This is a great frequent flyer program for Canadians living in Alberta and British Columbia. This airline flies from Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, and Edmonton in Canada to cities in Alaska, Hawaii, the lower 48 states, and Mexico.
Alaska Airlines® does not belong to any global airline alliance like the Star AllianceTM, but you do have the opportunity to earn and redeem miles across airlines from different alliances. This program makes sense for flyers that do not fly frequently enough in the United States with either Delta or American to achieve any type of Elite status with those carriers. You can credit the miles that you would earn flying those airlines to your Alaska Airlines® mileage account, making this a flexible program.
Members of this program earn one mile per mile flown on Alaska Airlines® and their partners. You earn a minimum of 500 miles for short hops, i.e. Victoria, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington. First class fares earn 50 percent additional bonus miles, and Full Flex fares earn an additional 25 percent. Earning varies with partner airlines, and most offer actual flight miles with fewer miles for discounted coach fares and more miles for higher fare classes.
Alaska Airlines® has many bonus mile offers on its website. They reward travel booked through Alaska Airlines® Vacations and premium fares booked (First, Business and Premium economy class tickets) with their airline partners.
They also have one of the top travel reward credit cards available for Canadians, the Alaska Airlines® Platinum MasterCard Credit Card.
This card features:
- 25,000 Bonus Miles upon approval.
- An annual coach Companion Fare from $110 (USD) ($99 base fare plus taxes and fees, from $11 depending on your Alaska Airlines® flight itinerary).
- One mile for every $1 spent on qualifying net retail purchases.
- Three miles for every dollar in qualifying net retail purchases of Alaska Airlines® flights and vacation packages.
I have this credit card, and I really enjoy having the companion fare certificate. I use this for long-haul flights in North America to Florida or Hawaii, where the fares can be high flying from British Columbia.
You have the option of using one-way or round-trip awards at three levels of redemption: Super Saver, Choice, and Full Flex for flights with Alaska Airlines. You can also redeem miles with fifteen other carriers, including American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Emirates, and KLM.
If you travel enough with Alaska Airlines® and their select airline partners, you can qualify for elite status. As an MVP, MVP Gold, or Gold 75K member, you can enjoy great benefits, special treatment, and even bonus miles on every flight.
I have redeemed my Alaska Airlines® miles for flights on the floatplane from Victoria to Seattle’s Lake Union with former partner Kenmore Air, flights to Miami, San Diego, Los Angeles, and for a trip to London, England with partner American Airlines.
Positives:
- Alaska allows one stopover of more than 24 hours or one open jaw on international awards.
- As long as you keep your account active, by earning or spending at least one mile every 24 months, your miles will never expire.
- Option of using Money & Miles for a discount off of a purchased ticket.
- Can earn Elite status by flying with other partner airlines.
Negatives:
- Not too many retail partners in the program for Canadians, so you need to get an affiliated credit card or fly frequently to earn mileage.
- Not a member of any major airline alliance.
