Alaska Airlines has always done things a bit differently. It’s grown to become a serious competitor to its bigger rivals by providing acclaimed passenger service and forging unique relationships rather than joining one of the major alliances. Because of its partnerships with 13 airlines across oneworld and SkyTeam, as well as with independent carriers, Alaska’s Mileage Plan is one of the most dynamic loyalty programs in the industry.
Mileage Plan arguably has the most generous routing rules, even allowing stopovers on one-way tickets. It allows you to fly on airlines like Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Qantas, as well as both Delta and American. And its status as the last remaining major U.S. carrier not to convert to a revenue-based program is one of the many reasons to collect Alaska miles. So what’s the best way take advantage of such diverse options? Here are a few of the most valuable redemptions within the Mileage Plan program:
Different rates for different airlines
Unlike nearly any other loyalty program, Alaska charges different prices depending which airline you fly. So flying to Europe on British Airways is priced differently than flying on Air France, even on the same route. Unfortunately, Alaska won’t let you mix partners on award tickets, which can make it difficult to redeem some routes, but it can bring real savings when it’s a good match.
Better deals on American Airlines
Alaska offers great redemption levels on American Airlines, even as AA has raised them. AAdvantage members have bemoaned the recent changes to the program, including the elimination of the much-loved off-peak awards to South America, which were heavily discounted from 30,000 to 20,000 each way for more than half the year. However, this excellent redemption lives on through Alaska Airlines. Alaska also has kept American’s old award chart intact, so off-peak awards across the board continue at their old prices, as do business- and first-class redemptions.
Business- and first-class flights on oneworld partners
Mileage Plan rates are hard to beat to many parts of the world, particularly for premier-class seats. Scott MacKenzie at the website Travel Codex crunched the numbers and figured out that since American’s new award chart went into affect on March 22, Alaska offers an average savings of 14% on business-class fares and 42% on first-class when you redeem oneworld flights (American, LAN, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and British Airways) through Alaska instead of through American. Often those savings stretch well beyond 50%. By comparison, you’ll actually spend an average of 2% more on oneworld economy flights redeemed through Alaska.
Jet to Asia with American Airlines or Cathay Pacific
Alaska has two great options to fly to Asia. Routes to Japan and Korea on American Airlines cost 32,500 during peak season and only 25,000 during off-peak, which lasts for seven months. Compare that to American’s own points, which cost 35,000 for most of the year and 32,500 during off-peak dates.
Mileage Plan members also can fly to Southeast Asia on Cathay Pacific for only 30,000 in economy, 50,000 in business and 70,000 in first. American, by comparison, charges 35,000 in economy, 70,000 for business and 110,000 for first class for the exact same flights on Cathay. You’ll need to call Alaska to book Cathay flights; you can search availability on British Airways’ website.
Lie flat on your way to South Africa, Australia or Asia
Laying down in Cathay Pacific’s first-class seats is one of the most desired in-flight experiences among frequent fliers. And the cheapest way to do it is through Alaska. A flight to Australia is 80,000 Mileage Plan miles compared to 110,000 AAdvantage, and South Africa costs 70,000 compared to 120,000. Note: The last leg of flights to South Africa and Australia are in business class.
Emirates Suite Class
Spending tens of thousands of dollars for an airplane “suite” with heated floors and an en-suite shower is a waste of money by most people’s standards. But what if you’re not actually paying to live like a sheikh? Alaska Airlines offers the best chance to experience this luxurious section of the plane. Just ask Sam Huang, who cashed in 200,000 miles and $300 for a round-the-world trip in an Emirates suite. Huang exploited a loophole which reportedly has since been closed. But you can still cash in 150,000 to 200,000 miles for a your very own suite, depending on your destination.
Intra-Alaska flights
OK, so the thought of flying from Ketchikan to Kodiak probably isn’t as exciting as jetting to Bali, but it can be a whole lot more valuable. The airline’s intra-Alaska flights go for only 7,500 miles and can be used to book tickets that normally can reach anywhere between $200 and $400. That’s a value of between 2.6 and 5.2 cents per mile. Comparatively, a recent search for a New York-Bali flight turned up prices for $795. At 52,500 miles, that’s a value of 1.5 cents per mile. If you’re planning a trip around the Last Frontier, Alaska miles might be your best bet.
