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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Why American Airlines flyers should pay attention to Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards
Augusta Stone is a credit cards writer for TPG. She joined the TPG team in 2023 and is excited to take points and miles beginners with her on a journey toward maximizing rewards.
April 16, 2026 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
Atmos Rewards is the joint loyalty program for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, offering strong value even for travelers outside their core regions.
The program uses a distance-based award chart, allowing for competitive redemption rates on partner airlines, including American Airlines, across the U.S. and internationally.
Atmos Rewards points are valued at 1.55 cents each as of September 2026 per TPG's valuations, making them a compelling option for frequent flyers seeking efficient redemptions.
Points can be earned through flights, purchases with partners, buying points or by transferring from select transferable currencies.
What to consider
Award rates depend on distance flown and cabin class, with taxes and fees applicable to each redemption.
Atmos Rewards is the only loyalty program that partners with a specific transferable currency for point transfers.
Co-branded credit cards can accelerate point accumulation but are not required to participate in the program.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed examples of award redemptions and step-by-step guidance on maximizing Atmos Rewards for American Airlines flights.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Don't let regionally named airlines fool you. You don't have to live in the Pacific Northwest (or Hawaii) to find great value in the joint loyalty program for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, Atmos Rewards.
Take it from me. I live in South Carolina and fly most often out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) or Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP). Because CLT is my nearest major airport, I fly American Airlines frequently, which operates a large hub there.
Considering where I live and how I fly, beginner award travelers may not understand why Alaska and Hawaiian's Atmos Rewards program would be so valuable to me.
I'll let you in on the secret: Atmos Rewards has some of the best award rates on American Airlines flights, thanks to its Oneworld alliance partnership. If you're a fellow American Airlines traveler who hasn't dived into Atmos Rewards yet, allow me to share some tips illustrating why you absolutely should.
How I redeem Atmos Rewards points for American flights
While many loyalty programs have switched to dynamic pricing and watched redemption rates soar, Atmos Rewards maintains the popular award chart from the former Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program. Therefore, you can find great value when searching for award redemptionson partner airlines.
Plus, TPG's September 2026 valuations deem Atmos Rewards points are worth a solid 1.55 cents apiece.
As someone who loves to stretch my points for multiple redemptions, I often redeem Atmos Rewards for economy tickets to visit my friends living in New York City and Louisville, Kentucky.
I frequently find award availability to fly American Airlines from CLT to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) for 4,500 to 6,000 points.
JORDAN WALLER/THE POINTS GUY
But you aren't limited to these cities. You can redeem Atmos Rewards points to fly American Airlines across the U.S. and to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. Award rates are based on the distance flown and the cabin you choose. You can check out Atmos Rewards' award charts here.
Using Seats.aero, I've found American Airlines premium economy seats from JFK to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) for 35,000 points plus $18.10 in taxes and fees, and business-class availability from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) for 45,000 points plus $18.10 in taxes and fees.
These are just a few examples. Pick your destination and run your own award searches to see how much value Atmos Rewards could unlock for you.
Of course, you can earn Atmos Rewards points by flying on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines, buying points or making purchases with partners.
I don't live in an area of the U.S. that either airline frequently flies to, so I earn my Atmos Rewards points with a credit card. In my case, I transfer Bilt Points earned from my Bilt Palladium Card (see ).
You don't need a Bilt credit card to earn Bilt points, but I frequently spend on my Bilt Palladium because it earns 2 points per dollar spent on everyday purchases, with the option to earn 4% in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases (up to $100 of Bilt Cash earned rolls over to the next year).
Atmos Rewards also issues three cobranded credit cards that earn Atmos Rewards points. These cards offer perks when flying with Alaska and Hawaiian, but this article will focus on earning points within the program.
Earn 50,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.
3 points per dollar spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
2 points per dollar spent on cable, eligible gas and electric vehicle charging station, local transit (including ride-hailing services) and streaming service purchases
Earn 70,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.
3 points per dollar spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
2 points per dollar spent on eligible gas and EV charging stations, local transit (including ride-hailing services) and shipping purchases
1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
$70 for the company and $25 per card
You don't need a co-branded credit card to earn Atmos Rewards points either, but it can help you collect them faster by adding one to your wallet.
I discovered Atmos Rewards thanks to the Bilt program. Even if you don't fly on Alaska or Hawaiian, it could be worth checking out how you can earn Atmos Rewards points to redeem for travel. In my experience, Atmos Rewards has some of the best redemption rates on many American Airlines routes.
