Alaska Visa 40,000 Mile Sign Up Bonus For Elites

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

TPG reader Stuart sent me a message today saying he got a targeted offer for the Alaska Airlines Visa with a potential sign-up bonus of 40,000 miles - 25,000 upon approval and 15,000 more when you spend $10,000 in the first 6 months.

There's actually another 40,000-mile offer out there on the card, but with that one, you get the same 25,000 miles upon approval, but in order to earn the other 15,000 miles, you must spend $2,000 each month for 12 months - meaning the spending requirement is a whopping $24,000 instead of the $10,000 on this new offer. The offer on this card usually hovers around the 25,000-mile mark, though back in December, Alaska released a lucrative limited-time promo of up to 50,000 bonus miles when you spent $1,000 on your new card in 90 days.

While we might see that again as Alaska and Delta battle it out for dominance in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska ups its ante, this 40,000-mile offer is still the best one out there at the moment, so if you've been thinking about applying for the card, now is probably the time. As a reminder, here are the other benefits and terms of the credit card:

• Coach Companion Fare every year from $118 (USD) ($99, plus taxes and fees from $19)
• Earn 3 miles for every qualifying dollar in purchases of Alaska Airlines tickets, Vacation packages and Cargo purchases
• No mileage cap. There’s no limit to the number of miles you can earn with the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card
• $75 annual fee not waived

So the card has some interesting perks including that companion ticket. The only restrictions for using this companion ticket are that two seats must be available, and the flights must be wholly operated by Alaska Airlines. Otherwise, the cardholder and their travel companion can use it for any coach fare class on any flight. Even better, both flyers still receive mileage credit and both qualify for upgrades based on the elite status of the higher flyer. One of the best uses of this companion ticket is for the cardholder to purchase a ticket to Hawaii and get the second one for just $99 plus taxes, essentially getting two half-price tickets to Hawaii and more than compensating for that $75 annual fee.

Caveat: The offer terms do state: "This one-time promotion is limited to new customers opening an account in response to this offer and is valid for a limited time only." So theoretically it's targeted just at Alaska elites. However, people have reported success in applying for similar offers in the past. Your miles may vary, but it could be worth taking a chance. If you do apply, please report back on your experience and the bonus you are offered in the comments section below.

Given all of Delta’s recent negative changes including two mileage chart devaluations, hacking away at elite same-day confirmed benefits, and new elite revenue requirements, I’ve been taking a much closer look at Alaska and its MileagePlan program, including at this credit card. I have a lot of Amex and Chase cards, so I'm looking to expand my credit card portfolio to other issuers including Bank of America, who issues this card.

I might just apply for this card myself now as I look to Alaska's MileagePlan program as part of my overall elite strategy instead of Delta, as well as keeping my eye on high-value redemptions with the airline's premium partners - like that Emirates First Class award flight I booked in November using Alaska miles.

If you're interested in some of the other top current credit card bonuses out there like the 100,000-mile Citi Executive AAdvantage card and the 50,000-mile Southwest cards, and are thinking of doing a round of applications, you might want to consider adding this one to the mix.

If you do end up applying, share your experience with other readers in the comments below!
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