 1 status point for every mile flown.

You can even earn status points through the Alaska Airlines co-branded credit cards. You’ll earn 1 status point for every $3 spent (with a maximum of 30,000 status points) on the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature^® card and Atmos™ Rewards Visa^® Business Card. Starting in 2026, there will be no limit on how many status points you can earn towards Alaska elite status with your credit card. Meanwhile, you’ll earn 1 status point for every $2 spent on the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite^® card with no limits.

Once you earn elite status with Alaska Airlines, it will be valid through the following calendar year. For example, if you earned elite status in October 2025, your status would be valid through December 2026.

After flying 1,000,000 miles on Alaska Airlines, you’ll be a Million Miler and have Atmos Gold status for life. After flying 2,000,000 miles, you’ll have lifetime Atmos Platinum status.

Status Match to Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards also has a great status match program. If you have elite status with another airline, you can apply for a status match to Alaska Airlines.

You can match to Atmos Silver status from the following programs and status levels:

You can match to Atmos Gold status from the following programs and status levels:

You can match to Atmos Platinum status from the following programs and status levels:

Once you apply for a status match, you’ll have 90 days to fly a certain number of miles to keep your status.

• To keep Silver status, fly 5,000 miles on Alaska
• To keep Gold status, fly 10,000 miles on Alaska
• To keep Platinum status, fly 20,000 miles on Alaska

Once you fly the required miles on Alaska, your elite benefits will be extended based on when you started your status match challenge.

If you start by the end of June, your benefits will be extended to the end of that calendar year. If you started your challenge between July and December, your benefits will be extended through the following calendar year.

Bottom Line:

You can status match to Alaska Airlines from a number of other airline statuses. After status matching, you’ll have 90 days to fly a specified number of miles to keep your benefits. To maximize the time you can take advantage of your matched status, start your status match challenge between July and December so your benefits will be extended to the end of the following calendar year.

Alaska Airlines Credit Cards

The Atmos Rewards Ascent card can help you earn Alaska Airlines elite status and it’s a great way to earn lots of Alaska Airlines points. It comes with perks, including free checked bags and a yearly Companion Fare.

Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature^® card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Provides the potential to earn plenty of points to fly with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines or over a dozen partners. Plus, get an annual companion fare from just $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) when you spend at least $6,000 a year on the card!

Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature^® card

Provides the potential to earn plenty of points to fly with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines or over a dozen partners. Plus, get an annual companion fare from just $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) when you spend at least $6,000 a year on the card!

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $4,000 or more on purchases within the first 120 days after account opening.

80,000 points + $99 Companion Fare™

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,280

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.24% - 28.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

With the Atmos Rewards Ascent card in your wallet, you can get great perks and earn points at the same time. This is a win-win if Alaska or Hawaiian is the airline you prefer to fly with! Plus, its annual companion fare is a great benefit for traveling couples.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points per $1 spent on Alaska and Hawaiian purchases
• 2x points per $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging, local transit (including rideshare), cable, and select streaming services
• 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases

Cons

• Charges a $95 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $4,000 or more on purchases within the first 120 days after account opening.
• Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™. Get a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights booked direct.
• Free checked bag. Any cardholder who purchases airfare with their card, and up to 6 additional guests traveling on the same reservation, may check their first bag free.
• Enjoy priority boarding so you can get to your seat quicker, when you pay for your flight with your card.
• Earn unlimited 3 points for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases. Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases. And earn unlimited 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your points don’t expire on active accounts.
• Earn a 10% rewards bonus on all points earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America^® account.
• Enjoy 20% back on all Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines inflight purchases and get $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ Membership when you pay with your new card.
• With oneworld^® Alliance member airlines and Alaska’s Global Partners, Alaska has expanded their global reach to over 1,000 destinations worldwide bringing more airline partners and more ways to earn and redeem points.
• Flexibility with no blackout dates on Alaska Airlines flights when booking with points or a companion fare.
• Plus, no foreign transaction fees.^†

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards Frequent Flyer Program

Small business owners may want to check out the Atmos Rewards Business card.

Atmos™ Rewards Visa^® Business Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Atmos Rewards Business card earns you extra points and benefits on Alaska and Hawaiian flights, plus it allows you to earn an annual companion certificate.

Atmos™ Rewards Visa^® Business Card

The Atmos Rewards Business card earns you extra points and benefits on Alaska and Hawaiian flights, plus it allows you to earn an annual companion certificate.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $5,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days after account opening.

80,000 points + $99 Companion Fare™

Annual Fee

$70 for the company, then $25 per card

APR

20.24% to 28.24% Variable

Why We Like This Card

The Atmos Rewards Business card is a great option for business owners looking to receive added perks on their Alaska and Hawaiian flights and earn additional points for all of their business expenses.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
• 2x points on eligible gas, EV charging station, shipping and local transit (including rideshare) purchases
• 1x points on all other purchases

Cons

• Charges an annual fee
• Annual companion certificate requires $6,000 in annual spend

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $5,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days after account opening.
• Earn another Alaska’s Companion Fare^™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after spending $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year.
• Free checked bag for you and up to 6 guests on your reservation – that’s a savings of $70 per person roundtrip!
• Enjoy priority boarding so you can get to your seat quicker, when you pay for your flight with your card.
• Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases, 2 points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, shipping and local transit (including ride-share) purchases, and 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Earn a 10% rewards bonus on all points earned from card purchases if your company has an eligible Bank of America small business account
• Enjoy 20% back on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines inflight purchases when you pay with your card
• Get $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ Membership purchased with your Alaska Airlines Business card.
• With oneworld^® Alliance member airlines and Alaska’s Global Partners, you have the freedom to travel to more than 1,000 destinations.
• Flexibility with no blackout dates on Alaska Airlines flights when booking with miles or a companion fare.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24% to 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 

Alaska Airlines Elite Status Benefits

Alaska Airlines elite members have access to select benefits, regardless of elite level:

• Priority check-in and boarding
• Free checked bags (2 for Silver and Gold and 3 for Platinum and Titanium)
• Preferred seating
• Express security screening at select airports
• Dedicated reservation phone line
• Priority call routing in call centers
• Elite Leave for new parents, allowing you to keep elite status for an additional year during pregnancy or parental leave

In addition, elite members have the following benefits:

100K Milestone Benefits

Upon earning Atmos Titanium status, members can choose 1 of 5 milestone benefits:

• 50,000 bonus points
• 75,000 points off an Atmos Rewards Unlocked experience
• Alaska Lounge+ membership
• Unlimited Wi-Fi sessions
• Four upgrade certificates
• Nominate someone for Atmos Gold status  

Hot Tip:

Having elite status helps you get first class upgrades on Alaska Airlines.

Oneworld and Global Partner Benefits

In addition to benefits on Alaska Airlines, elite members get benefits from Oneworld Alliance partners and global partners. Benefits include priority check-in, access to preferred or pre-reserved seating, and Priority on waitlists and when on standby, among others.

There are additional perks involved for those with higher elite status including priority boarding, access to Oneworld business class lounges, access to Oneworld Alaska lounges, extra baggage allowance, and priority baggage handling.

Oneworld Alliance Partners

Global Partners

Alaska Airlines elite members have access to the following Oneworld Alliance benefits.

American Airlines Benefits

Alaska Airlines elite members have access to the following benefits on American Airlines:

Other Partner Airlines Benefits

Atmos Gold, Platinum, and Titanium members plus 1 guest will have access to the following partner lounges:

• Select Hainan Airlines lounges
• Select Icelandair lounges

Is Alaska Airlines Elite Status Worth It?

Whether or not Alaska Airlines elite status is worth it or not depends on how you use the program. Let’s take a look at a few of the benefits of Alaska’s elite status to see what they’re actually worth for an average traveler.

Free Checked Baggage

Alaska Airlines elite members get a minimum of 2 free checked bags per flight. Alaska’s checked baggage fees are increasing to $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second. This means that if you fly 6 times per year round-trip and check 2 bags each time, having elite status would save you $960!

If you don’t have Alaska Airlines elite status but would still like to avoid paying baggage fees, you can consider Alaska Airlines co-branded credit cards. Both of these cards come with a free checked bag for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation.

Premium Class Upgrades

Alaska Airlines elite members can upgrade to Premium Class at the time of booking, depending on which fares you book. Premium Class comes with roomier seats, complimentary beer and wine, plus priority boarding. Premium Class upgrades start at $15 per flight, so if you fly 6 round trips per year, you’ll save $180.

Elite Points Bonus

As an Alaska Airlines elite member, you’ll earn 25% to 150% in bonus points. If you’re an Atmos Silver member who flies 20,000 miles per year, that’s a bonus of 5,000 points.

According to our most recent valuations, Alaska points are worth ~1.6 cents each. That means your bonus of 10,000 points is worth about $160. If you’re an Atmos Titanium member who flies 100,000 miles, your 150% bonus will give you an extra 150,000 points with a value of about $2,400!

Bottom Line:

Being able to earn bonus Alaska points is a great perk of having elite status with Alaska Airlines.

Final Thoughts

Alaska’s Atmos elite status program is a great way to improve your flying experience. Thankfully, getting Alaska Airlines elite status is relatively straightforward.

Each calendar year, you’ll need to earn at least 20,000 status points. As you get higher elite status, the requirements to earn the status also go up.

Best of all, you can enjoy the benefits of Alaska Airlines elite status on their many Oneworld partner airlines as well.