The number of airlines offering uber expensive credit cards with luxurious perks is expanding, with Alaska Airlines launching a premium credit card that comes with lofty benefits and a hefty price tag: a $395 annual fee.
But the cost of Alaska Airlines’ new card is less than some top-of-the-line credit cards from other major airlines — including American Airlines at $595, Delta Air Lines at $650, United Airlines at $695 — that all come with their own specific perks.
Alaska Airlines’ basic $95-per-year credit card already offers some of the same perks as its new premium card, the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Card. Those include complimentary checked bags and early boarding on flights for the cardholder and up to six guests. But the new card goes quite a bit further by offering other juicy, annual perks, including:
- Eight Alaska lounge passes (for an annual value of at least $520).
- Eight Wi-Fi passes while flying on Alaska (worth $64).
- A $50 voucher good for food or drink at the airport if a flight is delayed for more than two hours for any reason.
- 25,000 annual “global companion award” points good toward an airline ticket for a travel buddy. The points can be used for any class of seat, including business and first class.
- 100,000 “global companion award” points for a companion airline ticket for cardholders who spend at least $6,000 in the first 90 days. In ensuing years, the threshold bumps up to $60,000 per year to get this benefit.
The Seattle-based airline is the dominant carrier at Portland International Airport, where it carries 29% of passengers flying in or out. That’s nearly 5 million passengers annually and more than double Alaska Airlines’ next closest competitor, Southwest Airlines, at about 14%, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Alaska Airlines and Bank of America, which are pairing together to offer the new card, call it “our most generous card ever.” The personal finance website, NerdWallet, values the 125,000 points in companion awards that it potentially offers at $1,500. The Points Guy, values them at about $1,800.
The companion awards are available for use on both Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, which merged with Alaska Airlines nearly a year ago. The awards work on airline partners, as well. Customers buying tickets on Hawaiian Airlines also earn points on the new card.
The Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Card’s annual fee is more than four times that of the airlines’ cheaper version, the $95-per-year Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Card, which is popular among customers because it comes with a $99 companion ticket, plus fees.
On Wednesday, Alaska Airlines also announced its Atmos Rewards loyalty program, which will soon encompass both the Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan and the Hawaiian Airlines’ HawaiianMiles program, come Oct. 1. The Mileage Plan number for Alaska Airlines customers will stay the same, while Hawaiian customers may be given new numbers on Oct. 1.
In 2026, the loyalty program will allow customers to choose how they accumulate points: whether that be one point for every mile flown, five points for every dollar spent on tickets or 500 points for every segment flown.
— Reporter Aimee Green covers politics, personal finance and issues that matter to consumers. She can be reached at 503-294-5119, agreen@oregonian.com or on Bluesky.
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