Alaska Trifecta: Why I signed up for the premium Atmos Rewards Summit credit card
It's been a good day for fans of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. A rebranded loyalty program launched without a major devaluation, perks for elite members were revealed and, perhaps best of all, a premium credit card that comes with some impressive benefits and a huge welcome bonus was unveiled.
I've been a longtime holder of both the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® (no longer available and now known as the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card) and the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business credit card (no longer available and now known as the Atmos™ Rewards Visa Signature® Business Card).
I've been able to use the companion certificates that come with those cards to bring family members to Hawaii each year, but the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card brings the party to a whole new level.
The information for the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card and the Alaska Airlines Visa Business card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Highlights of the Atmos Rewards Summit card
Because I had been one of the first to sign up for a waitlist for the card, I got 500 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles (now called Atmos Rewards points). This morning, I was emailed an application link for another 5,000 bonus points for being one of the first approved for the card.
Given its solid bonus, earning rates and benefits, I felt this card was an absolute no-brainer to get. In fact, I would have signed up even without the bonus points.
The Atmos Rewards Summit card comes with a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $6,500 on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account. Plus, new cardholders will also receive a 50% flight discount code for a qualifying future flight after opening their account. That bonus is worth $1,750 when you include the value of the 25,000-point Global Companion Award, based on TPG's April 2026 valuations.
There are a lot of awesome perks cardholders receive, too, including:
- A 25,000-point Global Companion Award each year, plus a second 100,000-point Global Companion Award after $60,000 in annual spending
- Eight Alaska Lounge passes per year (two per quarter)
- 10,000 status points each year on card anniversary
- 1 status point for every $2 spent (with no cap)
- A $50 voucher for delays of two or more hours or cancellations within 24 hours on Alaska flights (coming to Hawaiian flights in 2026)
- Waiving of Alaska's $12.50 partner award booking fee
Plus, cardholders earn Atmos Rewards points at the following rates:
- 3 points per dollar spent on all foreign transactions
- 3 points per dollar spent on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
- 3 points per dollar spent on dining
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
There are plenty of other reasons why this card may be a good fit for your wallet, but that's already a pretty substantial list for a card that has a $395 annual fee.
Applying for the Atmos Rewards Summit card
If, like me, you signed up for the early access waitlist, know that applying is initially a bit confusing. The special offer will be in your inbox in an email labeled "Our new loyalty program has arrived." Open that email and scroll down to find the special application link to use.
Once you locate the correct application link to use for earning the early access bonus, the application process is very straightforward. It simply asks for your Social Security number and personal details.
After applying, I was instantly approved.
Why the Atmos Rewards card and program have me considering Alaska as my primary airline again
From the moment I applied, I knew that this card would become a centerpiece of my card and status strategies moving forward. I love the fact that I will earn 1 status point for every $2 I spend on the card. I should be able to easily hit top-tier Titanium status with a combination of flying and spending.
If you spent $80,000 on the card, as one example, and never set foot on an Alaska or Hawaiian plane, you'd still earn Gold status (which translates to Oneworld Sapphire status and includes lounge access when traveling internationally).
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan had once been my go-to program for elite status, but that came to an end in 2023 when I moved back to New York from California. At one point, I had been a top-tier MVP Gold 100K member, but because Alaska lacks a big presence on the East Coast, I decided it made more sense to switch my loyalty back to American Airlines.
That didn't mean an end to my use of Alaska's program, though. I've used Alaska miles to fly to Taipei, Taiwan, and back in business class on partner Starlux Airlines several times. I've also used Alaska miles to fly business class on Japan Airlines. I find the miles (now points) super valuable.
Now that the program and premium card have officially launched, I'm strongly considering going for top-tier Titanium status in Atmos Rewards next year. Alaska's partnership with American Airlines means I can still enjoy elite status perks from Alaska while flying on American. Plus, the Atmos Rewards Summit card will make it even easier to earn status.
In the meantime, I'll requalify for American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum status this year, with the goal of switching my loyalty to Alaska beginning in 2026.
Benefits of having the Alaska Trifecta
Now that I've added the Atmos Rewards Summit card to my wallet alongside the Atmos Rewards Ascent card and the Atmos Rewards Visa card, I have a total of three Alaska-branded cards to create the Alaska Trifecta.
While I haven't historically spent much on the personal and business cards, I do get a lot of use out of their companion certificates.
You get a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) on each account anniversary for both cards after spending $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. I usually use mine on two trips to Hawaii each year.
Because I'll be fully using the Atmos Rewards Summit card, it's nice to have all three as options. The Summit card will become my go-to card for all spending next year.
Funny enough, I also opened both the personal and business versions of the Hawaiian Airlines cards last year for the welcome bonuses, as I expected HawaiianMiles to eventually convert to the combined loyalty program.
Opening those two credit cards earned me 138,000 HawaiianMiles, which converted at a 1:1 ratio to Mileage Plan miles (now Atmos Rewards points). That's enough points to book a round-trip business-class trip similar to the one I took to Taipei with Starlux last year.
For now, the Barclays-issued Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard® and the Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Business Mastercard® remain unchanged and are still accepting applications, and HawaiianMiles members will automatically transition to Atmos Rewards on Oct. 1. Only time will tell how they ultimately fit into the larger Atmos Rewards card portfolio.
The information for the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard and the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Business Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
The Atmos Rewards Summit card seems like a win-win card to have, especially if you have ways to use all the valuable Atmos Rewards points you'll get from the bonus and spending on the card.
Redeeming Atmos Rewards points on international travel unlocks stupendous value. TPG's Eric Rosen and I just used 55,000 Alaska miles (now Atmos Rewards points) to fly on American Airlines' new Dreamliner to and from London.
But remember, these points are valuable for more than just international business-class redemptions on partners. You can often book great deals on domestic American Airlines trips using Atmos Rewards points, as TPG's Summer Hull did recently.
If you can use the points and the companion awards and/or reach the status spending thresholds, it's easy to justify paying the $395 annual fee to hold this card.
Related reading:
- The best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare
- Best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
Updated 04/01/2026
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.