Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Review 2024

• Introducing the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card
• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card Quick Facts
• What Is the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card Best For?
• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card Rewards
• Other Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card Benefits
• How To Maximize the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature
• Fine Print
• How the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card Stacks Up
• Is the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card for You?
• Methodology
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is popular with Alaska Airlines frequent flyers for good reason. Like many airline cards, you’re treated to benefits and discounts that make flying more comfortable, including free checked bags and priority boarding. That’s on top of the rewards you’ll earn with every purchase: Earn unlimited 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, unlimited 2 miles per dollar on eligible gas, EV charging, cable, streaming services and local transit including ride share purchases and unlimited 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

Cardholders who commit to spending at least $6,000 in a cardmember year can also earn a companion fare certificate to significantly reduce the cost of a second ticket when two passengers travel together on Alaska Airlines on the same eligible itinerary.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is highly regarded, even with travelers not based on the West Coast. Alaska Airlines’ network of over 30 airline partners—including Oneworld Alliance member airlines—gives Mileage Plan members global redemption opportunities. Redeeming miles is usually straightforward and, for most partners, can be done online.

• $95 annual fee
• Earn unlimited 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, unlimited 2 miles per dollar on eligible gas, EV charging, cable, streaming services and local transit including ride share purchases and unlimited 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fee

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is best suited for frequent flyers of Alaska Airlines and those who regularly travel on routes served by Alaska Airlines and its partners. This card shines for individuals seeking to maximize their travel rewards, offering generous mileage earnings on Alaska Airlines purchases and additional miles for everyday spending—not to mention that Alaska Airlines offers great sweet spots when it comes time to redeem your miles.

Cardholders benefit from perks like a free checked bag, annual companion fare, priority boarding and no foreign transaction fees, making it particularly appealing for both domestic and international travelers—especially those without status with the airline.

The miles earned can be redeemed for flights on Alaska Airlines and its extensive network of global partners, offering flexibility and value for a wide range of travel destinations.

Earning Rewards

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card earns Mileage Plan miles. You earn unlimited 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, unlimited 2 miles per dollar on eligible gas, EV charging, cable, streaming services and local transit including ride share purchases and unlimited 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. The bonus categories are also uncapped.

The card offers a welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and a companion fare ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23, terms apply) after spending $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.

Cardholders who also hold an eligible Bank of America account—which includes active consumer checking and saving accounts or Merrill investment accounts—can earn an additional 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases.

Redeeming Rewards

Mileage Plan miles can be redeemed for flights with Alaska Airlines and its network of partner airlines. Alaska Airlines is known for West Coast destinations, but Alaska’s route system spans over 120 destinations in the U.S., Canada, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica and Mexico.

A valuable and rare feature of Mileage Plan flight awards is the ability to book a free stopover on most international tickets, even when traveling one way. A stopover can be as little as a day up to several weeks. For instance, you can book San Francisco (SFO) to Hong Kong (HKG), stop over for several days, then continue from Hong Kong (HKG) to Bangkok (BKK) at no additional cost compared to traveling through immediately.

Alaska Airlines joined the Oneworld Alliance in 2021, and Mileage Plan members can redeem miles and enjoy benefits with all Oneworld partner airlines, in addition to Alaska Airlines’ nonalliance partners such as Korean Air, Latam Airlines, Aer Lingus and Singapore Airlines.

Rewards Potential

Using data from various government agencies, Forbes Advisor has developed estimates for how much a family in the 70th percentile of income spends annually in various categories. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households brings in $118,438 annually and has $39,337 in annual expenses that can reasonably be charged to credit cards.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card Rewards Potential
Category	Earning Rate	Estimated Annual Spend	Estimated Annual Earnings
Airfare	3X	$770	2,310
Gas and transit	2X	$3,562	7,124
Streaming services	2X	$679	1,358
All other purchases	1X	$34,326	34,326
			Total: 45,118 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles

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Cardholders who also hold a qualifying Bank of America account would earn another 10% bonus for a total of 49,630 miles per year. A welcome bonus also boosts your first-year earnings.

Travel Benefits

• Alaska’s companion fare. Earn an annual companion fare starting at $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year.
• Free checked bag. Enjoy free checked bags on Alaska Airlines for you and up to six other passengers traveling with you.
• Free priority boarding. Get to your seat quicker with complimentary priority boarding privileges for you and up to six companions traveling on the same ticket.
• Inflight discounts. Save 20% on inflight purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi when you pay with your card.

Visa Signature Benefits

With a Visa Signature card, you’ll also have access to additional benefits, including:

• ID Navigator identity theft protections. Enroll in this complimentary service from Norton LifeLock and get credit monitoring and assistance if your identity is compromised.
• Travel and emergency assistance services. Get access to a 24/7 travel emergency call center that can assist with everything from medical referrals, prescription needs and emergency transportation to emergency ticket replacement, lost luggage location and emergency translation.

To maximize the benefits of the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card, frequent flyers should strategically utilize the card for all Alaska Airlines purchases as well as for everyday spending if you don’t have another card that offers more rewards.

Leveraging the card’s annual companion fare discount can significantly reduce travel costs, especially on more expensive longer or peak-season flights. Additionally, cardholders should take advantage of the free checked bag perk, which offers substantial savings on luggage fees, particularly for those who travel often but not often enough to earn status.

Regularly redeeming earned miles for flights within Alaska Airlines’ extensive network and its global partner airlines can yield high value, especially when booking international travel or first-class upgrades.

Interest Rates

• Regular APR: 20.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
• Purchase intro APR: N/A
• Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Fees

• Annual fee: $95
• Balance transfer fee: 4% of the amount of each transaction
• Foreign purchase transaction fee: None

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card vs. Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

Delta Air Lines has been building its presence in Seattle, making it into a West Coast hub for domestic travel and a primary gateway for flights to Asia. Naturally, if you are a frequent traveler in the Pacific Northwest, you might consider making Delta your preferred airline.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) offers a free checked bag when you fly with Delta. The card earns 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases, at U.S. supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases. The card also offers a welcome bonus: Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.

Generally, the Alaska Airlines card has the edge because of its higher earning rate on flights. The Alaska Airlines companion certificate can provide much more value than the $200 Delta flight credit, but the Delta flight credit is decidedly easier to use.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card vs. AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®*

American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are in the same alliance, meaning that you’ll have access to many of the same reward flights regardless of which type of miles you collect. That makes American a worthy alternative, especially since it has a more robust network in the eastern half of the U.S.

With the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®*, you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. That may not sound impressive, but there’s a major advantage when spending on American Airlines’ credit cards: You’re simultaneously earning Loyalty Points toward status. You’ll also enjoy perks while traveling with American just for being a cardholder, including free checked bags, preferred boarding and statement credits toward in-flight Wi-Fi purchases.

Like the Alaska Airlines Visa, you can get an annual $99 companion certificate on the Aviator Red card, but with one major catch—you’ll have to earn it by spending $20,000 or more on your card during your cardmember year. If you can hit that level of spending, it’s a great feature for the card.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card*

If you want a credit card that earns rewards on air travel but you’re not ready to commit to a specific airline, take a look at the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card*. For a $95 annual fee, cardholders will earn the following rewards: 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

If redemptions for air travel are what you are looking for, Chase Ultimate Rewards® can be transferred to a number of airlines. Alaska Airlines is not one of them, but its partner, British Airways, is. Alternatively, you can redeem Ultimate Rewards for travel booked directly through Chase or use points toward cash back, gift cards and other awards.

In-flight benefits aren’t included, but the Sapphire Preferred does have valuable travel insurance and an annual statement credit toward hotels booked through Chase Travel. There’s also a welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

If you are a West Coast-based traveler, fly frequently with Alaska Airlines and can earn and use the companion fare, the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card offers a compelling value proposition.

Those who are mileage experts or are willing to learn will find that the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program is one of the most versatile and rewarding mileage programs for award tickets, both domestic and international.

Indeed, Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan is regularly ranked as the best domestic airline frequent flyer program. It is the last remaining major domestic airline where members earn miles based on distance flown, not dollars paid for tickets.

West Coast-based travelers should strongly consider this card, but even travelers based elsewhere may find the Alaska Airlines card to be the ideal airline credit card for their travel needs.

Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:

• Annual fees
• Welcome bonus offers
• Ongoing earning rates
• Value of individual points or miles
• Included travel or merchant credits
• Additional cardholder benefits

Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors come together to provide a star rating for each individual card.

Read more: How Forbes Advisor rates credit cards.

To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card please visit this page.