Alaska Airlines‘ loyalty program Alaska Mileage Plan is not exceedingly popular among European frequent flyers, but is one of the most attractive programs among Oneworld alliance members. A status is comparatively easy to come by, there are a bunch of partner airlines outside the Oneworld bubble and award miles can be redeemed with decent value – despite a significant devaluation at the beginning of this year.
Now, a bunch of changes has been announced by the airline. The most significant one is a decrease in mileage credits when flying with partner airlines. Depending on carrier and booking class, mileage credits drop to a third of their previous value. In general, there are few improvements for customers. Among those are the possibility to earn tier miles via award tickets and hotel or rental car bookings.
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New Award Chart for Partner Airlines
If a frequent flyer program promises to simplify things, it usually means that things will get worse for customers. And that’s the exact thing that’s happening here, though the changes affect European members the most.
Currently, Mileage Plan has an individual award chart for every single partner airlines. In the future, all partners will be credited under the same, unified rules. Mileage earnings will be increased if tickets are purchased directly on alaskaair.com. However, most flights from, to and within Europa cannot be purchased on the airlines’ website. Because of that, a different chart with worse credits applies to these bookings.
The consequences are drastic. For example, British Airways business class tickets are currently rewarded with 250% of the travel distance. This value will be cut in half to 125%. A round-trip from London to New York will then earn 10,000 award miles instead of 20,000. Credits from German leisure carrier Condor are hit worse: Award mileage gets reduced from 300% of the travel distance to 125%. Tier miles get cut back to 125%, as well (previously 200%).
The new chart applies to bookings made after October 16, 2024, for flights after January 1, 2025. If you have booked a flight before, you are entitled to credits according to the old, more advantageous chart. You might have to contact the airlines for that.
Award Chart Comparison
You can access the new charts here. We have compared the new and old chart for both tier and award miles:
| Airline | Booking Class | Award Miles until 2024 | Tier Miles until 2024 | — | Award Miles from 2025 | Tier Miles from 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American | Economy (O) | 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% | |
| American | Economy (Y) | 100% | 100% | 50% | 50% | |
| American | Business (I) | 150% | 150% | 125% | 125% | |
| British Airways | Economy (O) | 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% | |
| British Airways | Premium Eco (T) | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
| British Airways | Business (I) | 250% | 150% | 125% | 125% | |
| British Airways | Business (J) | 350% | 250% | 125% | 125% | |
| British Airways | First (A) | 450% | 250% | 150% | 150% | |
| Condor | Economy Base | 75% | 75% | 50% | 50% | |
| Condor | Premium / Europ. Biz | 125% | 125% | 100% | 100% | |
| Condor | Business Langstrecke | 300% | 200% | 125% | 125% | |
| Finnair | Economy (O) | 50% | 50% | 25%1 | 25%1 | |
| Finnair | Economy (Y) | 100% | 100% | 50% | 50% | |
| Finnair | Business (I) | 225% | 125% | 125% | 125% | |
| Icelandair | Economy (U) | 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% | |
| Icelandair | Business (E) | 125% | 125% | 125% | 125% | |
| Icelandair | Business (J) | 250% | 150% | 125% | 125% | |
| Qatar Airways | Economy (W) | 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% | |
| Qatar Airways | Business Light (P) | 75% | 75% | 125% | 125% | |
| Qatar Airways | Business Classic (R) | 225% | 125% | 125% | 125% | |
| Singapore Airlines | Economy (H) | 50% | 50% | 25% | 25% | |
| Singapore Airlines | Premium Eco (R) | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
| Singapore Airlines | Business (D) | 200% | 100% | 125% | 125% | |
| Singapore Airlines | First (A) | 350% | 150% | 150% | 150% |
Earn Tier Miles with Award Tickets
Despite the bitter pill that the new award chart represents for most Non-Americans, there are also good news. Every award ticket booked via the program will earn tier miles – with all partner airlines around the world. The credit will follow the formula 1 distance mile = 1 tier mile.
This is big news, as the following example shows:
- The aforementioned example (BA business class to New York) earns 10,000 award and tier miles each.
- With 7,500 award miles, you can purchase a Tokyo – Shanghai economy flight with JAL +($41 taxes & surcharges)
- The distance between Tokyo and Shanghai is 1,116 miles – earning you 1,116 tier miles when flying.
Additional Changes
In addition to the new award chart and earning opportunities highlighted above, more changes haven been announced:
- It will be possible to book flights with multiple partner airlines in a single award booking (Multi-Partner-Awards)
- The program introduces Milestone Awards, with prices available after passing a certain threshold (starting with 10,000 tier miles).
- Starting in 2025, select purchases like hotel bookings, rental car bookings, online purchases and more are eligible to earn tier miles. For every 3,000 award miles earned, 1,000 tier miles will be credited.
Bottom Line
Every time an airline announces changes (or more daring: improvements) to their loyalty program, members sigh in fear: More often than not, these actually make things worse. That is certainly the case for Mileage Plan members living outside the United States. Earning award miles will get harder, due to the new award chart for partner airlines. On the other hand, earning a status will become a little easier – ironically, when not flying on a paid ticket.
Sources: Alaska Airlines | via One Mile at a Time
Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange