Last updated: August 2026. Sign-up bonuses and fees change often — confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before you apply.
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® — reissued as the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® after Alaska and Hawaiian merged their loyalty programs — is the rare $95 airline card whose headline perk can pay for itself several times over in a single booking. The famous Companion Fare lets a second traveler fly for $99 plus taxes and fees, and the points you earn feed one of the most valuable partner-award programs in the world. If you live near an Alaska or Hawaiian hub, fly with another person, or redeem on oneworld partners, this card belongs in your wallet.
Advertiser disclosure: we may be compensated when you're approved through our links. It doesn't affect our editorial take. Terms apply — see the issuer's Rates & Fees.
At a glance
| Annual fee | $95 |
| Sign-up bonus | 70,000 points + Companion Fare after $2,500 spend in 90 days (verify current offer) |
| Best for | Alaska/Hawaiian flyers; couples; oneworld partner redemptions |
| Points earned | Atmos™ Rewards (formerly Alaska Mileage Plan) |
| Signature perk | Annual Companion Fare — $99 + taxes/fees, after $6,000 spend/year |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
| Card network | Visa (Signature) — issued by Bank of America |
Apply Now → see the current offer
What the points are worth
In August 2025, Alaska Mileage Plan became Atmos Rewards, absorbing HawaiianMiles at 1:1 — your miles became points, nothing lost. What makes them special hasn't changed: distance-based partner award charts in a world that has mostly gone dynamic. Because a Tokyo business-class seat costs a fixed number of points regardless of the cash fare, Atmos points are consistently among the highest-valued airline currencies in independent valuations — a well-chosen partner redemption routinely returns several cents per point, while a cheap intra-West-Coast hop from 4,500 points still beats spending cash. Atmos points do not expire. See how we value each currency.
Where your points can go
Alaska is a full oneworld member, so points book seats on American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Finnair, Iberia and the rest of the alliance — plus non-alliance partners such as Aer Lingus, Icelandair and Starlux. Awards price from three regional partner charts (Americas; Europe/Middle East/Africa; Asia Pacific) by distance flown, one-way. And of course: Alaska and Hawaiian's own networks, including the best award access to Hawaii from the West Coast. New to alliances? Start with our airline alliances guide.
Earning rates
| Rate | Category |
|---|---|
| 3x | Eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases |
| 2x | Gas and EV charging stations |
| 2x | Cable, internet and select streaming services |
| 2x | Local transit, including rideshare |
| 1x | Everything else |
The card also earns 1 status point per $3 spent, with no cap — card spend alone counts toward Atmos elite tiers (Silver at 20,000 status points, Gold at 40,000, Platinum at 80,000, Titanium at 135,000), which map to oneworld Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald. See our elite status guide for whether chasing status makes sense for you.
Benefits & credits
Credit amounts and perks change — verify each is current before you count on it.
- Companion Fare, every year — after $6,000 in purchases in the prior anniversary year, you receive a code to book a companion's seat for $99 plus taxes and fees (from $23). Be clear-eyed: it's a steep discount, not a free ticket — you always pay the second seat's taxes and fees. It's valid on Alaska and Hawaiian flights within North America, including Hawaii.
- Free first checked bag — for you and up to six guests on the same reservation.
- Priority boarding — again for you and up to six guests.
- 10% rewards bonus on points earned if you hold an eligible Bank of America account.
- Status points on spend — 1 per $3, uncapped (see above).
- No foreign transaction fees.
Best uses (sweet spots), with examples
1. The Companion Fare on an expensive route. Book two Seattle–New York or West Coast–Hawaii tickets when fares are high: the companion's economy seat costs $99 + taxes/fees instead of full fare. On a $450 fare, that's roughly $300+ saved — more than three times the annual fee. The math gets better the pricier the route; on a $150 fare it's barely worth using. Note it books an economy fare — this isn't a first-class perk.
2. Japan Airlines business class to Tokyo — from 60,000 points one-way. Seattle to Tokyo in JAL business has recently priced from 60,000 points — a seat that often sells for several thousand dollars. This is the classic use of this currency. Flying from elsewhere? See Cathay first class from 110k for another Asia-Pacific chart standout — Cathay business starts around 75,000 points.
3. Transatlantic business class from ~45,000 points. The Europe/Middle East/Africa partner chart starts long-haul business awards surprisingly low — East Coast departures to Western Europe have priced from about 45,000 points one-way on partners.
4. The free stopover trick. Atmos allows one free stopover on a one-way award (two on a round trip) — Tokyo for a week on your way to somewhere else in Asia, at no extra points. Very few programs still allow this.
5. Cheap short hops. Flights under 700 miles on Alaska/Hawaiian start at 4,500 points one-way — an easy way to get outsized value from small balances.
Fine print worth knowing
- The Companion Fare requires $6,000 spend in your cardmember year — it is no longer automatic on renewal. Budget for that or the headline perk never arrives.
- Partner awards carry a booking fee — $20 per person each way as of July 1, 2026 (waived for holders of the premium Summit card).
- The 3x category is Alaska/Hawaiian purchases from the airline, not all travel.
- Status points are separate from redeemable points and reset annually.
- Award charts can and do change; confirm pricing on alaskaair.com before transferring plans onto a specific number.
Who should get it
Get this card if you fly Alaska or Hawaiian even a few times a year, you regularly travel with a partner or family member (the Companion Fare + free bags for six guests are made for you), or you want to earn the currency with the best fixed partner charts left in the game.
Consider the business version instead if you have a business — lower base fee, same Companion Fare. Consider a transferable-currency card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you're not near an Alaska/Hawaiian hub — Atmos points are precious precisely because banks can't easily mint them, but that also means this card and flying are the main ways in.
Bottom line
A $95 fee buys a companion discount worth hundreds a year, free bags for your whole travel party, and points that book some of the world's best business-class seats at fixed prices. The Companion Fare needs $6,000 of annual spend and always costs $99 plus taxes — know that going in, and the card is one of the strongest airline cards in America. Track it alongside your other cards in your Rewards Wallet, or see where it fits your strategy in Points Path.
Apply Now → see the current offer
Related: How much are your points worth? · Alaska Visa Business guide · Best sweet spots · Transfer AA miles to Alaska? Read this first
