Alaska Airlines Reveals Overhaul of Mileage Plan Program
Alaska Airlines announced today that it will revamp its popular loyalty program in 2025, with some changes promised later this year. Normally this type of news means a devaluation, but that’s not the case. There are actually quite a few positive changes.
“We’re on a multi-year journey to make the industry’s most generous loyalty program even more rewarding,” said Brett Catlin, vice president of loyalty, alliances and sales at Alaska Airlines. “In 2025, Mileage Plan members will have access to all-new, more frequent perks along with expanded ways to earn elite status, including on award travel. As we invest in a single loyalty platform with Hawaiian Airlines, there is even more to come later in the year.”
New Milestone Moments
Alaska has introduced milestone choices for all members who meet certain levels of EQMs. Travelers can choose from a variety of rewards, including bonus miles, lounge access, upgraded elite status for a single trip, flight discounts and more.
With milestones starting at just 10,000 EQMs, these perks are accessible to a broader range of Mileage Plan members not just those who have elite status.
10,000 EQMs: Pick one
- 750 bonus miles
- Preorder a complimentary meal for your flight
- One complimentary Wi-Fi pass
- Try MVP status for one trip
- Earn double miles with nonair partners
- Upgrade on one Avis car rental
30,000 EQMs: Pick One
- 2,500 bonus miles
- $25 off a future Alaska flight
- Four Wi-Fi passes
- Try MVP Gold status for one trip
- $100 off Alaska Lounge membership
30,000 EQMs: Pick Two
- 5,000 bonus miles
- 10,000 miles off an Extras redemption
- Gift MVP status for one trip
- One complimentary Alaska Lounge day pass
- Two upgrades
85,000 EQMs: Pick Two
- 15,000 bonus miles
- 25,000 miles off an Extras redemption
- Two complimentary Alaska Lounge day passes
- Two upgrades
- Gift MVP Gold status for a trip
- Nominate someone for MVP status
- Roll over 10,000 EQMs
85,000 EQMs: Pick One
- 50,000 bonus miles
- 75,000 miles off an Extras redemption
- Alaska Lounge+ membership
- Complimentary Wi-Fi on every flight
- Four upgrades
- Nominate someone for MVP Gold status
150K, 200K and 250K EQMs: Pick Two
- 15,000 bonus miles
- 25,000 miles off an Extras redemption
- Two complimentary Alaska Lounge day passes
- Two upgrades
- Roll over 10,000 EQMs
More Ways to Elite Status
Alaska is introducing more options for fliers to earn elite status. Beginning January 1, 2025, loyalty members will not only be able to earn EQMs on paid tickets but also award flights determined by the distance flown.
- Award travel redemptions: When members fly on an award trip with Alaska or its partners, they’ll earn elite-qualifying miles based on the distance flown. All award trips flown on or after Jan. 1, 2025, will earn EQMs. EQMs will post to members’ accounts starting this spring. For example, a guest redeems a roundtrip award ticket between Seattle and Tokyo–Narita which covers 9,538 miles. That translates to earning 9,538 EQMs.
- The Alaska Airlines Visa® card: In 2025, cardholders will earn one elite-qualifying mile for every $3 spent on qualified purchases (up to 30,000 EQMs).
- Earn more with everyday travel partners: Members can earn 1,000 EQMs for every 3,000 miles earned with our growing number of eligible non-airline partners.
- Rollover EQMs as a milestone choice: As noted above, when hitting the 85,000 elite-qualifying miles milestone, a new perk is the ability to roll over 10,000 EQMs to the following year.
More Earning and Redeeming Options
In 2025, Alaska says it is streamlining how miles are earned and redeemed with partners:
- We’ve simplified how to earn miles with our global partners: When a flight is booked with one of our 23 book direct partners at alaskaair.com members always earn 100% of the miles they fly. For travel in a premium cabin on any of our partners, the earning of miles gets even greater starting next year: 150% mileage bonus of the distance flown in Premium Economy, 250% in Business Class and up to 350% in International First Class. Get more details here.
- Multi-carrier redemptions: Rolling out this winter, members can mix and match from our global partners to travel around the world. For example, a journey can combine an American Airlines flight and a British Airways flight for a dream trip to Rome. Multi-carrier redemptions will first launch on flights between the U.S. and Europe, and then expand to other regions and partners throughout next year.
- Use miles for exclusive events: Coming in 2025, Alaska will offer members access to Extras – an opportunity to redeem miles on exclusive experiences and events.
- Travel the globe with fewer miles: Alaska promises additional Global Getaways in 2025 to international destinations. These seasonal discounts on award redemptions can take you farther for less. Since last April, we’ve helped our members save nearly 50 million miles with Global Getaways.
Upgrades Updates
Later in 2025, Alaska says it will prioritize the upgrade waitlist based on a member’s recent and long-term loyalty:
- Million Milers will receive the highest priority within their tier. After Million Milers, guests will be prioritized by how many elite-qualifying miles they’ve earned – not by how much they paid for their ticket.
- With these changes, a guest with an MVP member will now be eligible for complimentary, space-available upgrades when traveling on the same reservation.
- Members with upgrade certificates will also be the first to know when confirmable upgrade space opens for their flight. We’ll send them an alert so they won’t miss out.
Conclusion
Alaska Airlines will overhauls its Milage Plan program, and many of the changes are positive. Earning elite status will be easier, there are new milestone perks, and multi-carrier redemptions will launch soon.
But those with MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K elite status may be affected negatively. Some of the current benefits such as upgrades or lounge passes will have to be selected as milestone perks that will require more elite qualifying miles.
More changes are expected as Alaska Airlines works on merging its loyalty program with HawaiianMiles.
Are you excited for these upcoming changes? Let us know in the comments!
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