The Guide to the Alaska Airlines Award Chart

Alaska Airlines is one of the few U.S. carriers that still publishes an award chart with set award requirements for any given route. But it can still be a little tricky to navigate, depending on where you’re headed.

We help sort it all out in this guide to Alaska award chart.

» Learn More: The guide to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Like other airlines with set award charts, Alaska’s varies based on destination, the seat class and whether you’ll fly with Alaska or a partner airline. Alaska publishes an interactive award chart that is fairly easy to navigate.

Alaska flights

Awards start as low as 5,000 miles each way for domestic travel under 700 miles. For trips longer than 2,100 miles, expect to pay as few as 12,500 miles (for economy) to as many as 70,000 (for first class).

Partner flights

Alaska publishes a slew of charts for each of its partners. What that means for you is that you can identify which airlines require the least amount of Mileage Plan miles and choose to book those award flights, saving you miles.

» Learn more: How much are my Alaska Airlines miles worth?

For example, an economy flight to Europe on American Airlines costs 22,500 miles, while British Airways economy flights start at 32,500 miles.

Unlike for flights on Alaska, partner award prices are more fixed. This means they do not fluctuate in price based on demand. Instead, availability is more likely to be an issue for partner award travel on high-demand dates.

Note sure whether a given Alaska award redemption offers good value? Use this calculator to find out.

Another benefit of booking with Alaska miles is that you’re allowed one stopover per one-way international flight. The stopover can last a few days or a few weeks, and you can have one for each one-way ticket.

For example, you could book a one-way economy flight to Singapore on Japan Airlines and build in a four-day stopover in Tokyo. It would cost you the same number of miles as merely transiting through Japan: 40,000 miles each way.

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

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card offers one of the most rewarding and unique perks on the market: an annual Companion Fare. Existing cardholders prior to Jan. 18, 2023, receive one Companion Fare a year that can be applied towards airfare for a companion traveling on the same flight. The total cost? $121 ($99 plus fees starting at $22 depending on your destination). New cardholders are eligible for the perk if they spend $6,000 annually on the card.

There are a few additional caveats. First, the Companion Fare can only be used on a fare paid in cash (not an award ticket). Second, the booking for the companion must be on the same itinerary. That means you can’t fly from Seattle to Anchorage and use your Companion Fare to fly a friend from San Francisco to Anchorage. Bookings must be made at the same time, in the same transaction and in the same flight class.

It’s also important to note that for Companion Fares, both fares must be purchased using your Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card.

» Learn More: Find the best airline credit card for you

Other card benefits include a free checked bag and priority boarding for you and six other people on the same reservation, $100 off Alaska lounge membership, 20% off in-flight purchases, 3 miles per $1 spent on all Alaska Airline purchases and 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit, including ride share purchases. It does carry a $95 annual fee.

Don’t have an Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card? Apply now and earn a welcome bonus: Get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

» Learn more: Alaska Airlines credit card review: Well worth $75 a year

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plus is one of the most rewarding airline rewards programs in the industry.

Between the free one-way stopover and vast partner network, competitive reward redemption rates and the Companion Fare, Alaska Airlines frequently offers the most bang for your mileage buck.