There have been quite a few recent changes to the Alaska Airlines frequent flyer program, so we’re covering them all in one post. Overall, these are fairly significant changes, but the impact is not too severe. Compared with other airlines, this feels like a relatively smooth transition.

Elite Status

Changes related to elite status were just announced, and the official website has already listed the key takeaways. EQM will become the only qualification metric, credit cards can earn up to 20,000 EQM, and elite members will have more reward choices.

Previously, qualifying for elite status required not only reaching the EQM threshold, but also completing a certain number of partner segments and Alaska-operated segments. Starting in 2024, those additional requirements will be eliminated, and meeting the EQM requirement alone will be enough. This is a meaningful change: combined with credit card spending, it will be possible to earn status with much less flying and rely primarily on credit card spending.

100,000 MVP comes with an extra reward

Alaska co-branded credit cards can earn EQM. For every $10,000 spent, you can earn 4000EQM, up to 20,000 EQM per year. If you only spend and do not fly, you could spend your way directly to MVP status.

A faster way to earn status through your Alaska Airlines credit card. Throughout 2024, for every $10K you spend, you'll automatically earn 4,000 EQMs (up to 20,000 EQMs total) .*

Award Chart

Right now, Alaska uses a region-based award chart, where the miles required depend mainly on the origin and destination. Whether the itinerary is nonstop or connecting usually does not change the mileage much, though taxes and fees can differ. Alaska-operated flights and partner flights currently have separate award charts rather than one unified chart. But starting in 2024, all award charts will shift to distance-based pricing, with the mileage required varying by region. See the charts below for details (charts from Awardwallet).

Although Alaska says that some nonstop flights will require fewer miles than before in both business class and economy, that only applies to nonstop itineraries. After the change, connecting itineraries will price each segment separately based on distance, so the mileage cost will rise significantly. Long-haul routes will also generally require more miles.

That said, from a redemption perspective, having everything consolidated into a single chart will be more convenient.

New Partner

Alaska recently announced that it will partner with Porter Airline (based in Canada). For now, flights can earn AS miles. In the future, elite benefits, award redemptions, and more will be added.

Summary

Overall, these adjustments are still fairly reasonable. The Big Three airlines are all placing more emphasis on spending when determining elite status, and award pricing has largely moved toward dynamic pricing tied to cash fares. Alaska still uses the more traditional region-based approach for elite qualification and award charts, which also means there are still sweet spots to be found—situations where cash fares are high but award prices remain low. So at least for people who enjoy maximizing miles, Alaska still offers some advantages.