Advertiser Disclosure: The Rewards Mom has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Rewards Mom and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

---

I still remember the first time I booked flights for our family of six and thought, “There is no way we can afford to do this more than once a year.”
Flights were the biggest barrier. Hotels I could work around. Food I could budget. But airfare? That one always hurt.

Then I found Alaska miles.

At the time, everyone talked about them like they were some unicorn currency, harder to earn but worth it. And honestly? They lived up to the hype for years.

Now, everything has changed.

Alaska and Hawaiian have officially merged their loyalty programs into something brand new called Atmos Rewards, and if you travel as a family, this program just became even more important to understand.

If you’re just getting started with points, my Beginner’s Guide is the easiest place to start.

---

What Is Atmos Rewards (And Why It Exists)

Atmos Rewards is the new loyalty program created when Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines combined into one airline family.

Two separate programs became one:

• Alaska Mileage Plan
• HawaiianMiles

They’re now fully replaced by Atmos Rewards.

What does that mean for you?

If you had Alaska or Hawaiian miles in the past, you didn’t lose anything. Your balance simply moved over 1:1 into this new system. Same points. New name. Bigger network.

The big picture goal is simple:
One airline network. One rewards program. More places you can go using the same points.

This change is exciting because it’s exactly what families need: fewer accounts, fewer logins, fewer headaches. And bonus, it gets you going more places!

---

Why Alaska Miles Were So Valuable (And Why That Still Matters)

Before the merger, Alaska miles had this quiet reputation of being the good kind of complicated. The points weren’t the easiest to earn, but when you went to use them you really understood the value and just how well-priced they were for what they got you.

Alaska didn’t behave like most airline programs.

Flights, especially long ones, often cost fewer points than you expected. You could book one-way trips without jumping through hoops. Taxes and fees didn’t suddenly balloon at checkout. And you could add real stopovers… not just sitting in an airport, but actually step out and spend a few days somewhere new.

But the part that really built Alaska’s reputation?

It was the international flying.

Alaska miles were famous for unlocking places most families assumed were out of reach—Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe—without needing a six-figure points stash. You could fly on airlines that were transfer partners through Alaska Airlines’ network and get value that simply didn’t exist in most U.S. programs.

People loved using Alaska miles for Hawaii as well. It was a sweet spot, especially for West Coast families, but it wasn’t the reason people fell in love with Alaska miles.

It was the sense that the points could take them somewhere bigger, somewhere they weren’t ever expecting to be able to go.

Now here’s the part that really matters:

Atmos didn’t erase what made Alaska special.

It kept it.

And then it gave you more places to use it.

---

What Stayed the Same (The Good News)

So all of this is to say, not to worry. The core value that families love is still around with Atmos.

Flights Can Still Cost Fewer Points than Other Programs

Atmos award pricing remains competitive, especially for:

• Domestic flights
• Hawaii routes
• Short-haul trips

If you’ve ever watched flights jump from $250 to $700 overnight, you already understand how big this kind of affordability is, and how it’s getting harder to find.

You Still Have Access to Partner Airlines

Atmos didn’t shrink your options.
It expanded them.

You can still use points on partner airlines to reach international destinations, which makes things like premium cabins, long-haul flights, and bucket-list trips more realistic.

Out-of-Pocket Costs Stay Low

One of my favorite things about Alaska (and now Atmos) is how low the taxes and fees are on most awards.

This matters a great deal when you are paying for a family with 5+ tickets. Those taxes and fees still add up, even if you are booking on points.

---

What Changed Under Atmos (What You Actually Need to Know)

Companion Travel Rules Are Tighter

Here’s the honest part.

Like was mentioned in the chart, Atmos still offers companion benefits, but you can no longer combine companion tickets with stopovers or complex routing.

That old “two trips in one ticket” strategy is mostly gone, which is a bummer. But it doesn’t kill the value, it just means companion fares now work best for straightforward trips.

---

Why Atmos Rewards Works So Well for Families

---

How to Actually Earn Atmos Rewards Points

There are only a few real ways to earn Atmos points, and they’re different from how most “travel cards” work.

Fly On the Airline

Any paid flight on the Alaska + Hawaiian network earns Atmos points.
How many you earn depends on your ticket type and how you fly, and not just what you pay.

Use an Atmos Credit Card

This is the fastest way to build points without flying.

Atmos-branded credit cards earn points on:

• Flights with the airline
• Everyday spending
• Special bonus categories

If you want points flowing into Atmos automatically every month, this is the simplest path.

Transfer From Bilt

Bilt is currently the only program that transfers directly into Atmos.

If you pay rent, this can quietly become one of your biggest Atmos-earning tools, and you don’t even need to change how you spend!

Shop & Dine Through Atmos Partners

Atmos also allows you to earn through:

• Online shopping portals
• Dining programs at participating restaurants

Same purchase, same price = extra points.

And if you want to understand shopping portals clearly: All About Shopping Portals

---

About Flexible Cards (And Why I Still Recommend Them First)

This part trips a lot of people up, so let’s be crystal clear:

Flexible travel cards do NOT earn Atmos points directly.

They earn bank points, travel credits, or statement credits, but not airline miles.

So why do I still recommend starting with them?

Because they give you:

• Freedom to book flights any way you want
• Backup options when airlines have no award seats
• The ability to “erase” travel purchases with points
• Less pressure while you’re learning

If you’re just starting, flexible points keep things simple.

They let you travel now, while you build airline strategies for flying later.

That’s why I still suggest you start with flexible cards, then layer in Atmos once your trips get bigger and more specific.

Here’s the list I use when recommending flexible cards:

Here’s my favorite list of flexible travel cards.

(These won’t earn Atmos miles, but they will make paying for flights easier while you learn.)

---

Atmos Credit Cards (For When You’re Ready to Earn Airline Points)

If your goal is actually stacking Atmos points, airline cards are where that happens. All Atmos co-branded cards are issued by Bank of America

Atmos offers two main types:

Personal Atmos credit card

This is the everyday workhorse.

Best for:

• Families who fly the airline once or twice a year
• Anyone who wants points from groceries, gas, and bills
• Travelers who want a checked bag perk

Business Atmos credit card

This is the points accelerator.

Best for:

• Side hustles
• Online sellers
• Contractors
• Anyone with business expenses

It typically offers:

• Higher earning on spending
• Bigger bonuses
• Faster point growth

If you have any kind of income beyond a paycheck, this option is worth looking at. And if you don’t think you can qualify for a business card, I promise you actually can. Read this to find out how.

---

When Atmos Is the Right Tool (And When It Isn’t)

Atmos is powerful.

It’s not perfect.

Here’s how I think about it:

Best for:

• Families flying to Hawaii
• West Coast travelers
• Partner redemptions
• Lower-point domestic flights

Not always best for:

• Absolute last-minute travel
• People who only earn on one airline once every few years

That’s why I always recommend flexible points first, and airline programs second.

If you’ve wondered why you always feel short on miles, read Why you Never Have Enough Miles and How Transferable Points Solve that Problem

---

Start Here If This Feels Like a Lot

If you’re overwhelmed, that’s normal.

Every strategy feels complicated until that first booking works.

Once you redeem one trip…
This entire world suddenly makes sense.

And it changes how you see travel forever.

Grab my free beginner’s guide.

---

Let’s Stay Connected

If you love learning this stuff, you’re my kind of people.

Come hang out with me:

Email tips
Instagram
Facebook Group

---

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Advertiser Disclosure: The Rewards Mom has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Rewards Mom and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.