Alaska Airlines to Change Partner Award Charts in March 2024

Alaska Airlines is simplifying its Mileage Plan partner award charts, which specify the number of miles required to book an award flight on one of Alaska’s partner airlines. Starting in March 2024, Alaska members can use new distance-based award charts for redeeming miles with the airline’s two dozen partner airlines.

» Learn more: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: Your complete guide

New Alaska Airlines partner award charts

Going forward, Alaska’s partner redemptions will be based on distance and cabin. There are three award charts split across geographic regions:

1. The Americas.

2. Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

3. The Asia-Pacific region.

Here are the partner airlines that you can book using the amounts on the award charts:

The Americas

Alaska’s Americas award chart will apply to partner flights to, from or within the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii), South America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Flights in the Americas region will start at 4,500 miles one-way (down from a previous minimum of 7,500 miles) for a short-hop flight of 700 miles or fewer.

Award amounts listed below are for nonstop itineraries entirely aboard an Alaska partner. A flight with a connection might cost more.

Here’s an example: A flight from Austin to Cancun spans just over 900 miles. Aboard any Alaska partner (such as American Airlines) redemptions would start at 7,500 miles in economy class, one way.

Europe, Africa and the Middle East

Here’s what Alaska’s award chart will look like on flights to, from or within Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

A flight from Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. to London-Heathrow Airport is just over 3,600 miles in distance. That means a redemption with an Alaska partner would cost 27,500 miles one-way in economy.

Asia-Pacific

Alaska’s Asia-Pacific chart details what it would cost to fly to or from Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Japan, Korea and South Pacific destinations like Australia and New Zealand. It also includes flights wholly within Asia.

Hoping to take the 5,400 mile journey from San Francisco to Tokyo in business class? That would start at 75,000 miles each way.

Are Alaska’s changes good or bad for customers?

Compared to current award pricing, Alaska claims the changes to its charts will lower the number of miles required on 60% of partner nonstop routes in economy and on 64% of routes in business class. But that means some routes may be more expensive. Use NerdWallet's miles calculator to make sure you're getting a good deal.

More consistent pricing

In the past, Alaska’s award charts were different for each of its partners, which in some cases produced some pretty compelling redemption sweet spots for Mileage Plan members.

Earlier this year, though, the airline published one chart meant to govern the cost of all partner redemptions. However, redemption levels still differed from one airline to another.

The airline says the 2024 changes will make redemptions more consistent across all of its partners. While these changes could potentially make some of its earlier sweet spots disappear, they should, at a minimum, make redeeming miles across Alaska’s partners more predictable.

More combinations and flight cabins available

Alaska says Mileage Plan members will soon be able to redeem miles on a wider range of international routes, including mixing and matching partner airlines. It’s also adding more premium economy award space on more partners.

Stopovers

The airline plans to continue its lenient policy for stopovers, which currently allows award travelers to visit an extra city for up to 14 days en route to their final destination.

» Learn more: What are layover, stopover and open-jaw flights?

How to earn Alaska miles quickly

Mileage Plan miles can be redeemed for award flights, starting at just 4,500 miles for a one-way ticket. But before you start using Alaska miles, you have to earn them. Beyond flying, another way to amass a large number of Alaska Mileage Plan miles is to earn a sign-up bonus for an Alaska Airlines credit card.

This sum of points can net you several round-trip flights. Here's how the airline's two co-branded cards compare.

If you seek more flexibility in redeeming miles for award flights, consider applying for a more general travel credit card instead. A more general travel credit card differs from an airline card in that you can book flights with multiple carriers, rather than reaping the benefits of staying loyal to a single brand.

The more high-end the travel credit card, the more benefits you can enjoy, including airport lounge access or automatic elite status in certain programs. That said, a brand-specific airline card can net you benefits like waived baggage fees, which can have meaningful dollar value.

» Read more: Is an Alaska Airlines credit card worth it?

The bottom line

Alaska’s 2024 partner award chart changes means that in some cases, award flights may cost more miles than they did previously. At the very least, the new award charts will make redemption planning more predictable.

Overall, Mileage Plan members are still fortunate that Alaska isn’t following in the footsteps of many other U.S. airlines that have ditched award charts altogether.

(Top photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines)