If you’re a frequent West Coast flyer, or just someone with a bunch of Alaska Airlines miles, you’re probably curious how much those miles are actually worth.
The short answer is this: We peg the value of Alaska miles at 1.2 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.2 cents or more in value from your Alaska miles.
What does this value mean?
Our estimated value of 1.2 cents per Alaska mile provides a lower-end value you can use to determine the relative value of your own redemptions. It is based on comparing main cabin fares using both cash and miles, across several dates and destinations.
In other words, this is the value you can expect to get from your Alaska miles without seeking particularly high-value redemptions. This means you can get more value by looking for sweet spots and using more advanced award techniques. It also means you can end up getting lower value than this if you’re not careful and book the first award ticket you find.
Calculator: Convert Alaska miles to dollars
Use this calculator to determine the value of any number of Alaska miles, based on our valuation.
How do Alaska miles compare to other airlines?
Alaska miles have an average value compared to other airlines. However, because Alaska miles are earned based on distance flown rather than the amount spent, it is relatively easy to earn a lot of these miles.
When is the best time to use Alaska miles?
Now we’re getting seriously nerdy. We compared the value of using Alaska Mileage Club miles when booking at three different timeframes: 15 days before departure, 180 days before departure, and during peak holiday travel (Dec. 22 - 29).
Award fares booked far in advance yielded the highest per-mile value, while last-minute bookings yielded the lowest. Traveling during the holidays yielded typical value, on average.
How flexible are Alaska miles?
Simply put, Alaska has some of the best and most diverse global partners of any major U.S. airline, and its miles can be used to great effect by booking partner flights. Some partners to target with your award searches include:
American Airlines.
Japan Airlines.
Cathay Pacific.
Qantas.
How did we determine the value of Alaska miles?
We collected hundreds of data points comparing the cash value to award (mile) value for the same routes and dates. That is, we compared the cost of a given ticket in either cash or miles, across many tickets.
This method differs from others in that it looks at actual redemptions rather than hypothetical, maximized redemptions. The advantage of this approach is that it provides a real-world indication of how much these miles are worth, on average. That said, it doesn’t take into account the high-value redemptions that points enthusiasts seek.
Frequently asked questions
How much are 10,000 Alaska miles worth?
Based on our analysis, 10,000 Alaska miles are worth about $120.
How much are 25,000 Alaska miles worth?
Based on our analysis, 25,000 Alaska miles are worth about $300.
How much are 50,000 Alaska miles worth?
Based on our analysis, 50,000 Alaska miles are worth about $600.
How much are 80,000 Alaska miles worth?
Based on our analysis, 80,000 Alaska miles are worth about $960.
How much are 100,000 Alaska miles worth?
Based on our analysis, 100,000 Alaska miles are worth about $1,200.
FAQs
Alaska miles are worth about 1.2 cents each when used for award flights. Sam Kemmis is a travel rewards expert at NerdWallet specializing in airline and hotel loyalty programs.
What are my Alaska miles worth? ›
You can redeem miles for a discount on Alaska Airlines flights, but while the discount is marketed as 50%, it's capped at either $100 (for 10,000 miles) or $200 (for 20,000 miles). That means the most you'll get from these redemptions is 1 cent per mile, which is well below our low valuation of 1.3 cents per mile.
How much is 40 000 Alaska miles worth? ›
Overall, we value Alaska Mileage Plan miles at 1.2 cents each, which means 40,000 miles will be equal to $480 worth of travel. When flying with Alaska Airlines, you'll pay a range of pricing depending on demand, distance and fare class.
How do you calculate if miles are worth it? ›
To see how much value you can get out of your rewards on an individual flight or hotel stay, divide the cost of a booking in cash by its cost in points or miles. For example, a flight that costs $139 or 21,500 points will offer about 0.6 cents per point in value ($139 / 21,500 points = ~$0.006 ).
How much is 42000 miles worth? ›
42,000 Delta miles are worth an average of $470.4, according to WalletHub data. You will get the best value for your Delta miles if you use them for flights booked through Delta, though there are a few other redemption options to choose from.
How much is 70 000 Alaska miles worth? ›
With Alaska charging you 70,000 miles for this flight (and a negligible amount of taxes, under $100), you'd end up with a redemption value of about 29 cents per mile. To get that number, we take the cost of the ticket and divide it by the number of miles being redeemed, or $20,000 ÷ 70,000 = $0.285.
How much is 50000 Alaska miles worth? ›
How much are 50,000 Alaska miles worth? , 50,000 Alaska miles are worth about $600. How much are 80,000 Alaska miles worth? , 80,000 Alaska miles are worth about $960.
How much money is 60 000 miles worth? ›
60,000 United miles are worth an average of $714, according to WalletHub data. You will get the best value for your United MileagePlus miles when you redeem them for Travel, but there are multiple redemption options.
What is 80 000 airline miles worth? ›
80,000 United miles are worth about $960. How much are 100,000 United miles worth?
How much is 50 000 miles in dollars? ›
50,000 American miles are worth about $750.
Calculating cost per mile becomes a simple equation once you know your mileage and total expenses. Divide your total expenses by the total number of miles driven, and the result is your cost per mile.
How much is 3000 miles worth? ›
3,000 United miles are worth an average of $35.7, according to WalletHub data. You will get the best value for your United MileagePlus miles when you redeem them for Travel, but there are multiple redemption options.
How much is 51000 miles worth? ›
51,000 Capital One miles are worth an average of $357, depending on how you redeem them.
Where can I fly with 40000 miles? ›
As you can see, 40,000 frequent flyer miles can be enough to book a round-trip to the mainland United States, Hawaii, or a tropical beach in the Caribbean or Mexico. It's also enough points to at least get a one-way fare to Europe or upgrade to business class.
How much is 55000 miles worth? ›
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 55,000 | $649 |
| 65,000 | $767 |
| 75,000 | $885 |
| 85,000 | $1,003 |
2 more rowsDec 9, 2022
Chip Lupo, Credit Card Writer
67,000 Delta miles are worth an average of $750.4, according to WalletHub data.
How much is 500000 miles worth? ›
And the truth is, it's not even about the money. It's about the places and adventures that the miles unlock. You can see the world with 500,000 miles or use them for over 20 domestic round-trip flights (Estimated Value: $8K).
How much is 65000 miles worth? ›
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 65,000 | $767 |
| 55,000 | $649 |
| 45,000 | $531 |
| 35,000 | $413 |
2 more rowsDec 9, 2022
Alaska flights
Awards start as low as 5,000 miles each way for domestic travel under 700 miles. For trips longer than 2,100 miles, expect to pay as few as 12,500 miles (for economy) to as many as 70,000 (for first class).
How many miles do you need to book a flight Alaska? ›
For flights within the contiguous U.S. and Alaska, award tickets start at 5,000 miles each way. You can see how much your award ticket might cost for your particular trip by using Alaska Airlines' award chart tool.
Yes. If you have an excess of Alaska Airlines miles in your account, you can earn instant cash by selling your miles through our MilesBuyer trading platform.
Is 100 000 miles too much? ›
What is considered high mileage on a car? Often, 100,000 miles is considered a cut-off point for used cars because older vehicles often start requiring more expensive and frequent maintenance when mileage exceeds 100,000.
Is 60000 miles considered high mileage? ›
To determine whether a car has reasonable mileage, you can simply multiply 12,000 by its age. That means good mileage for a car that's 5 years old is 60,000. Significantly more or fewer miles could indicate a problem or trouble in the future.
How much is 70000 miles worth in dollars? ›
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 70,000 | $826 |
| 60,000 | $708 |
| 50,000 | $590 |
| 40,000 | $472 |
2 more rowsDec 8, 2022
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 85,000 | $1,003 |
| 75,000 | $885 |
| 65,000 | $767 |
| 55,000 | $649 |
2 more rowsDec 8, 2022
60,000 American Airlines Miles
One-way rates can be the following: Within the United States: 12,500 miles (main cabin) and 25,000 miles (business/first) Hawaii: 22,500 (main cabin) and 55,000 miles (business/first) Mexico: 15,000 (main cabin) and 25,000 miles (business/first)
What does 85000 miles get you? ›
85,000 Delta miles get you $952, on average. You can use Delta miles for plane tickets to over 300 destinations across 50 countries, seat upgrades, and SkyMiles Marketplace purchases, among other things. Depending on the route, 85,000 Delta miles may very well cover the cost of one or multiple tickets.
Is 75k miles a lot? ›
With that in mind, a good mileage range for a used car would be between 75,000 and 100,000 miles, since many cars last beyond the 150,000-mile point.
Is 70 k miles a lot? ›
If you have a three-year-old car with 70,000 miles on it, this will likely be considered high mileage because the car has significantly higher mileage than most cars its age. On the other hand, a 10-year-old car with 70,000 miles on it may be considered low mileage for its age.
How many dollars is 20000 miles worth? ›
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 20,000 | $236 |
| 30,000 | $354 |
| 40,000 | $472 |
| 50,000 | $590 |
2 more rowsDec 9, 2022
The easiest way to calculate your gas mileage is to simply divide the number of miles traveled by the number of gallons of gas your vehicle took to refill. In sum, that's miles driven divided by gallons of gas used.
How much should I charge per mile? ›
New IRS Mileage Rates
The new mileage rates are up from 58.5 cents per mile for business purposes and 18 cents per mile for medical or moving purposes in early 2022 and 62.5 cents per mile for business purposes in the second half of 2022.
How much does 5000 miles get you? ›
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 5,000 | $59 |
| 15,000 | $177 |
| 25,000 | $295 |
| 35,000 | $413 |
2 more rowsDec 9, 2022
5,000 Cash Miles are worth $525, as 95 Cash Miles have a monetary value of $10 (giving each mile a value of 10.5 cents).
How much is 1000 miles worth? ›
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 1,000 | $11.8 |
| 11,000 | $129.8 |
| 21,000 | $247.8 |
| 31,000 | $365.8 |
2 more rowsDec 8, 2022
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 75,000 | $885 |
| 65,000 | $767 |
| 55,000 | $649 |
| 45,000 | $531 |
2 more rowsDec 8, 2022
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 60,000 | $708 |
| 50,000 | $590 |
| 40,000 | $472 |
| 30,000 | $354 |
2 more rowsDec 9, 2022
Where are you traveling?
| Region: | Main Cabin starting at: | Premium Economy starting at: |
|---|
| Contiguous 48 U.S. states + Canada | 7,500 | – |
| Mexico + Caribbean + Central America | 10,000 | – |
| South America – Short Haul | 15,000 | – |
| Hawaii + Alaska | 20,000 | 40,000 |
3 more rowsHow many miles needed for a free flight by airline
| Airline | Coach/Economy | First class |
|---|
| American Airlines | 10,000-30,000 | 50,000-115,000 |
| Delta Air Lines | 8,000-36,500 | N/A |
| Southwest Airlines | 7,519-57,088 | N/A |
| United Airlines | 10,600-20,800 | N/A |
4 more rowsMar 31, 2023
After having flown all over the world to train people how to run car dealerships, Tom Stuker had, as of July 2022, clocked up 23 million miles on over 12,000 flights.
Mileage Plan Miles do not expire.
How much is 63000 miles worth? ›
63,000 Capital One miles are worth an average of $441, depending on how you redeem them. Capital One miles are worth the most when redeemed for travel, but you can also redeem for a statement credit, a check or gift cards, among other options.
How many Alaska air miles per dollar? ›
With the Alaska Airlines credit card, earn 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, local transit (including ride share), cable, and select streaming services and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
How much is 5000 air miles worth? ›
5,000 Cash Miles are worth $525, as 95 Cash Miles have a monetary value of $10 (giving each mile a value of 10.5 cents).
How much is 6000 miles worth? ›
How Much American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Are Worth
| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|
| 6,000 | $70.8 |
| 16,000 | $188.8 |
| 26,000 | $306.8 |
| 36,000 | $424.8 |
2 more rowsDec 9, 2022
Yes. If you have an excess of Alaska Airlines miles in your account, you can earn instant cash by selling your miles through our MilesBuyer trading platform.
How many miles do you need to upgrade to first class in Alaska? ›
First Class upgrade. Only 15,000 miles to upgrade to First Class. To shop for fares that qualify for a mileage upgrade, and to view available space and eligibility, please select Mileage upgrade as your Upgrade preference option when shopping for flights.
How much is 60 000 flight miles worth? ›
60,000 United miles are worth an average of $714, according to WalletHub data. You will get the best value for your United MileagePlus miles when you redeem them for Travel, but there are multiple redemption options.
How much is 50000 miles worth in dollars? ›
50,000 American Airlines miles are worth about $645, which is the equivalent of at least one round-trip flight between New York and Los Angeles on American Airlines. AA miles are worth about 1.18 cents per mile, slightly less than average for a major airline.
How much value is 10,000 miles? ›
10,000 United miles are worth about $120.
You should aim to get this value or higher when you redeem your miles. Can I use my Alaska miles to buy a ticket for someone else? You can use your Alaska miles to purchase an award ticket for someone else. Just fill in their name and details in the Passenger Information section when booking.
How do I keep my Alaska miles from expiring? ›
Earn Alaska miles quickly
Another way to earn miles easily and consistently — that also serves to keep the miles you have from expiring — is to sign up for one of Alaska Airlines' credit cards. There's an option for personal accounts and business accounts.
Can I transfer Alaska miles to my wife? ›
Transferring Alaska Mileage Plan Miles
You can transfer Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles to the account of a friend or family member, but once again it will cost you. You can transfer 1,000 to 30,000 miles in increments of 1,000 miles at a cost of $10.00 per 1,000 miles, plus a $25.00 processing fee per transaction.
