It's back: Alaska Airlines allowing members to convert travel credit to miles - The Points Guy (2024)

The coronavirus pandemic is driving airlines to offer passengers more flexibility. Change-fee waivers continue to be extended, new bookings offer flexible rebooking options and mileage expirations are temporarily suspended.

Generally speaking, you won't get a full refund when you voluntarily cancel a flight. Instead, you get a travel voucher valid for 12 or 24 months that you can use toward a future flight.

In an effort to provide passengers with more flexibility, Southwest recently added the ability to convert travel funds into Rapid Rewards points. Now, Alaska Airlines is following suit.

The airline allowed a handful of customers to convert wallet funds to Mileage Plan miles in August on a targeted basis. The airline later offered the deal to all members in October, processing all conversions at a preferred rate of 1 cent per point, so $100 equaled 10,000 miles.

Friday, Alaska announced that it's again offering these transfers through Nov. 13 at 11:59 p.m. These transfers process at the same rate as the last promotion, so worth considering if you're sitting on a stash of Alaska flight credits. Here's everything you need to know.

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Converting Alaska wallet funds to miles

It's back: Alaska Airlines allowing members to convert travel credit to miles - The Points Guy (1)

Alaska is allowing those with wallet funds to convert funds to Alaska miles for a limited time. This offer is available for all members with existing wallet credit. If you're interested in converting your wallet funds, head to the conversion page on Alaska's website and log in to your account.

Transfers process at a rate of 1 cent per point, so 1 cent = 1 mile. You can convert Alaska funds to miles in increments of 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of your total wallet balance. So if you have a $100 credit, you can convert $25, $50, $75 or $100 of your funds to 2,500, 5,000, 7,500 or 10,000 miles respectively.

It's back: Alaska Airlines allowing members to convert travel credit to miles - The Points Guy (2)

Want to take advantage of this promotion? You'll have to act fast. You can convert wallet funds to miles from now until Nov. 13 at 11:59 p.m. PT. It's unclear if this promotion will return in the future.

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Related: 5 things to know about Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Is it worth it?

It's back: Alaska Airlines allowing members to convert travel credit to miles - The Points Guy (3)

Again, transfers process at a rate of $0.01 per mile. TPG values Alaska miles at 1.8 cents apiece, so you're getting a huge discount if you agree with our valuations. You can use these miles to book travel on Alaska's partners, including American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines at excellent rates. Plus, you can add a free stopover on one-way and round-trip itineraries.

For example, you can use 50,000 miles for a one-way Cathay Pacific business class ticket from the U.S. to Asia. With the free stopover, you can book something like Newark (EWR) to Hong Kong (HKG) and Seoul (ICN), giving you hours in the airline's top-notch business class product. You can "buy" this flight for just $500 (equal to 50,000 miles) if you have enough wallet credit to convert.

This is an especially good deal if you buy Alaska miles regularly. The airline recently offered a 60% bonus when buying Alaska miles. In effect, the airline was selling miles at 1.72 cents per mile, so the above conversion is a far better deal. Just note that miles can be devalued at any given time, including potentially in 2021, when the airline officially joins the Oneworld alliance.

Finally, Alaska wallet funds expire one year from the original travel date. By converting funds into redeemable miles, you would unlock much greater flexibility as miles don't expire as long as there's activity in your account once every 24 months.

Related: Best sweet spots with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Bottom line

It's great to see Alaska give members more ways to use their travel credit. I highly recommend taking advantage of this offer if you value Alaska Airlines miles as highly as the TPG team does. Buying these miles at just 1.0 cents per point is an excellent deal, especially when you consider how much value you can get when booking flights on Alaska's global partners.

Additional reporting by Benji Stawski

Featured image by Michael Rosebrock/Shutterstock

It's back: Alaska Airlines allowing members to convert travel credit to miles - The Points Guy (2024)

FAQs

How do I convert Alaska travel credit to miles? ›

If you're interested in converting your wallet funds, head to the conversion page on Alaska's website and log in to your account. Transfers process at a rate of 1 cent per point, so 1 cent = 1 mile. You can convert Alaska funds to miles in increments of 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of your total wallet balance.

How long does Alaska travel credit last? ›

Your credit certificate will remain valid for 12 months from the issue date of your original ticket, or 30 days from the date of exchange/cancellation (whichever is greater). Credit certificates cannot be redeemed for cash, check, or gift certificates and cannot be credited back to a charge card.

How many miles per dollar Alaska Airlines credit card? ›

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 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.

Can I convert credit card points to miles? ›

Many credit card companies offer rewards points that can be exchanged for, or applied to, frequent flyer miles. The conversion process and rates will depend on your credit card terms. However, with the right strategies in place, you can usually earn heavily discounted or free flights to any destination.

How to redeem Alaska Airlines miles with credit card? ›

You can redeem your Alaska Airlines Credit Card miles online by signing in to your account or by calling (800) 252-7522. Alaska Airlines Credit Card miles can be redeemed for: Airfare with Alaska Airlines and its partner airlines. Hotel stays.

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 you extend travel credits? ›

Those vouchers typically expire 12 to 24 months from the time services were booked. There's more than one way to avoid losing your money. You can ask for a credit extension, and if the answer is no, you can try to negotiate a refund.

Can you cash out Alaska miles? ›

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 much are 40 000 Alaska miles worth? ›

Alaska Airlines: $480

The cost to redeem your Alaska miles will depend on your carrier; you'll find different rates hinging on whether you're flying Alaska or one of its partners. 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.

How much is 75000 miles credit card? ›

Earn 75,000 Bonus Miles With the Capital One Venture Card

Before we dig in, to unlock the 75,000 bonus miles, new cardholders will need to spend $4,000 on the card within the first 3 months of opening their account. By Upgraded Points' valuations, 75,000 bonus miles equate to a cash value of around $1,350.

How much money is 10000 miles Alaska? ›

Money and Miles awards

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).

How many miles equals a free flight Alaska? ›

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).

Do Alaska air miles expire? ›

Mileage Plan Miles do not expire.

What is 70000 Alaska miles worth? ›

It also costs 70,000 Alaska miles for a first-class flight between the U.S. mainland or Alaska and Asia. With Cathay Pacific, you'll fly via the airline's hub in Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) and then onward to other points in Asia.

Can you convert cash back to miles? ›

With a cash-back card, rewards come in dollars, not points or miles. You can redeem rewards for a credit on your statement and may also be able to redeem for gift cards, a check or a direct deposit to a bank account.

Should I convert points to cash? ›

Is it better to redeem points for cash or travel? Redeeming reward points for travel typically provides greater value than redeeming them for cash. Always compare cash prices versus award rates because some flight or hotel redemptions offer a poor redemption value.

How do you convert credit points into money? ›

Can I convert my credit card reward points into cash? Yes, few credit card providers allow their customers to convert credit card reward points into cash. If you have a credit card from those credit card providers then you can definitely convert your credit card reward points into cash.

Can you use Alaska Airlines credit card on anything? ›

You can use your Alaska Airlines Credit Card anywhere Visa is accepted.

Can you use Alaska miles to pay part of a flight? ›

Up to 50% discount on most fares. You earn 100% of the miles flown when traveling on this award. Money & Miles awards cannot be used with Saver fares. The maximum discount is $100 (USD) off the base fare for 10,000 miles, or $200 (USD) off the base fare for 20,000 miles.

Can you use Alaska credit card for other airlines? ›

if you want the flexibility of using your miles with different airlines, you're in luck with the Alaska Airlines Visa credit card. You can choose to redeem your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles for travel on Alaska Airlines or one of their many travel partners.

Can my wife use my Alaska Airlines miles? ›

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.

What best airline miles don't expire? ›

Frequent flyer miles earned from the following major domestic airlines do not expire: Delta Air Lines SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, United Airlines MileagePlus. Other airlines, including American and Alaska, have varying mileage expiration policies and ways to keep your miles active.

How do I stop miles and more from expiring? ›

How can I protect my Miles & More award miles from expiry? Award miles can be protected from expiry through status membership or a Miles & More Credit Card.

Can I get money back instead of travel voucher? ›

Do not take anything other than a refund. But, if you already accepted a voucher for a flight the airline canceled, you are still legally entitled to and can ask for a refund instead.

Can I get cash instead of travel credit? ›

So the airline has offered you a voucher, which is perfectly legal, but you'd rather just have the cash. You'll need to proactively ask your airline for a cash refund in writing. The same goes for if you've booked through an online travel agency like Expedia. They are also covered under DoT rules.

Can I transfer travel credit? ›

Travel certificates are not transferable and may not be sold, traded or bartered. However, the original recipient of a certificate may arrange travel for another person if done without selling or bartering the certificate.

How do I keep my Alaska MVP status? ›

Once you apply for a status match, you'll have 90 days to fly a certain number of miles to keep your status.
  1. To keep MVP status, fly 5,000 miles.
  2. To keep MVP Gold status, fly 10,000 miles.
  3. To keep MVP Gold 75K status, fly 20,000 miles.
Feb 23, 2023

Can I use my Alaska miles on American Airlines? ›

You can redeem Alaska Mileage Plan miles on Oneworld partner airlines, including Oneworld connect airline Fiji Airways. Specifically, here are Alaska's Oneworld partners: American Airlines.

Will I lose my miles if I cancel my Alaska credit card? ›

Be aware that if there's a balance remaining on the canceled account, you will still need to make at least the minimum payment every month until the balance is paid in full. In addition, you will forfeit any unused miles, so be sure to redeem them before you cancel the card.

What happens when you reach a million miles on Alaska Airlines? ›

Those who earn one million miler status with Alaska Airlines receive MVP Gold status for life. MVP Gold is Alaska's mid-tier elite status, so that's a pretty valuable threshold, especially since it also offers oneworld Sapphire status.

What is Alaska 100k? ›

You'll have to fly at least 24 flight segments on Alaska to earn this top-tier status, worth an estimated $8,300.

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.

What is 100000 miles equivalent to credit card? ›

100,000 Capital One miles are worth an average of $700, 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 much is 100000 miles worth? ›

100,000 United miles are worth about $1,200.

How much is 60000 credit card miles? ›

60,000 Capital One Miles

Capital One miles are worth 1 cent for the Venture or Spark Miles for upcoming travel reservations through Capital One Travel or as a travel statement credit. As a result, 60,000 Venture miles are worth $600 in travel rewards.

How many miles is first class in Alaska? ›

Access is limited to passengers traveling on a paid First Class or a First Class award ticket* on flights operated by Alaska Airlines where one flight has a distance of at least 2,100 miles.

How many Alaska miles can you buy in a year? ›

The number of Alaska miles you can buy depends on your status: Alaska Mileage Plan elite members (MVP, MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K, and MVP Gold 100K) can purchase an unlimited number of miles. Alaska Mileage Plan non-elite members can purchase up to 150,000 miles per calendar year; that limit doesn't include the bonus ...

Do you get more miles for first class Alaska? ›

On every Alaska flight, you'll earn 1 Mileage Plan mile per mile flown. And yes, that's true even on Alaska's “Saver” basic economy fares. Even better, you'll get bonus miles for booking first class or a more-expensive economy fare.

How many miles equals a free flight? ›

How many miles needed for a free flight by airline
AirlineCoach/EconomyFirst class
American Airlines10,000-30,00050,000-115,000
Delta Air Lines8,000-36,500N/A
Southwest Airlines7,519-57,088N/A
United Airlines10,600-20,800N/A
4 more rows
Mar 31, 2023

Can you get free flights with miles? ›

Earning frequent flyer miles can land you free flights, upgrades, and other travel perks. The most basic way to earn points is to fly often and with the same carrier. You can earn points without flying by signing up for a rewards credit card and using it and shopping with program partners.

Can I get back expired air miles? ›

While Air Miles themselves do not expire, the account they're tied to will become inactive within 24 months without a purchase or redemption. Once an account is deemed inactive, the points contained within it will be lost and cannot be recovered without buying them back.

How much is 25000 miles worth? ›

25,000 American miles are worth about $375. How much are 50,000 American miles worth? 50,000 American miles are worth about $750.

Can Alaska miles be transferred? ›

Unfortunately, most airline programs don't allow transfers to other airline or hotel programs. So, no, you can't transfer miles from Alaska to American or from American to Alaska. However, travelers can redeem Alaska miles for flights on American and vice versa.

What does miles do after Alaska dies? ›

After. Miles finds out that Alaska dies; he throws up. For a while after Alaska's death, he exists in a fog of grief.

How many miles do you get per dollar on Alaska Air? ›

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.

Who offers 67 000 bonus miles for Alaska Airlines? ›

Bank of America is offering 67,000 miles for a new Alaska Airlines Visa Signature: 42,000 after $2000 spend within 3 months, and 25,000 more miles after $8000 total spend within 6 months.

How do you transfer miles from a credit card? ›

In most cases, you can't transfer credit card miles or points directly to someone else; instead, you have to redeem them for airline frequent flyer miles or hotel points and transfer those to the person of your choice if they are a member of the same loyalty program.

How do you collect miles from a credit card? ›

The easiest way to get miles is by signing up for a credit card with a specific airline and using the card for everyday purchases. When you fly on that airline (or any other airline within the same alliance), input your frequent flyer number so that you earn miles for that flight.

How to earn flight miles from credit card? ›

Ways to Earn Airline Miles With a Credit Card
  1. Choose the Right Credit Card.
  2. Earn a Welcome Bonus.
  3. Use Airline Shopping Portals.
  4. Participate in an Airline Dining Program.
  5. Take Advantage of Airline Partners.
  6. Transfer Miles From Another Loyalty Program.
  7. Earn Miles Through Hotel Accommodations and Car Rentals.
  8. Pool Your Miles.
Apr 12, 2023

Do I earn miles on award travel Alaska? ›

Do I earn miles on award travel? Award travel does not earn miles, with the exception of Money & Miles awards, which earn at 100% of flown miles.

How do I cash in my travel miles? ›

Redeeming airline miles is usually pretty simple. With most airlines, you can redeem your miles for a free flight by logging into your account during the booking process. You'll need to book on the airline's website, rather than travel websites such as Expedia or Kayak, if you want to pay with miles.

Is it worth paying to transfer miles? ›

Bottom Line About Transferring Miles

Don't plan to transfer airline miles to another account. It's expensive and usually not a good idea. Any money you might save by using miles will be given back to the airline in the form of transfer fees.

Can you transfer travel miles? ›

You can't transfer airline miles from one airline to another. It's also impossible to combine two different types of miles into one account. However, you can use an airline's miles to book an award seat on another airline within the same alliance.

Do credit card miles expire? ›

Credit card points and miles won't expire as long as your account remains open. However, points and miles earned with airline and hotel loyalty programs do typically expire following a lack of activity.

Do you earn miles when you pay off your credit card? ›

The short answer is yes. Earning airline miles and hotel points are not based on when you pay your bill. Whether you pay the bill off in full before the statement closes (like I do) or pay the minimum payment required on the due date, you will receive all of the rewards you earned based on your spending.

Can credit card miles be redeemed for cash? ›

Travel credit cards give you rewards in the form of points, miles or some other rewards currency that doesn't have a set monetary value. Depending on the card, you can often redeem your points for merchandise, gift cards or cash back.

How many miles do you need on a credit card to fly? ›

A good rule of thumb is that you'll need 25,000 to 30,000 credit card miles for a round-trip economy fare within the United States. That's not the absolute bare minimum. With most airlines, free flights generally start at 5,000 to 7,500 miles per one-way segment.

How do I transfer air miles to cash miles? ›

Once Miles are in your AIR MILES Cash and Dream Accounts, they cannot be transferred from one to the other. However, you can change your balance preference as many times as you like.

How many miles is a free flight? ›

How many miles needed for a free flight by airline
AirlineCoach/EconomyFirst class
American Airlines10,000-30,00050,000-115,000
Delta Air Lines8,000-36,500N/A
Southwest Airlines7,519-57,088N/A
United Airlines10,600-20,800N/A
4 more rows
Mar 31, 2023

How much is 40000 bonus miles Alaska Airlines? ›

Alaska Airlines: $480

The cost to redeem your Alaska miles will depend on your carrier; you'll find different rates hinging on whether you're flying Alaska or one of its partners. 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.

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