Alaska Airlines Unveils a New Premium Card and a Joint Loyalty Program with Hawaiian

Alaska Airlines is hoping a rebranded loyalty program and a new premium credit card will allow it to punch above its weight against Delta, United, and American.

Alaska unveiled Atmos Rewards, a unified frequent flyer platform that brings together Alaska’s Mileage Plan and Hawaiian Airlines’ HawaiianMiles, on Aug. 20, just weeks after finishing its acquisition of Hawaiian for $1.9 billion.

The airline also launched the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Card, issued by Bank of America. The card, which carries a $395 annual fee, includes perks such as a 100,000-point welcome bonus, lounge access, accelerated elite status earning, and trip delay reimbursement.

Bank of America, which has long been Alaska’s co-branded credit card partner, continues its role as issuer for both the new Summit card and Alaska’s existing Ascent Visa Signature card.

But the industry significance lies not just in the card’s features — it’s in how the program positions Alaska to appeal to premium customers looking for value and flexibility in their travel rewards.

By merging the two loyalty programs into Atmos Rewards, Alaska is responding to the growing demand for simpler, more transferable travel rewards. Travelers — especially credit card loyalists — are demanding more value, less complexity, and greater ability to use their points across networks.

Atmos allows members to pool points across Alaska, Hawaiian, and Oneworld partner airlines, a move that dramatically increases destination options and redemption flexibility.

The CardRates team recently highlighted how airline credit card programs have become a financial lifeline for carriers. In some cases, loyalty programs generate more profit than the airline’s core business of flying passengers.

For Alaska, whose footprint is smaller than that of the Big Three, integrating Hawaiian’s routes and rolling out a robust rewards ecosystem could help close the gap.

“The credit card tie-in isn’t just about travel perks anymore,” wrote travel journalist Ramsey Qubein in Forbes. “It’s about building a relationship with the customer year-round, regardless of whether they’re flying.”

The Summit card’s value proposition leans hard into that idea. In addition to the hefty bonus, cardholders earn 3x the points on dining, all eligible foreign purchases, and all eligible Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines purchases, with 1x on all other purchases.

They also receive an annual 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $6,000 in the first 90 days, which can cover another ticket for international travel. A much larger 100,000-point Global Companion Award is earned only after spending $60,000 on the card in a single year.

Additional benefits include statement credits up to $100 toward ride-share, meal delivery, streaming, trip delay protection, and access to Alaska Lounge and Priority Pass locations. Cardmembers with at least $20,000 annual spending are MVP Silver elite members. Spend more than $40,000, and presto — you’re an MVP Gold member.

This level of spend-based status is becoming more common in premium credit cards, especially after major airlines like Delta and American shifted from mileage-based to revenue- or spend-based loyalty models. Alaska’s new offering keeps pace with those changes while targeting customers who want alternatives to relying solely on frequent flying.

Alaska’s timing is notable. Consumers are feeling inflation pressure, and premium travel cards face heightened consumer scrutiny over cost and value. For a $395 fee, the Atmos Summit card will need to deliver tangible rewards that justify the cost early in the cardholder experience.

But if customers find the combined rewards program delivers on travel options and ease of use, Alaska may win over big spenders who’ve felt squeezed by devaluations in other airline loyalty programs.

In the shifting airline co-branded card market, Alaska is going on offense — with a combined loyalty experience, high-end benefits, and increased rewards all wrapped into one package. If Atmos Rewards and the Summit card can turn aspirational flyers into loyal users, perhaps it will put Alaska at a higher altitude in highly competitive skies.