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A potentially good option for savvy travelers, the The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card gives you quite the bang for your buck with its offer for an Annual Companion Fare and 50,000 bonus miles after you make $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
We value the combined 65k miles to be worth around $900.
Alaska Airlines has come a long way from its humble beginnings in Anchorage in the 1930s. It’s the fifth largest airline in the U.S. It’s known for flying options, partnerships, and its purchase of Virgin Americ,a.
Not to mention that Alaska Airlines is the jersey sponsor of the Portland Timbers. Speaking of the Timbers, here’s a great tip. If you wear a Portland Timbers jersey before any flight out of Portland International Airport, you get priority boarding.
*The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card is issued by Bank of America. BoA also has great sign-up bonuses for their Checking/Savings accounts.
CHASE SAPPHIRE PREFERRED® CARD
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card currently has an offer for 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Redeeming the 60,000 bonus points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, which is praised by users, will get you $750 in value towards travel. The 60K bonus points are worth $750 because you get 25% more value whenever you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Even better, strategize with Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer partners to potentially get even more value. Each point can be worth up to 2 cents apiece (60k points = ~$1,200). Read more on this here.
50k Bonus Miles & Companion Fare Offer
One of the best benefits of the Alaska Airlines Visa card is that you don’t have to travel alone. Every year, you can bring that special someone on a trip with you.
Get Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare every year. EACH YEAR on your account anniversary get a companion fare from $121 ($99 plus taxes and fees from $22). Valid on all Alaska flights booked on alaskaair.com with no blackout dates. This card perk makes it well worth the $75 annual fee.
On top of the Companion Fare perk, you can also take advantage of the 50,000 sign-up bonus miles offer. You’ll need to make $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening to earn the bonus.
Here are some ideas on meeting the spending requirement:
What Are Alaska Airlines Miles Worth?
As with many airline branded credit cards, the value of your miles can vary greatly. It all depends on how you use your miles. On average, we value each Alaska Airlines mile at around $0.018. Using this valuation, 50,000 miles would be worth around $900.
You can redeem your miles towards Alaska Airlines flights, or with one of their many partners (see below for the list). The timing of your booking, your airline choice, and your destination all play a part in how the value of your miles will vary.
For motivated value seekers, this process can be worthwhile. If this sounds like a headache to you, you may be much better off with a general travel rewards credit card (we’ve got suggestions below).
Alaska Airlines Card Top Features
You might think that Alaska Airlines’ credit card isn’t worth it because you’re not in an area like Seattle or Portland where Alaska Airlines has a big presence. When you add in Alaska’s partners, however, the world opens up to you.
There are more than 15+ Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan partners, allowing you to use or earn Mileage Plan miles for traveling to over 900 worldwide destinations. See them below (check alaskaair.com for the most up-to-date listing):
It may take you longer to earn rewards for international travel, but with the Alaska Airlines Visa, your miles never expire.
The Alaska Airlines Visa card gives you 50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge.
You’ll also get 20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases when you pay with your card.
How much have you spent on checked bags on your recent trips? At an average of $25 a pop, that can add up.
When you fly Alaska Airlines, your baggage fees (and the fees of up to 6 people in your party) are waived.
You don’t want to be concerned with how much you’ll get hit with foreign transaction fees when you make a purchase abroad. There are no fees for foreign transactions with this card.
Bottom Line
The $75 annual fee is charged to your account straight away. Many other cards waive the fee in the first year.
The Coach Companion Fare lets you travel with at least one other person for the low price of $99 plus taxes and fees once each year. Along with bag-fee waivers, you can save hundreds of dollars, negating the card’s annual fee of $75.
If you fly with Alaska Airlines often, then consider the Alaska Airlines Visa credit card. Miles you earn on this card can also be used towards travel on partner airlines including major carriers like American Airlines and Delta. This level of flexibility lets you book travel in areas where Alaska Airlines doesn’t fly to.
The variance in mileage value will deter many. For those willing to spend the time searching through different combinations of travel options, the value obtained can be worthwhile. For those seeking a simpler redemption process, a non-branded travel credit card will be a better fit.
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Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Disclaimer: These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. It is not the bank advertiser's or any other entity's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.