This program was reviewed and rated by our editors in June 2010. Changes in the program past this date are possible, especially program partner information. We recommend you subscribe to the #1 source of frequent flyer information, Inside Flyer Magazine, to get the most current information possible.

Alaskan Spirit

If you've flown frequently from Seattle to Portland, Alaska or destinations in Southern California or the Bay Area in recent years, chances are at some point you flew on Alaska Airlines. The airline is the eighth largest carrier in the U.S. and has carved out a niche for itself on the West Coast from its hubs in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles and Anchorage.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. The airline began flying to Hawaii in 2007 and currently offers daily flights to the Hawaiian Islands from Anchorage, Seattle, Oakland, Sacramento, San Jose, Calif.; and Portland, Ore. Destinations include Maui, Kauai, Oahu and the Big Island. This fall the carrier will add service between San Diego and Maui, and from Portland to Honolulu and Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan will always have the distinction of winning the Program of the Year at the very last Freddie Awards. Overall, the program was named best program four times and also received top honors in other categories over the years including Best Elite-Level, Best Member Communications, Best Web Site and Best Customer Service.

Members earn actual miles flown on Alaska and Horizon Air and unlike most legacy carriers, the program continues to offer a minimum of 500 miles for short hops. First class fares earn an additional 50 percent bonus. Members also earn miles when flying on partner airlines and for credit card purchases, hotel stays, car rentals and retail purchases, among other mileage earning activities.

Mileage Plan adopted a three-tier award structure in 2008 and offers three award levels in coach: Super Saver, Choice and Full Flex. Super Saver coach awards are the cheapest at 25,000 miles roundtrip on flights within the U.S. and Canada and have the most restrictions. Choice coach awards at 40,000 miles roundtrip offer greater availability and members who book Full Flex coach for 55,000 miles roundtrip have unrestricted access to last seat availability and are not required to pay change or cancellation fees. In first class, only Super Saver and Full Flex awards are offered at 50,000 miles and 100,000 miles, respectively.

Award flights to Mexico start at 35,000 miles in coach and 65,000 miles in first and Alaska Airlines flights to Hawaii start at 40,000 miles in coach and 75,000 miles in first.

Mileage Plan offers one-way awards on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air for half the required number of miles for roundtrip. With the flexible one-way option, members can book a Saver Award one way and a Peak Award for the return trip (or a mixed coach and first class award ticket), allowing members to book an award seat that might not otherwise be available.

Mileage Plan's award options are in line with the rest of the industry with the addition of intra-state awards that can been booked for a bargain 15,000 miles for a Super Saver coach award flight wholly within one state (Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington).

Mileage Plan is also well-known for its frequent award sales--at any given time you're likely to find award trips to select destinations discounted from around 5,000 to 10,000 miles.

One-way upgrades require 15,000 miles and can be used systemwide on Alaska Airlines flights from Full Flex or Value fare categories only (Y, YAS, S, B, M or H). Upgrade awards are subject to availability and may not be available on all flights.

Awards are also available on numerous airline partners and members can book an award to just about anywhere in the world with Alaska's partners. Awards on some of Alaska's partner airlines, such as American Airlines and Delta, can be booked online, but most partner awards must be booked over the phone. Alaska charges a $25 non-refundable fee for all awards booked on partner airlines. And if you call to book a partner award, there's a $15 phone fee. Elite members at the MVP Gold level and above are exempt from the phone-ticketing fee but are required to pay the $25 partner fee.

Alaska Airlines has a good reputation when it comes to award availability. Our award searches from 2009 found award seats 43 percent of the time when booking online and 85 percent of the time when calling the service center. When booking six months and 10 months in advance, we were able to find an award seat 100 percent of the time when calling the service center. So if you plan ahead, your chances of finding an award are excellent. According to the recent award survey published by IdeaWorks and ezRez Software, Alaska Airlines came in second of all the U.S.-based carriers for award availability online with an average success rate of 75 percent.

Mileage Plan members can redeem a Money & Miles award for a discounted fare. Members can redeem 10,000 miles for a 50 percent discount, up to a $100 reduction in fare or 20,000 miles for a 50 percent discount up to $200.

Members can bid miles on online auction items such as unique vacation packages and once in a lifetime experiences or donate miles to Alaska Airlines Charity Miles, which includes charities such as Hero Miles, Make-A-Wish, The Nature Conservancy and National Forest Foundation, among others. Hotel award stays, car rentals or other types of awards are not available.

Although Alaska does not participate in a global alliance, its partner list of airlines is impressive and the program boasts relationships with airlines across both SkyTeam and oneworld alliances. Since we last reviewed the program, Mileage Plan has added four airline partnerships and ended its partnership with Continental. Partners include American, Air France, Air Pacific, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Era Alaska, Horizon Air, Kenmore Air, KLM, Korean Air, LAN, Mokulele Airlines, PenAir and Qantas. It is worth noting that Mileage Plan is the only U.S.-based program to offer its members access to transatlantic award tickets on British Airways.

Hotel partners include Best Western, Choice Hotels, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, InterContinental and Starwood. Mileage Plan also partners with smaller and regional hotel groups including Aston Hotels & Resorts, Coast Hotels & Resorts, Delta, Fairmont, Fiesta Americana, Outrigger, Preferred Hotel Group, Princess Lodges, Red Lion, Shilo, Silver Legacy and Westmark. Members can expect to earn up to 500 miles per stay or two miles per $1 spent for qualifying hotel stays.

Members earn 50 miles per day on car rentals with Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National and Thrifty; 500 miles per rental of five or more days with Hertz and Avis.

Alaska Airlines partners with Bank of America and members can choose from the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card or Business Card. The Visa Signature Card has a $75 annual fee and comes with a 25,000-mile sign up bonus, a $99 companion ticket each year and two Board Room passes upon approval. The business card has an annual fee of $75 and offers 20,000 bonus miles after first purchase, an annual $99 companion ticket discount and a 0 percent introductory APR on purchases for nine billing cycles. Both cards offer three miles per $1 spent on Alaska and one mile per $1 spent everywhere else.

The Alaska Airlines Visa Debit Card, with an annual fee of $30, earns one mile per $2 spent (one mile per $1 on Alaska Airlines purchases) plus 3,000 bonus miles with first purchase.

Canadian residents can choose from the Alaska Airlines Platinum Plus MasterCard or the Alaska Airlines Preferred card. The Platinum Plus card has a $75 annual fee, a $99 roundtrip companion ticket and up to 25,000 bonus miles for new cardholders. The Preferred card has a $45 annual fee and offers 3,000 bonus miles upon approval. Both cards earn one mile per $1 spent on purchases.

Mileage Plan partners with Diners Club (one point transfers to one mile) and ShareBuilder (2,500 miles for opening an account and 1,500 miles yearly) and members can also earn miles with Miles4realestate.com (10,000 miles for each $100,000 of the purchase price).

With Mileage Plan Dining by Rewards Network members can earn up to five miles per $1 spent at restaurants.

Telecommunications partners include GCI (one mile per $1 spent) and Mileage Plan Wireless (5,000 miles for new wireless activation or contract renewal).

The partner list is rounded out by Teleflora and FTD (10 miles per $1); Masterpark (50 miles per day); Mileage Plan shopping mall (offers vary by online retailer); Alaska Air Cruises (between 1,500 and 5,000 miles), Vinesse Wine Club (2,250 for registering and five miles per $1 spent), SkyMall (three miles per $1 spent), ThanksAgain (one mile per $1 spent) and Carmel ground transportation service (one mile per $1 spent).

Alaska introduced a new top tier to its elite program in 2010 and the program is now three-tiered: MVP, MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K. Attaining MVP status requires 20,000 miles flown on Alaska or Horizon during a calendar year; 25,000 miles flown on a combination of Alaska, Air France, American, Delta, Horizon, KLM or LAN; or 30 segments.

MVP members can expect a 50-percent mileage bonus on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, Air France, American, Delta, KLM or LAN flights, unlimited first class upgrades (anytime on Y or YAS fares; 48 hours prior to departure on other fares), complimentary upgrades on Delta (coming soon according to the Mileage Plan Web site), a dedicated customer service line, priority standby and waitlist, preferred seating and priority boarding (on Alaska, Horizon and Delta), a 50-percent discount on the initiation fee for Alaska Board Room lounges and two complimentary checked bags per flight.

MVP Gold is reached after flying 40,000 miles on Alaska or Horizon; 50,000 miles on Alaska, Air France, American, Delta, Horizon, KLM or LAN; or 60 segments in a calendar year. MVP Gold members receive a 100-percent mileage flight bonus and can expect all the benefits of MVP, with a few extra perks. Unlimited upgrades are available at any time on Y, S, B, M, H or value and full flex fares and 72 hours prior on other fares. Gold members also receive unlimited upgrades for one travel companion, four one-way guest upgrade awards annually, waiver of service charges and change fees, express security lines at select airports and the initiation fee to Board Room lounges is waived.

The new MVP Gold 75K is reached after flying (you guessed it) 75,000 miles on Alaska or Horizon; 90,000 miles on Alaska, Air France, American, Delta, Horizon, KLM or LAN; or 90 segments in a calendar year. MVP Gold 75K members receive top priority on the first class waitlist on qualifying fares and the ability to upgrade five days prior to departure on non-qualifying fares, ability to nominate a friend or family member to MVP status, 50,000-mile threshold bonus when you reach the MVP Gold 75K level, dedicated customer service line, complimentary DigEplayer when flying in the main cabin and a discounted Board Room membership plus four free day passes.

Mileage Plan offers a "lifetime" Gold elite-level membership to members who earn a million miles through flying.

Mileage Plan miles don't expire, but accounts that are inactive for two years may be closed and miles forfeited. Deleted mileage can be reinstated for a $75 fee for up to one year. Awards are transferable and may be issued in anyone's name. Award travel is subject to blackout dates and capacity controls.

Miles cannot be combined but they can be purchased, given as a gift and transferred. Miles cost $27.50 per 1,000 miles with a 1,000-mile minimum purchase and 30,000 maximum per transaction. If you purchase miles over the phone you will be charged an additional $25 processing fee. You can transfer 1,000 to 30,000 miles at a cost of $10 per 1,000 miles, plus a $25 processing fee. A maximum of 100,000 miles can be transferred per year.

The fee to cancel a Super Saver or Choice award ticket that was booked online is $75; awards booked over the phone incur a $100 cancellation fee.

Alaska Airlines excels at customer service and Mileage Plan representatives are "top-notch" according to one member, ANC, who rated the program. Another member, PetePDX, explained "One of the reasons why I love Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air is because of the customer service." Members can contact the service center between 8am and 5:45pm Pacific time, Monday through Friday. Customer care can also be contacted via email through a link on the Web site, although we've heard from members that Mileage Plan's email communication could use some work. Alaska Airlines requests you allow five to seven business days for a response to an emailed inquiry so if you need a quick answer, it's better to pick up the phone and call.

Our favorite online feature of Mileage Plan's Web site is Jenn, the virtual assistant. You can contact Jenn from every Web page and type in any question and she will either provide an answer or direct you to the Web page with the appropriate information. Awards can be booked online and unlike most programs, Alaska includes partner award inventory for flight awards, notably Delta and American. However, you will need to call the partner desk for partner awards on airlines not available online. Retroactive credit requests for travel on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air may be made online but partner credit requests must be made in writing or sent via email.

Mileage Plan's best features include ease of award redemption, the elite program and frequent award sales. Mileage Plan added a third elite level this year to recognize and give additional benefits to its most frequent flyers. Award change fees are waived for elite members and Mileage Plan goes so far as to give a complimentary premium beverage in coach to elites who weren't cleared for an upgrade. Members also like the $99 companion ticket that is offered with the co-branded credit card.

Alaska has a number of partnerships with domestic and international carriers but it doesn't participate in one of the worldwide alliances. The introduction of car rental, hotel awards or other types of awards would increase the number of choices for those who would like to redeem miles for non-flight awards.

(800) 622-2680
(800) 654-5669

Mileage Plan
PO Box 24948-SEAGT
Seattle, WA 98124-0948