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How is Alaska going to handle partner earning in 2026?
Starting January 1st, Alaska Airlines will undertake its largest change to its frequent flyer plan in its history. As the company continues to absorb Hawaiian Airlines into the mix, the airline is changing how we will earn miles on the new airline. Today, you earn 1 mile for each mile flown, with a minimum of 500 miles credited to your account (with some limits on Saver tickets) – and you can earn additional miles for purchasing First Class and also MVP elite bonuses. In order to earn MVP status, you have to fly a minimum of 20,000 “elite qualifying miles” or fly at least 30 segments on Alaska or its partners.
The new system will give you the choice of HOW you will earn (you have to pick ONE and are stuck with it all year).
Distance Traveled
1 mile flown = 1 point earned
This is based on the total distance flown of each flight, with NO MORE 500 minimum. So a flight from Juneau to Sitka will only credit you 94 miles instead of 500. Saver tickets will have a reduced earning value. Seattle to Los Angeles will remain at 954 miles; and Anchorage to Fairbanks will be only 260.
Price Paid
1 dollar spent = 5 points earned
You will earn 1 point for every dollar spent on Alaska less taxes. That last minute flight from Anchorage to Juneau – with a $346 fare has a base fare of $309.77, so 309 x 5 = 1,545 points. Compare that to 568 miles in the old system. However, if you book far in advance, the $198 fare has a base fare of $170.23, so 170 x 5 = 850 points (still ahead of the game). However, the variable comes into play on connections and longer flights… Seattle to Ft Lauderdale may have a fare of $183.30, with a base of $156.23, so 156 x 5 = 780 points versus 2,713 miles in the old methond.
Segments Flown
1 flight = 500 points
No matter how far your flight is, you’ll earn 500 points. Honolulu to Kahului, for example, is 100 miles, but if you chose this scheme, you’ll earn 500 points. Seattle to Belize City – just 500 points. Portland to Seattle to Vancouver will earn you 1,000 points.
This new methodology presents some challenges for flying on Alaska’s MANY partners – such as British Airways, Condor, Cathay Pacific, and others. Alaska’s systems don’t receive your electronic ticket data when you fly on a partner, so they don’t know how much you spent on your ticket. And receiving 500 points for a long flight like New York to Auckland on Qantas, for example, seems wrong (its a 17 hour flight and 8,831 miles – we’ve done it!)… that would be painful to only earn 500 miles on it.
Alaska has decided to keep its partner earning table based on the fare class purchased.