Earning Atmos Rewards points in 2027 will look much different than it did in previous years. The loyalty program announced several changes at its Investor Day on Sept. 29, 2026, that will take effect in 2027, giving members more ways to rack up rewards. Those changes include its new choose-the-way-you-earn-points scheme, a new transfer partner and a new debit card. In late 2026, the program will also refresh its business credit card.
In 2027 and 2028, it will also add more premium seats and lounges.
Here’s what travelers should know about these changes to Atmos Rewards.
You can choose how to earn points for flights
When the Atmos Rewards loyalty program launched in August 2025, the airline announced members would be able to choose the way they earn Atmos points and status points, either based on distance traveled, price paid or segments flown.
That capability is finally going into effect. Current Atmos Rewards members can choose their method starting on Oct. 1, 2026, for flights departing on or after Jan. 1, 2027.
Currently, Atmos members earn points on flights based on physical miles flown. Alaska is the only domestic airline that still allocates rewards this way. Other airlines award points and miles based on the amount spent on the ticket.
Here is how many points you’ll earn by method under Atmos Rewards:
- Distance traveled: Earn 1 point for each mile flown. (This is how points are currently earned.)
- Price paid: Earn 5 points per $1 spent on airfare and paid upgrades to premium cabins, excluding taxes and fees. Travelers will also earn points on award flights at a rate of 1 point per 20 points redeemed.
- Segments flown: Earn a flat 500 points per segment flown, whether it’s a paid ticket or an award ticket.
For most travelers flying economy, the distance method will continue to be the most lucrative. The price paid method is a good option for people who are frequently paying cash for premium cabins. And the segments method is best for people who are frequently flying short distances, such as between the Hawaiian Islands or between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Current members who want to choose the price paid or segments flown method should do so before the end of the year. Otherwise, their account will continue to earn based on distance traveled. Atmos members who sign up in 2027 will default to earning based on price paid.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Atmos members can change their earning method once per calendar year. If your travel plans change to make another method more advantageous, you can switch.Bank of America® will transfer to Atmos Rewards
For points travelers, there haven’t been many ways to earn Atmos points through credit cards. Currently, they can either get an Atmos Rewards-branded credit card (issued by Bank of America®) or transfer points from Bilt Rewards.
In 2027, though, Atmos Rewards says eligible Bank of America® cardholders will be able to transfer points to Atmos. That could make travel cards from Bank of America® more attractive to travelers who want transfer partners — something the issuer program has been lacking for years.
Currently, there aren’t any other details on which cardholders would be eligible or what the transfer ratio would be, but this development could make the Bank of America® travel cards more competitive with the travel cards from Chase, AmEx, Capital One and Citi.
Atmos Rewards says it plans to add transfer options with other financial institutions in the future.
New and refreshed Atmos cards are coming
Changes to the Atmos Rewards cards themselves are already underway. In late 2026, the Atmos™ Rewards Visa Signature® Business card will get a refresh, including lounge passes, free same-day confirmed flight changes and a new 10x points bonus category on eligible purchases through Atmos Rewards for Business. Changes to the annual fee have not been announced. Credit card refreshes are usually accompanied by a boosted sign-up bonus, so business owners may want to wait to apply if they’ve been considering the card.
In early 2027, Atmos Rewards will also introduce a debit card as another way to earn Atmos Rewards points and status points. Traditionally, debit cards haven’t offered many rewards, but more airlines are starting to offer them. Southwest Airlines and United Airlines, for example, both launched their own debit cards in the past year.
Alaska’s version will include perks such as flight and onboard purchase discounts, free points sharing, the ability to pay certain account fees with points and no foreign transaction fees.
A debit card could appeal to young travelers who might not have the credit scores to qualify for a traditional airline credit card. Atmos Rewards is already having success with younger generations. In a press release, Atmos Rewards said “more than half of new status members are Gen Z.”
Still, the perks and rewards rates on rewards credit cards are better than debit cards, and account fees for debit cards can be more expensive than credit card annual fees.
For Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines flyers, the airlines have also revealed more details about upgrades to its planes and lounges. These could make Atmos redemptions with either airline even more enticing.
Like other U.S. airlines, Alaska is increasing its premium seat capacity. The airline will install 12 of its new, lie-flat Aurora Suites — what you’d normally see on its international business class — on some of its 737-10 MAX aircraft. That means you could fly in these suites on select transcontinental routes in 2028.
Hawaiian Airlines’ A330 airplanes will also undergo a transformation to include 22 lie-flat seats, called Leihōkū Suites, for passengers in international business class and domestic First Class flights.
Both Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines will also start renovating planes with a premium economy cabin, called Premium Reserve. The seats will have 38 inches of pitch, compared to just 31 inches of pitch in economy. (Seat pitch is the distance between two seats; the bigger the pitch, the more legroom you get.)
These retrofits with more lie-flat business class and premium economy is generally a win for points travelers, who may have an easier time finding award availability on airplanes that are 40 to 46 percent premium seating. The updated planes are expected to start flying in 2028.
Lounge options are expanding
Travelers in Alaska and Hawaiian’s hubs will also get access to more premium ground experiences in the new lounges opening in the next few years. The expanded Alaska Lounge in Concourse C is set to open in late 2027, with 500 seats in the Alaska Lounge and another 200 seats in the Aurora Lounge. That’s Alaska’s version of a premium class lounge exclusively for international business class travelers.
The Seattle lounges will feature an outdoor patio with a fireplace, private work stations, a pizza oven, coffee lab and shower suites.
In early 2028, the new Hawaiian Airlines lounge will open in Honolulu with capacity for 200. This lounge will have a full bar and private work stations.
A new 14,000-square-foot Alaska lounge in San Diego is also due to open in 2028.
These lounge openings will be welcome news for those with the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card, who get two Alaska Lounge day passes per quarter as one of the benefits of holding the card.
Top photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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