Introduction
Atmos Rewards is the loyalty program Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines share, and on September 29, 2026 Alaska announced its next round of changes. The biggest one opened on October 1, 2026: members can now choose how they earn points and status points on flights departing from January 1, 2027, by distance traveled, price paid or segments flown. A handful of status perks change in late 2026 and early 2027 too. Here's how Atmos Rewards status works right now, what the earning choice means for you, and what else Alaska has published for 2027, all checked against Alaska's and Bank of America's own pages on October 1, 2026.
How Atmos Rewards Status Works in 2026
Status runs on status points, which are separate from the points you redeem for flights. Alaska resets your status point total to zero at the start of every calendar year. The four tiers are Atmos Silver at 20,000 status points, Atmos Gold at 40,000, Atmos Platinum at 80,000 and Atmos Titanium at 135,000. In between, milestones at 10,000, 30,000, 55,000, 95,000, 125,000, 150,000, 200,000 and 250,000 status points let you pick perks such as bonus points, lounge passes or upgrade certificates.
The tiers earn 25%, 50%, 100% and 150% bonus points on every flight, partner flights included. On Alaska and Hawaiian, free checked bags run one bag at Silver, two at Gold and three at Platinum and Titanium, for you and every companion on the same reservation. Each tier also carries a oneworld tier: Silver is oneworld Ruby, Gold is Sapphire, and Platinum and Titanium are Emerald.
Status you earn lasts for the rest of the calendar year you earn it, the following calendar year and through January 31 of the year after that, according to Alaska's program terms.
Earning Status Points Without Flying
You don't have to fly to move up. Alaska's status points guide lists these rates:
- Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card: 1 status point per $2 spent on purchases, with no limit.
- Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature, Atmos Rewards Visa Business and Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard: 1 status point per $3 spent on purchases, uncapped.
- Lyft rides, and hotels, car rentals and cruises booked through Alaska or Hawaiian: 1 status point per $1 spent.
- Everyday partners and Atmos Rewards Shopping: 1 status point per 3 base points earned (bonus points don't count).
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel contributions: 1 status point per $1 contributed.
Award flights count too. Through December 31, 2026, you earn 1 status point for every mile you fly on a ticket booked with points, partner flights included.
Choose How You Earn, Starting in 2027
You pick one of three ways to earn points and status points on flights, and your pick applies to Alaska, Hawaiian and partner flights from January 1, 2027.
By distance traveled: 1 point per mile flown. Award flights earn status points by distance too.
By price paid: 5 points per $1 of fare, including carrier-imposed surcharges and paid seats on Alaska and Hawaiian, but not taxes and fees. Award flights earn 1 status point for every 20 points you redeem.
By segments flown: 500 points and 500 status points for each segment. Award segments earn 500 status points each.
If you joined Atmos Rewards on or before December 31, 2026 and don't choose, you keep earning by distance. Members who join on or after January 1, 2027 start on price paid. Everyone can change once per calendar year, and a change applies only to future trips.
Read the fine print on the distance option before you settle for the default. From January 1, 2027, it no longer includes class of service bonuses or the 500-point minimum on flights under 500 miles. Say you fly a 300-mile hop: in 2027 that's 300 points by distance, or 500 by segment. Alaska's own suggestion is that members who've been earning class of service bonuses look at price paid. Saver and Basic Economy fares earn no points or status points under any option, and credit card earning doesn't change.
One catch on partners: price paid earns 5 points per $1 on American Airlines flights wherever you book them, but flights booked directly with other partner airlines earn from Alaska's partner earn chart instead.
Other Changes Alaska Has Published for 2026 and 2027
- Atmos Communities (from October 1, 2026): six communities instead of two: Huaka'i by Hawaiian, Club 49, Global Locals, Culinary Journeys, Active Escapes and Families On the Go. Each has a destinations challenge worth up to 10,000 points.
- Premium Class for families (from November 2, 2026): Platinum and Titanium members, who can already bring one adult companion into Premium Class at no cost, can also bring companions under 18 on the same flight and reservation. Saver fares are excluded.
- Silver upgrades (from February 2027): Silver members lose complimentary Premium Class upgrades at booking but stay eligible within 48 hours of departure.
- Milestone perks (from January 1, 2027): the 10K bonus-points option drops from 750 to 500 points; at 30K, bonus points drop from 2,500 to 2,000 and the discount code rises from $25 to $50; at 55K, upgrade certificates drop from up to four to up to two; the 125K and 150K perks swap places; and Wi-Fi passes leave the menu.
- Onboard food and drink (from February 1, 2027): Gold members choose a complimentary premium beverage; Platinum, Titanium and Million Milers get a complimentary chocolate plus a premium drink; Titanium and Million Milers keep complimentary meals.
- Debit card (first quarter of 2027): an Atmos Rewards debit card that earns points and status points, with pre-registration open now.
- Bank of America transfers (2027): Alaska plans to let customers with eligible Bank of America cards transfer points into Atmos Rewards.
The Atmos Rewards Credit Cards
Bank of America issues the Atmos Rewards Visa cards. The entry card is the Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature, at a $95 annual fee. Bank of America's current online offer is 50,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 90 days. After that, you get a $99 Companion Fare each account anniversary once you spend $6,000 or more in the prior anniversary year, plus a free checked bag and preferred boarding for you and up to six guests on the same reservation when you pay for your Alaska or Hawaiian flight with the card.
For status, the Summit Visa Infinite earns faster (1 status point per $2 against the Ascent's 1 per $3), and Alaska waives partner award fees for Summit cardholders. Alaska also plans to refresh the Atmos Rewards Visa Business card in late 2026 and says it will share the details later this fall.
What to Do Now
If you've joined Atmos Rewards already and mostly fly long distances in economy, you can leave the default alone. If you buy First Class or Premium seats, or fly a mix of short and long trips, sign in, choose "Help me choose" on Alaska's choose-how-you-earn page and compare your 2026 flights under each option before January 1. If you mostly take short hops, such as Neighbor Island flights or trips within California, look at segments.
Silver members who count on Premium Class upgrades at booking should plan for that to end in February 2027. And if you're chasing a tier this year, remember your status points reset to zero on January 1.
Updated October 1, 2026: Removed an unsupported comparison with United's and Delta's programs. Rewrote the article against Alaska's Atmos Rewards pages and its September 29, 2026 announcement: status tiers and thresholds, status point earning, the new choice of how to earn on flights from 2027 and the other published changes, and the card's current name, the Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature.
