Alaska Airlines' loyalty program has a new name. On August 20, 2025, Mileage Plan became Atmos Rewards, and on October 1, 2025, Hawaiian's HawaiianMiles moved into it too. What you get today: points that never expire, status points on award flights, milestone perks between status levels, and 30+ partner airlines to earn and redeem with.
This is my case for why I still rate Atmos Rewards highly among U.S. airline loyalty programs, how you earn points and status, how redemptions work, and who it actually suits. Every program detail below comes from Alaska's own Atmos Rewards pages and newsroom, read October 3 and October 7, 2026. If you want the full mechanics, our Atmos Rewards guide goes deeper on each piece.
Quick Answer
Atmos Rewards is the program Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines share. I rate it highly because points never expire, current members keep earning by distance on flights unless they choose otherwise, award flights earn status points, and milestone perks start at 10,000 status points. You can redeem on Alaska, Hawaiian and 30+ partner airlines, with short-haul awards from 4,500 points each way.
From Mileage Plan to Atmos Rewards
Alaska's announcement was simple: "As of today, Mileage Plan members are now Atmos Rewards members." Mileage Plan members kept their account numbers and had nothing to do. The vocabulary changed, though. In Alaska's words, "Mileage Plan miles are now 'points' and elite-qualifying miles are referred to as 'status points.'"
The value didn't change. Alaska says one Mileage Plan or HawaiianMiles mile equals one Atmos Rewards point, "and points do not expire." That last part matters more than it sounds. You can build a balance slowly toward one big trip without babysitting it.
HawaiianMiles members moved over automatically on October 1, 2025, so Alaska and Hawaiian now run one program, one currency and one set of status tiers. Alaska's August 2025 announcement also said the Alaska Airlines Visa cards were being rebranded as Atmos Rewards Visa cards.
How You Earn Points
Flying is still the core, and Alaska still rewards distance. Its August 2025 announcement said it would "remain the only U.S. airline that offers points for miles flown." That's the big structural reason I rate this program: on the distance option, Alaska pays "one point for every mile flown."
You can now pick how you earn points and status points on flights, by distance traveled, price paid or segments flown, and new selections take effect January 1, 2027. Alaska describes the other two as five points per $1 spent on a flight, or a flat 500 points per segment. "Unless you choose something else, you'll keep earning by distance traveled." Our breakdown of the Atmos Rewards changes for 2026 and 2027 covers how to pick.
Partner flights earn too, but the rate isn't fixed. Alaska says what you earn "comes down to the airline, how you booked, the flight number and the fare class." One useful detail: partner flights booked directly through Alaska or Hawaiian (ticket numbers starting with 027) earn points, and Alaska names Breeze Airways, ITA Airways and Singapore Airlines among them.
Off the plane, points come from Atmos Rewards Shopping and Dining, Lyft, hotels and vacation rentals, car rentals and the Atmos Rewards Visa cards.
How Status Works
Status runs on status points, not redeemable points, and there are four tiers. Each one earns a bonus on the points you earn from flying, including on partners.
- Atmos Silver (20,000 status points): 25% bonus points on every flight, complimentary upgrades to First and Premium Class when available, and complimentary preferred seating on Alaska, Hawaiian and American (excluding Saver and Basic Economy).
- Atmos Gold (40,000 status points): 50% bonus points, plus complimentary same-day flight changes when flying Main Cabin or First Class on Alaska flights.
- Atmos Platinum (80,000 status points): 100% bonus points, plus an upgrade to Premium Class at the time of booking across all global routes (excluding Saver fares).
- Atmos Titanium (135,000 status points): 150% bonus points, complimentary onboard meals on Alaska flights and the highest priority for complimentary upgrades.
Every status holder also gets free checked bags on Alaska, Hawaiian and American, priority check-in, security and boarding, and oneworld status. Alaska's partners page says members "enjoy status corresponding with oneworld tier levels Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald on all member airlines." Complimentary First Class upgrades apply on Alaska, Hawaiian and eligible American Airlines flights within North America, including Hawaii, when available.
Milestones Between the Levels
This is the feature I'd point to first when someone asks why Alaska's program stands out. You don't have to hit a tier to get rewarded. Milestones land at 10,000, 30,000, 55,000, 95,000, 125,000, 150,000, 200,000 and 250,000 status points, and at each one you pick one or two perks.
Alaska describes the menu as "options like complimentary meals, flight discounts, bonus points or Alaska Lounge passes," and from the 55,000 milestone up, the choices include upgrade certificates. Alaska has announced refreshed perks at a few milestone levels for 2027, so check the current menu before you plan around a specific perk.
Status Without Living on a Plane
Here's where Atmos gets genuinely generous. Award flights earn status points: Alaska credits "1 status point earned for every mile flown on award flights, including trips taken using our global partners." You don't earn redeemable points on an award ticket, but the status points still count. For partner award flights, Alaska says that from January 1, 2027 the rate will depend on which earning option you pick.
Spending earns status points too, at these rates from Alaska's benefits page:
- Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card: 1 status point per $2 spent on purchases, with no limit.
- Atmos Rewards Ascent, Atmos Rewards Visa Business and Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard: 1 status point per $3 spent, uncapped since January 1, 2026.
- Lyft rides, and hotels, cars and cruises booked through Alaska or Hawaiian: 1 status point per $1 spent.
- Everyday partners: 1 status point per 3 points earned (bonus points don't count).
To show what the card rates mean, take a hypothetical $60,000 a year on the Ascent card. At 1 status point per $3, that's 20,000 status points, which is Atmos Silver before you fly. The same $60,000 on the Summit card, at 1 per $2, is 30,000 status points, enough for the 30,000 milestone.
The Partner Network
Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance, which opens up partners well beyond its own network. Today Alaska lists 30+ airline partners and 1,000+ destinations.
The 14 oneworld partners are American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian and SriLankan Airlines. The eight global partners are Aer Lingus, Air Tahiti Nui, Condor, Hainan Airlines, Icelandair, Korean Air, Philippine Airlines and STARLUX Airlines.
The 10 regional partners fill in the gaps: Aleutian Airways, Bahamasair, Cape Air, Contour Airlines, Jetstar, Mokulele Airlines, Porter Airlines and Southern Airways Express, with Air Rarotonga and Air Tahiti listed as coming soon. That mix is why one Atmos balance can cover a Neighbor Island hop, a transatlantic flight and a trip around Asia.
How Redemptions Work
Partner awards price from a chart built on region and distance bands, and every figure on it is a "starting at" price. Alaska is upfront that the real price can be higher: it "may vary based on route-specific factors, including city pair combinations, partner airline pricing, market demand, number of flight segments in the itinerary and limited availability at lower tiers." Read the chart as a floor, then search your actual dates.
The entry point is low. "Short-haul award flights start as low as 4,500 points each way," and when HawaiianMiles moved over in October 2025, Alaska said Neighbor Island awards start at 4,500 points one-way. Premium economy awards start "at only 30% more than an economy ticket." Mixed-cabin trips price at the highest cabin on the itinerary, so one business class segment makes the whole award a business class award.
The rules are friendly where it counts. There are no blackout dates on Alaska or Hawaiian flights, and you can change or cancel an award before departure and get your points and taxes back. Eligible international itineraries allow one stopover of up to 14 days per one-way. Alaska also runs limited-time award offers of up to 50% off selected international destinations.
Watch the fees. Taxes and carrier fees start at $5.60 per person each way, and any itinerary with a partner segment adds a nonrefundable $20 partner award fee per person each way, which Alaska waives for Summit cardholders. Booking by phone costs $30 per person.
Flights aren't the only option. You can book hotels and vacation rentals through Stays by Alaska Vacations, redeem for events and experiences through Atmos Rewards Unlocked, or give points to friends, family or a cause.
On October 7, 2026, Alaska added Unlocked experiences from Alterra Mountain Company, Nordstrom and Pebble Beach Resorts. Through Alterra Mountain Company's Ikon Pass, members will be able to redeem points this season for select ski and mountain experiences, including a CMH heli-skiing package, Steamboat Ski Resort stay-and-ski offers and 26/27 Ikon Pass bundles. Nordstrom adds private holiday shopping experiences at its stores in seven major markets, including Seattle, Portland, Honolulu, Los Angeles and New York City. Pebble Beach Resorts brings the golf, with planned stay-and-play packages, hosted golf experiences and culinary packages you can book with points.
Who Atmos Rewards Suits
The obvious fit is anyone who flies out of Alaska's and Hawaiian's hubs: Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. If that's you, the status perks show up on most of your trips, and the milestones keep paying out even in a year you fall short of a tier.
The 2027 earning choice widens the fit. Alaska pitches distance earning at "thrifty travelers who take cross-country or international trips," price paid at travelers flying premium cabins, and segments at people who take lots of short flights, like Neighbor Island hops or trips within California. Pick the option that matches how you actually fly.
It also suits anyone who flies oneworld airlines and wants one place to bank points, and anyone who'd rather earn status through card spending and award flights than through constant flying. If you rarely fly Alaska, Hawaiian or a partner, the status side matters less, though points that never expire still make it an easy balance to hold.
Here's Where I'd Start
If you're new to Atmos Rewards, add your number to every Alaska, Hawaiian and partner booking first, including the oneworld flights you'd otherwise credit elsewhere. Then pick one specific award you want and search it on real dates, because the chart only shows starting prices.
If you're close to a milestone or a tier, look at the card and award-flight paths before you book extra flights just for status. And before January 1, 2027, decide whether distance, price paid or segments fits your flying, since distance is what you'll keep if you do nothing.
Updated October 7, 2026: Atmos Rewards Unlocked.
