When most people think of Alaska Airlines miles, they picture… well, flying to Alaska.
While it’s true they’re great for domestic flights, the crazy value comes when you use them for partner awards: think business class to Fiji, Australia, or New Zealand.
Alaska miles have a reputation for being some of the most valuable airline miles you can earn, even though they’re harder to come by.
Why?
They’re not currently a transfer partner of any of the big four banks.
Maybe that’s exactly why their award rates have stayed lower than many competitors for so long. For example, we recently booked our flight to Hawaii with Alaska miles, and the deal was even better than what we could get with our Southwest Companion Passes.
People are often surprised by this because Alaska Airlines isn’t the biggest carrier. But their generous earning structure, valuable partnerships, and free stopovers make this one of the best programs for families.
If you’re just getting started with points, my Beginner’s Guide is a great place to start.
Why Alaska Airlines Works for Families
Family-friendly pricing – Lower award rates mean it’s easier to book flights for your whole family without draining your points stash completely. For example, I’ve seen MANY flights to Europe for as low as 13k miles one-way and domestic flights starting at just 5k.
Perfect for West Coast & Hawaii travelers – If you live on the West Coast, Alaska is a goldmine for flights to Hawaii and Mexico. Two places that I know are on A LOT of your lists.
Free stopovers – On one-way award tickets, you can add a free stopover. That’s like a built-in extra vacation for no additional miles. (More on this below!)
Valuable partner network – You can use Alaska miles on partners like American Airlines, Japan Airlines, Icelandair, and British Airways to get almost anywhere. This can make premium cabins like business class feel much more doable for a family trip.
How to Earn Alaska Airlines Miles (Even If You Rarely Fly)
You don’t have to be a frequent flyer to build a big stash of Alaska miles. Most of ours have come from everyday spending, strategic credit card use, and taking advantage of Alaska’s partnerships.
Let me explain:
1. Get an Alaska Airlines Credit Card
This is the fastest way to rack up miles, especially if you’re starting from scratch. Alaska offers both a personal and a business version through Bank of America. Each comes with:
- A large welcome bonus when you meet the minimum spend
- 3x miles on Alaska purchases
- 2x on everyday categories (like gas, streaming, or transit)
- A free checked bag for you and up to six companions on the same reservation
The best perk? The Alaska Companion Fare™, an annual benefit that lets you bring a friend or family member for around $121 (including taxes and fees) when you buy a regular-priced ticket. One use can easily save you hundreds.
Here’s how it works:
- Cost: You pay the full fare for your ticket, and your companion’s ticket is a fixed price: $99 plus taxes and fees, which comes out to about $121 total.
- Eligible Flights: Valid for round-trip, one-way, or multi-city itineraries booked directly with Alaska Airlines. Must be on Alaska-operated flights (no partner-only itineraries).
- Annual Benefit: You get one Companion Fare each year on your cardmember anniversary, as long as you keep the card open.
- Booking Window: You have 12 months to book the companion ticket, but travel can be after that 12-month mark.
- Class of Service: Works for economy or first class (you still have to pay the full first-class fare for both tickets if you want that upgrade).
- Extra Perks: The companion gets the same benefits as you: free checked bag, same seat assignments, and mileage earning.
Most people use it for higher-priced routes, like flying from the West Coast to Hawaii, cross-country, or even to Alaska, because the savings can be $300–$500 (or more) in one trip.
If you want more of a deep dive on the different kinds of companion passes, you’ll love this blog post.
2. Transfer from BILT Rewards
If you pay rent, this is a no-brainer. BILT is the only major rewards program that transfers directly to Alaska at a 1:1 ratio. Just pay your rent through BILT, earn points, and transfer them to Alaska when you’re ready to book.
Transfers aren’t always instant, and you can’t move them back, so only transfer when you know the flights you want are available.
3. Earn by Flying
Here’s where Alaska stands out: they still award miles based on distance flown, not the cash price of your ticket. That means long-haul trips (especially in higher fare classes) can be surprisingly rewarding.
- Saver fares: Earn 30% of the miles flown
- Main cabin: Earn 100%
- First class: Earn 150%
- Elite status members: Get even more with bonus multipliers
If your family takes one or two longer trips a year, this can add up quickly.
4. Earn from Everyday Shopping and Dining
You don’t have to be flying, or even planning a trip, to earn Alaska miles. You can collect them while shopping for things you already need.
Mileage Plan Shopping – Before you check out online, go to Alaska’s shopping portal and click through to your favorite store. You’ll earn bonus miles on top of what your credit card gives you.
Mileage Plan Dining – Link your credit card to Alaska’s dining program and earn up to 5x miles per $1 at participating restaurants. Just swipe your card—no codes or coupons needed.
Stacking tip: Use your Alaska credit card for these purchases, and you’ll earn miles from the card and the portal or dining program, basically double the rewards without spending extra. If you’re into stacking like this, my shopping portal comparison might be another post you’ll love.
How to Use Alaska Airlines Miles for Family Travel
Once you’ve built up a stash of Alaska miles, it’s time for the fun part, spending them. Alaska’s award chart and partner network give you some of the best value out there, especially if you’re traveling with kids.
1. Take Advantage of Free Stopovers on One-Way Awards
This is one of my favorite Alaska Airlines perks, and it’s perfect for families who want to make the most out of every trip.
A stopover means you can spend a few days in a connecting city at no extra mileage cost. With Alaska, you can add one stopover even on a one-way ticket.
Example: If you’re flying from Los Angeles to Tokyo on Japan Airlines, you could spend a couple of days in Honolulu on the way. Same number of miles, two destinations.
How to book a free stopover:
- Search flights on the Alaska Airlines website and check “Use miles.”
- Choose the “Multi-City” option instead of a regular one-way search.
- Add your stopover city in between your departure and destination.
- Works on Alaska and most partner airlines.
- If you can’t get it to price online, call 1-800-252-7522—sometimes an agent can make it happen.
Family travel bonus: If you book two one-way awards for a round trip, you can get two free stopovers—one each way. That’s basically two bonus trips built into your flights.
2. Book Low-Cost Domestic Flights
If your goal is to stretch your miles as far as possible, Alaska’s domestic award rates are hard to beat.
- Flights start at just 4,000 miles one-way.
- Example: San Francisco to Las Vegas is 8,000 miles round trip + $11.20 in taxes.
- Cross-country flights like Los Angeles to New York is 12,500 miles one-way.
These lower rates are especially handy for getting your family to gateway cities before a big international trip, something I cover in my guide to positioning flights.
3. Use Miles for International Partner Flights
This is where Alaska miles can really shine for family travel. Alaska has some incredible airline partners, and you can often find lower rates than booking with the partner directly.
A few examples:
- To Ireland: Philadelphia to Dublin on American or Aer Lingus for 45,000 miles round trip.
- To Japan: Seattle to Tokyo on Japan Airlines for 60,000 miles round trip in economy (or splurge on business class if you’ve saved up enough).
- To the South Pacific: Use Alaska’s partnership with Fiji Airways for flights to Fiji, Australia, or New Zealand, often at rates that are a steal compared to other programs.
These partner bookings are especially great if you want to experience a premium cabin with your kids without paying cash prices.
4. Skip Fuel Surcharges
One of the reasons Alaska Airlines miles work so well for family travel is that they don’t add high fuel surcharges to partner flights. That means you can book premium international flights and still keep your out-of-pocket costs low, usually just taxes and fees.
Most airlines make you choose: either pay more miles with low taxes or fewer miles with higher taxes. Alaska is unique because you often get the best of both worlds of low mileage rates and low taxes.
If you’re not sure whether a redemption is worth it, this post walks you through exactly how I calculate what a mile is worth.
If you like digging into partner sweet spots, you might also enjoy my Virgin Atlantic Flying Club guide.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a mom who wants to travel more without overspending, Alaska Airlines miles are worth your attention. From free stopovers to affordable domestic rates and an amazing partner network, this program can open up more destinations for your family.
Want to learn how to start building points for trips like this? Download my free beginner’s guide and start planning your next family trip.
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