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Guides
Alaska Airlines launches new Summit card with premium perks
Matt Moffitt is a contributing editor and expert in getting the most out of credit cards and points (he carries at least 25 cards in his wallet at any given time). Originally from Sydney, Australia, he won the Green Card Lottery and lived in Austin, Texas for 10 years before relocating to Spain in 2025.
August 20, 2025 • 9 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
A new premium card has launched for Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines loyalty members, offering a substantial intro bonus and perks tailored to frequent international travelers.
Key benefits include elevated points at dining, foreign, and airline merchants, annual and spend-based companion certificates, and lounge passes with quarterly limits.
Cardholders receive status boosts, waived partner award booking fees, and access to hotel transfer partners, though hotel transfers typically yield lower value than flight redemptions.
Recent updates also include rebranding and minor changes to other Alaska Airlines cards, while Hawaiian Airlines cards remain unchanged for now.
What to consider
Eligibility for the premium card's intro bonus is available even to those with current or past Alaska or Hawaiian cards.
Lounge access is limited to eight passes per year, distributed quarterly, and unlimited access is not included.
Hotel point transfers are available but generally provide less value than redeeming for flights, per TPG's October 2025 valuations.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of companion award usage, status earning mechanics, and how the new program compares to other premium airline cards.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
It’s a big day for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flyers. Not only have the two carriers officially rolled out Atmos Rewards, their combined loyalty program, but they’ve also launched a brand-new premium credit card: the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card.
This top-tier product has a $395 annual fee, a six-figure welcome bonus and perks built for frequent international travelers. It's the most feature-packed card in the Alaska-Hawaiian portfolio, although it’s not without its flaws.
Let’s break down the benefits to see where it shines and falls short.
New Atmos Rewards premium card details
Welcome bonus
With the Atmos Rewards Summit card, new applicants can earn 80,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
This bonus is worth $1,575, including the Global Companion Award (based on TPG’s October 2025 valuations). That is not quite as high as the top welcome offers on the market, but it is still a strong incentive.
If you registered your interest in the card before the end of 2024, you can earn an additional 5,000 bonus points if approved.
THE POINTS GUY
You are eligible for the Summit welcome bonus even if you currently have or have had other Alaska or Hawaiian cards.
2/3/4: You can typically be approved for at most two new Bank of America cards in two months, three in a year and four in two years.
3/12: You’ll usually be denied if you’ve opened three or more new cards with any issuer in the past year; this increases to seven or more if you have a Bank of America deposit account.
These rules aren’t enforced 100% of the time but serve as a useful guideline.
Annual fee
The $395 annual fee compares favorably to other airlines’ premium consumer cards. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines each charge at least $595 for their top-tier options, while Southwest Airlines charges $229 for its top card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees).
Earning rates
The Summit has a straightforward structure. You'll earn:
3 points per dollar spent on dining, foreign, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
PIXELSEFFECT/GETTY IMAGES
The biggest draw is the 3 points per dollar spent on foreign purchases.
For example, I am moving to Spain next week and had planned to use my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card for everyday spending abroad, as it earns 2 miles per dollar spent (a 3.7% return based on our October 2025 valuations).
If approved for the Summit, I would consider switching for the 4.5% return, although that means committing to Atmos Rewards points instead of Capital One’s 15-plus transfer partners.
The dining and airline bonus categories are solid for Alaska-Hawaiian loyalists but are less compelling if you want to diversify your points portfolio. Cardholders with an eligible Bank of America account earn a 10% bonus on all points earned.
This perk differs from the existing cards' Companion Fare. Summit cardholders receive a 25,000-point Global Companion Award each year with no spending requirement, plus a second 100,000-point Global Companion Award after $60,000 in annual spending.
The certificates can be used for travel on Alaska, Hawaiian or partners in any class of service. You can also top off the certificate with additional points.
NICKY KELVIN/THE POINTS GUY
For example, a one-way Aer Lingus business-class flight to Ireland normally costs at least 90,000 points for two passengers. By applying your 25,000-point award, you would only pay 65,000 points total.
The annual 25,000-point award is worth about $363, covering 92% of the annual fee on its own.
Lounge access
Summit cardholders receive eight Alaska Lounge passes per year, split into two per calendar quarter. Passes can be used when traveling on same-day flights operated by Alaska, Oneworld partners or other Alaska partners. Existing Alaska Lounge members can share passes with friends or family.
This setup may frustrate travelers who prefer unlimited access or who fly frequently in certain months but not others. American and United all offer unlimited lounge access on their top-tier cards. On Delta's top-tier Reserve card, you get 15 annual visits unless you spend $75,000 in a calendar year. That level of spend unlocks unlimited visits for Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, which carries a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees).
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Through 2026, Summit cardholders showing their card at Alaska lounges will also get access to an "all-new premium bar experience with elevated wines, signature cocktails and exclusive curations."
Elite status boosts
Cardholders will:
Receive 10,000 status points each year on their card anniversary.
Earn 1 status point for every $2 spent (with no cap).
With $60,000 in annual spending, you can reach Atmos Rewards Gold status, which is equivalent to mid-tier Oneworld Sapphire status. Other Atmos Rewards cards earn status points more slowly at 1 point per $3 spent.
Travel perks
When traveling on Alaska or Hawaiian and paying with your card, you and up to six people on the same booking receive a free checked bag. You'll also get preferred boarding on flights with Alaska or Hawaiian.
Alaska-only perks (for now) include free same-day flight changes and a $50 voucher for delays of two or more hours or cancellations within 24 hours. This benefit will extend to Hawaiian Airlines-operated flights once both carriers are operating on the same reservation system, expected in 2026.
The $12.50 partner award booking fee is waived for Summit cardholders. This can add up if you frequently redeem with partners like American Airlines, Japan Airlines and Qantas.
Summit cardholders can also share points for free with up to 10 Atmos Rewards members, avoiding the standard $10 per 1,000-point transfer fee.
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 cabin. KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
The Summit card is the only Atmos Rewards card with hotel transfer partners:
IHG One Rewards (1:1, limited-time availability)
Marriott Bonvoy (1:1)
I Prefer Hotel Rewards (1:2)
Shangri-La Circle (8:1)
Wyndham Rewards (1:1)
While this adds flexibility, hotel points are generally worth less than Atmos Rewards points, so transferring usually means losing value. Unless you need to top up for a specific redemption, flights are a better use of your points.
Other card perks
The Summit card is a Visa Infinite card and comes with the following protections and services:
An auto rental collision damage waiver
Extended warranty protection
Lost luggage reimbursement
Roadside dispatch
Travel and emergency assistance services
Access to Visa Infinite concierge services
These perks are fairly standard for a Visa Infinite product, but they still enhance the card’s overall value proposition. Frequent travelers may find the lost luggage reimbursement and rental car coverage especially useful.
The $95 Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is now the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card, and the $95 Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card has also been rebranded as the Atmos™ Rewards Visa Signature® Business Card.
Starting in 2026, there will be no cap on earning status points (formerly elite qualifying miles) with these cards. Until the end of this year, you can earn 1 status point per $3 spent, up to 30,000 points per year.
The information for the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature and the Alaska Airlines Visa Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Ascent: Earn 70,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
Business: Earn 70,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
HawaiianMiles members will automatically transition to Atmos Rewards on Oct. 1.
The information for the Hawaiian Airlines 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 new Atmos Rewards Summit card offers strong value for frequent Alaska and Hawaiian flyers, especially those who travel abroad and can make full use of the bonus points on foreign purchases and the valuable Global Companion Awards.
Status boosts and waived partner booking fees add even more value, but the capped lounge passes and fairly limited travel protections prevent it from being a slam dunk.
For travelers who can regularly redeem the companion awards and reach the status spending thresholds, the $395 annual fee is worth it. For everyone else, a lower-tier Atmos Rewards card or a flexible travel rewards card with transfer partners may deliver better long-term value.
For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve, click here.
Updated 01/14/2026
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.
