The recent devaluations of the United's and Delta award charts is just one more reason to look elsewhere for earning valuable airline miles.
Alaska Airline miles are some of the most underrated airline miles. They are quickly becoming some of the best miles to earn for award flights and you should consider earning them as part of your strategy for free flights. Alaska's award charts are one of the best value in terms of award prices and award availability, that's why I'm writing a complete guide on how to earn and use Alaska miles.
One caveat is that Alaska's Mileage Plan has 38 award charts! Each region has its own award chart for each partner airline. This isn't as straight forward as say United or American Airlines award charts, but Alaska Airlines does publish a lot of information to book awards with Alaska miles.
You can only fly on one partner airline in addition to Alaska Airlines on a single award. So this is where booking separate one-ways can be useful.
The Ultimate Guide to Alaska Airlines Miles Series Index
Part 1 | Introduction to Alaska Airlines Miles
Part 2 | Earning Alaska Airlines Miles
Part 3 | Understanding The Alaska Airlines Award Charts
Part 4 | Alaska Airlines Award Costs & Fees
Part 5 | Mileage Plan Elite Status
Part 6 | Using The Alaska Airlines Website To Book Awards
Part 7 | Stopovers, Open Jaws And Free One Ways
Part 8 | Best Tips and How to Search for Award Seats
Part 9 | Best Ways to Get To Europe
Part 10 | North America Alaska Airlines Awards (Including Canada, Hawaii, and Mexico)
Part 11 | Best Ways to Get to The Caribbean, Central & South America
Part 12 | Best Ways to Get to Australia, New Zealand, & South Pacific
Part 13 | Best Ways to Get to Japan, North Asia & South Asia
Part 14 | Best Ways to Get to Africa, Middle East, and India
Alaska Airlines has A LOT of awards charts. Their award prices are broken down by region and carrier. This means it could cost a different amount of miles flying to the same region depending on the airline you choose to book with.
There are many award charts to compare, but it’s really not as complicated as it may look--if you know where you want to fly to you only have a few options. On top of that, Alaska Airlines award charts offer some of the best value for many of regions.
One nice part about all the Alaska Airlines award charts is that they break down the award price for both one-way and round trip awards, so you don’t even have to do the math! And if anything, this post bring all the award charts onto one page since the award charts are spread out through the Alaska Airlines site.
North American Definitions
Each of the Alaska Airline partner airlines may define "North American" differently, so be sure to check the definition of North American" per airline.
Intra-State Awards
You can use Alaska miles for flights within an individual state. The intra-state award chart is based on travel within one individual state, including Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington.
You can fly on Alaska Airlines for intra-state awards within Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington. You can see all intra-state routes using the Alaska Airlines route map.
Within the state of Alaska, you can book awards on Alaska Airlines, Era, and PenAir. The cheapest option for awards within the state of Alaska is on Era and it only costs 10,000 per round trip.
It's only 50,000 miles for a first class round trip award on Alaska and American Airlines. Whats really nice is that you can have stopovers on Alaska metal awards on one-ways within the US. These stopover rules are more generous than any other US based airline. For instance, you can fly from Los Angeles to Seattle, have a stopover for a few weeks, then fly to New York, all for one award price.
Alaska Airlines
You have several options to choose from for the award price when booking a flight on Alaska. You can choose Money and Miles to get up to 1 cent per mile off a purchased ticket or you can redeem miles for a refundable award ticket. This is a nice option to have if you need to book a flexible award, however it will cost up to twice as much as a saver award. This is unique to Alaska Airlines since most airlines don't offer a refundable award ticket.
For intra-state awards within Alaska you can fly on either Era Alaska or PenAir.
Era Alaska
PenAir
Taxes and fees cost $3 each way on Alaska flights and $12.50 each way for awards booked on a partner airline.
Continental U.S. and Canada Awards
There is a separate price for all award travel within the Continental US (including Alaska) and Canada. You can fly on Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta, and PenAir.
It's 25,000 miles for a round trip flight within the US on Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta. This is the standard award price among most major US based airlines. You can book awards on Cathay Pacific between between New York (JFK) and Vancouver (YVR) for 30,000 round trip.
It's 50,000 miles for a round trip first class award within the US on Alaska Airlines and Delta, which is the same price as United.
Taxes and fees cost $3 each way on Alaska flights and $12.50 each way for awards booked on a partner airline.
Alaska Airlines
Awards on Alaska Airlines are offered in eight different options that include cash plus miles and both standard awards as well as refundable awards. The refundable awards are not a great deal since they are double the price of a saver award. This means that if there is award availability, you can book a new saver award for the same price as one refundable award ticket.
American Airlines
You can book domestic awards on American Airlines using Alaska miles. The coach award price is the same as flying on Alaska flights, but it costs 15,000 miles more to fly on American Airlines Business/First.
Cathay Pacific
For travel between JFK and Vancouver, BC you can fly on Cathay Pacific and it's only 50,000 miles for a round trip business class award! To book awards on Cathay Pacific you have to call 1-800-252-7522 and book over the phone.
Delta
PenAir
Hawaii Awards
You can fly to Hawaii on Alaska Airlines, Delta, or American Airlines. Alaska miles are some of the best uses for flights from mainland US to Hawaii, and it's only 40,000 miles round trip for an award on Alaska or Delta.
On top of that, it's only 75,000 miles for a First Class ticket on Alaska.
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Awards on American Airlines will cost 5,000 more for a coach ticket and 20,000 more for a Business/First Class award ticket. In my opinion, it's not worth the extra miles for a 5 hour flight on most American flights since the seats are not much different than Alaska's First Class.
However if you are routing though a city that has AA'a international configured business seat versus the domestic first class it's a huge difference.
Delta
You can't book one-way awards on Delta, so all awards are priced out as round trips.
Mexico
Using Alaska miles you can fly to Mexico on Alaska Airlines, Delta, American Airlines, and Aeromexico. It's only 35,000 miles for an round trip award on Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Aeromexico and 40,000 miles to fly on Delta.
All awards prices are based on travel between the Continental US, including Alaska or Canada and Mexico.
Alaska Airlines
Aeromexico
American Airlines
Delta
Caribbean
Alaska Airlines doesn't fly to the Caribbean, but you can still fly there using Alaska miles. On awards to the Caribbean you can fly on either American Airlines or Delta.
American Airlines
Delta
Delta awards are only available for round trips and are based on travel between the Continental United States (including Alaska), Canada, or Mexico and the Caribbean.
Central and South America
With Alaska miles, you can fly between North America and Central or South America on Aeromexico, Americna Airlines, Delta, and LAN.
You can fly on American Airlines and get off-peak award pricing to both South America regions. This is the cheapest award price to Central and South America using Alaska miles, and in economy it's only 30,000 miles to Central/Northern South American and 40,000 miles to Southern South America.
The best deal for flying business class to deep South America is on Aeromexico, LAN or Delta for 90,000 miles round trip.
Aeromexico
You can fly on Aeromexico from the 50 United States, Canada, and Mexico to Central and South America. Deep South America is defined as Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.
American Airlines
You can book off-peak award prices when you fly on American Airlines. Round trip economy off-peak awards cost 30,000 miles to Central America or N. South America and 40,000 to S. South America.
Delta
LAN
To book an award on LAN you have to call 1-800-252-7522 (5:00 a.m. - Midnight (PT), daily) and book over the phone.
Europe
The best options for getting from the US to Europe are on American Airline during off-peak pricing. You can fly round trip for 40,000 during off-peak! Delta is also a good option and is the same price as American Airlines peak award price of 60,000 miles round trip.
You can also travel from Hong Kong to Europe on Cathay Pacific for 60,000 round trip in economy, 85,000 in business, and 140,000 in first class.
Both British Airways and Emirates are not the best options. You will pay high fuel surcharges on British Airways awards and the award prices are much higher on Emirates.
Air France/KLM
American Airlines
It's only 40,000 round trip for an off-peak economy award!
British Airways
Fuel surcharges on British Airways are high and range from $150 to $1,000 dollars for a single award.
Cathay Pacific
You can get from Hong Kong to Europe including Rome, Milan, Paris, Frankfurt, London, and Amsterdam. To book an award on Cathay Pacific you have to call 1-800-252-7522 (5:00 a.m. - Midnight (PT), daily) and book over the phone.
Delta
Alaska is set to increase business class awards on Delta after February 12, 2014. At 90,000, the business class award was a great value, and even at 100,000 I would consider it a good deal. You can fly on a fully flat bed on Delta's new business class for 100,000 miles round trip.
Emirates
Asia
There are a lot of options to get to Asia and depending on region the best award prices are on American Airlines, Delta, Cathay Pacific, and Korean Airlines.
American Airlines
Cathay Pacific
You cannot book awards on Cathay Pacific online and instead you have to book over the phone at 1-800-252-7522.
Delta
Emirates
Korean Air
Africa - Middle East - India
The best economy award options for getting from the US to Africa, the Middle East, and India are on Air France/KLM, Delta, and Emirates. For business and first class awards the best award charts to use are Delta and Cathay Pacific.
Air France/KLM
British Airways
You will pay high fuel surcharges when you fly on British Airways and can expect to pay $150 to over $1000 on round trip awards.
Cathay Pacific
It's only 125,000 miles to fly round trip business class from the US to Africa, India, or the Middle east. Even better, it only costs 140,000 for a round trip award!
You cannot book awards on Cathay Pacific online and instead you have to book over the phone at 1-800-252-7522.
Delta
Delta is another good option and it's only 120,000 for round trip business class award.
Emirates
Korean Air
Australia - NZ - South Pacific
On all airlines it ranges from 80,000 to 85,000 miles round trip for a coach award, however the best options for business class awards are on Delta (105,000 miles), Fiji Airlines (110,00 miles), and Qantas (110,00 miles).
For first class awards it's only 140,000 miles round trip on Qantas.
Air France/KLM
Cathay Pacific
You cannot book awards on Cathay Pacific online and instead you have to book over the phone at 1-800-252-7522.
Delta
Fiji Airways
Korean Air
Qantas
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