Use Alaska Mileage Plan Dining to earn bonus miles at participating restaurants
Dining rewards programs are among the easiest ways to earn miles, and one popular program is Alaska Mileage Plan Dining. You can earn Alaska miles when you dine with a linked card at participating restaurants.
All you have to do is join and register at least one debit or credit card to watch the miles stack up as you dine at participating restaurants. You'll even qualify for bonus miles on your first purchase and increase your earning rate when you dine out frequently. Here's everything you need to know about the Alaska Mileage Plan Dining program.
Related: Best dining credit cards
How to join Alaska Mileage Plan Dining
It's easy to join Mileage Plan Dining. To sign up, you'll need to provide your name, ZIP code, email address and Mileage Plan number.
While promotional emails are often pesky, we recommend agreeing to email communications. Doing so means you'll earn 3 miles for every $1 spent instead of the standard 1 mile for every $2 spent.
Related: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: How to earn and redeem miles
How to earn miles with Alaska's dining program
Earning miles with Alaska's dining program is as simple as signing up, registering a credit or debit card to your account and paying for meals at participating restaurants with an enrolled card.
Once you enroll a card in a dining rewards program, the program tracks your purchases with that card at participating restaurants. So, if you enroll multiple cards in Alaska Mileage Plan Dining, you'll earn Alaska miles when you make a qualifying purchase using any of your enrolled cards. You can search for participating restaurants by name, cuisine type or location.
After you dine at a Mileage Plan Dining restaurant and pay with a linked card, you'll usually get an email notification from Mileage Plan Dining. This email lets you know your purchase has earned miles and includes an invitation to submit a review.
Related: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Shopping portal: Earn miles on your online purchases
Mileage Plan Dining tiers
Alaska Mileage Plan Dining has three membership tiers, earning between 0.5 and 5 Alaska miles per dollar spent:
- Basic member: 1 mile per $2 spent
- Select member: 3 miles per $1 spent
- VIP member: 5 miles per $1 spent
As mentioned, you can upgrade from the Basic membership to the Select membership by opting in to email notifications. You can do this during the sign-up process or at any other time. As a Select member, you'll not only earn more Alaska miles but also receive opportunities to earn bonus miles and get advance notice of promotions.
Becoming a VIP member requires opting in to receive email notifications and completing 11 qualified dines in a calendar year. On your 12th dine, you'll begin earning 5 miles per dollar spent and qualify for bonus opportunities until the end of the next calendar year.
It's also worth noting that you can join every airline- and hotel-affiliated dining reward program. However, they're all part of the same network, so you cannot register the same card with more than one program.
Mileage Plan first-dine and reservation bonuses
New members can earn up to 500 bonus miles after spending $30 at any participating restaurant and submitting an online review within 30 days of joining Mileage Plan Dining.
You can also take advantage of the program's reservation bonus by booking a dining reservation through Mileage Plan Dining. Not all participating restaurants offer reservations, but for those that do, you can earn an extra 50 miles every time you make a reservation, dine and pay with a linked card.
Note that this bonus is limited to one completed reservation per day, with a maximum of eight completed reservations per calendar month.
Related: Can you earn rewards with a dining rewards program and a credit card at the same time?
Is Alaska Mileage Plan dining worth it?
Although Alaska miles can be hard to earn compared to other loyalty programs, we value Alaska miles at 1.6 cents each — one of the highest frequent flyer program valuations. So, signing up for Alaska's dining rewards program is worth it if you like redeeming Alaska miles. Otherwise, another dining rewards program might serve you better.
Remember, points and miles from dining rewards programs like Mileage Plan Dining come in addition to the rewards you'll earn from your credit card.
Related: Maximizing redemptions with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
The best credit cards for dining
To maximize your earnings when you dine out, we recommend linking your Mileage Plan Dining account to a card that earns bonus points on dining. Some great credit cards to use at restaurants include:
- American Express® Gold Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 3 points per dollar spent on dining, including restaurants, takeout and eligible delivery services.
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 7 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants.
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Earn 6 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
Related: Expert stacking: How I earned $80 in cash back and rewards from 1 dinner
Bottom line
Alaska Airlines' dining rewards program is a great way to earn Alaska miles. With Alaska Mileage Plan Dining, you can earn up to 5 miles per dollar spent at participating restaurants. Remember to pay the restaurant directly, as ordering through a delivery service like DoorDash won't count toward Mileage Plan Dining.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.