What Alaska Airlines credit cards offer and who they're for
Alaska Airlines issues two main credit cards through Bank of America: the Alaska Airlines Visa and the Alaska Airlines Signature Visa. Both cards earn miles on every purchase, but they differ in annual fees, sign-up bonuses, and the perks that come with the card itself. The Visa is the no-annual-fee option; the Signature card costs money each year but includes benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding.
These cards make sense if you fly Alaska Airlines regularly or live in a region where Alaska has strong service — primarily the West Coast, Hawaii, and parts of the Pacific Northwest. If you rarely fly Alaska or prefer other airlines, a general travel rewards card or a different airline card might give you better value. The miles you earn don't transfer to other airlines, so they're only useful if you book Alaska flights or use Alaska's partners.
Key Takeaways
- The Alaska Airlines Visa has no annual fee and earns 1 mile per dollar on all purchases, while the Signature Visa costs $75 per year but earns 2 miles per dollar on Alaska purchases and includes a free checked bag benefit.
- Both cards offer sign-up bonuses measured in miles rather than cash back, and the bonus amount changes periodically.
- Miles earned on these cards never expire as long as your account stays open and you have account activity at least once per year.
- Alaska Airlines miles can be used to book flights, upgrade seats, or pay for baggage fees, but they don't transfer to other frequent flyer programs.
The Alaska Airlines Visa (no annual fee)
This card charges no annual fee and earns 1 mile per dollar spent on everything. You get a sign-up bonus after you meet a spending threshold in the first few months — the bonus amount varies, so check the current offer before you open the card. There's no category bonus (like extra miles on groceries or gas), so every purchase earns at the same rate.
The no-fee card makes sense if you want to earn Alaska miles without paying to hold the card, or if you're unsure whether you'll use Alaska flights often enough to justify the annual fee on the Signature version. You still get some basic cardholder perks like trip delay reimbursement and lost luggage coverage, but you don't get the checked bag benefit or priority boarding that come with the Signature card.
The Alaska Airlines Signature Visa ($75 annual fee)
The Signature card costs $75 per year and earns 2 miles per dollar on Alaska Airlines purchases (flights, seat upgrades, baggage fees) and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. It also includes a free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to two companions on the same reservation — a benefit that can pay for the annual fee if you check a bag even once per year, since Alaska charges $35 for the first checked bag.
You also get priority boarding, which means you board before general passengers and can choose your seat earlier. The card includes a sign-up bonus, the same trip and baggage protections as the no-fee card, and a few other perks like roadside information and emergency evacuation transport. If you fly Alaska at least a couple of times per year and check bags, the free bag benefit alone often covers the $75 fee.
How miles work and what you can do with them
Alaska Airlines miles are the currency you earn with these cards. One mile equals one point toward a flight, though the number of miles required for a flight varies by route, season, and how far in advance you book. A short regional flight might cost 5,000 miles; a cross-country flight might cost 25,000 or more. You can check the miles cost for any route on Alaska's website before you book.
Miles can also be used to upgrade a paid ticket to first class, pay for baggage fees, or book hotels and rental cars through Alaska's travel partners. You cannot transfer miles to another person or to another airline's program. Miles don't expire as long as your account has activity at least once per year — that activity can be earning miles, redeeming miles, or even just logging into your account.
Sign-up bonuses and how to earn them
Both cards offer a sign-up bonus in miles after you spend a certain amount within a set timeframe, usually three months. The bonus amount changes periodically, so the current offer might be different from what it was last month or will be next month. You can see the current bonus on Bank of America's website or Alaska Airlines' website.
To earn the bonus, you need to open the card and spend the required amount (for example, $2,000) within the window (for example, three months). Once you meet that spending, the miles post to your Alaska Airlines account within a few weeks. The bonus is the fastest way to build miles for a flight, since it can be worth thousands of miles on its own.
Annual fees, foreign transaction fees, and other costs
The no-annual-fee Visa has no annual cost. The Signature Visa costs $75 per year, charged on your card anniversary each year. Neither card charges a foreign transaction fee, so you can use them internationally without an extra percentage added to purchases made outside the United States.
Both cards charge the standard credit card interest rate (APR) if you carry a balance, and both allow you to set up automatic payments to avoid interest. There are no other hidden fees — no inactivity fees, no redemption fees, and no fees to add an authorized user to your account.
Comparing the two cards side by side
| Feature | Alaska Airlines Visa | Alaska Airlines Signature Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $75 |
| Miles on Alaska purchases | 1 mile per $1 | 2 miles per $1 |
| Miles on other purchases | 1 mile per $1 | 1 mile per $1 |
| Free checked bag | No | Yes (you + 2 companions) |
| Priority boarding | No | Yes |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Alaska miles to book flights on other airlines?
No. Alaska miles can only be used to book Alaska Airlines flights or to upgrade Alaska tickets. You cannot transfer miles to other airline programs or use them with partner airlines. If you want to use miles with multiple airlines, you would need a different type of travel rewards card that earns points you can transfer.
What happens to my miles if I close the card?
Your miles stay in your Alaska Airlines frequent flyer account even after you close the card. The miles don't disappear — they remain as long as your frequent flyer account stays active. Your account stays active as long as you have activity (earning or redeeming miles) at least once per year.
Do I have to be an Alaska Airlines frequent flyer member to open one of these cards?
No. When you open the card, Bank of America will set up an Alaska Airlines frequent flyer account for you automatically if you don't already have one. You don't need to join anything separately — the account is created as part of the card opening process.
How long does it take to earn enough miles for a free flight?
That depends on how much you spend and which flight you want to book. A short regional flight might cost 5,000 miles; a cross-country flight might cost 25,000 miles or more. If you spend $2,000 per month and earn 1 mile per dollar, you'd earn 24,000 miles per year, which could cover one cross-country flight. The sign-up bonus can significantly speed this up.
Can I earn miles on these cards without flying Alaska Airlines?
Yes. Both cards earn miles on every purchase you make, whether it's groceries, gas, or anything else. You don't have to fly to earn miles — you earn them just by using the card. The miles can then be redeemed for Alaska flights whenever you're ready to book.