The welcome bonus has temporarily increased to 100,000 miles plus a 25k companion ticket. This card earns 3x on international purchases, making it well worth keeping long term if you have significant spending abroad. The $395 annual fee can be well worth it if you can use the 25k companion ticket. 25,000 Alaska miles are worth about $400. Most of the other benefits are tied to award redemptions or flying, so this card is most valuable for people who fly frequently.

This is still a solid bonus, and I’ve added it to the rankings.

BofA Atmos Rewards Summit Credit Card

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BofA Atmos Rewards Summit Credit Card

Annual 25k-mile discount certificate; extensive airline benefits

  • Welcome bonus: 100,000 miles + 25,000 Global Companion Ticket (spend $4,000 within 90 days)
  • Rewards: 3x on purchases outside the U.S. and dining; 1x on all other purchases
  • Redemption: Redeem for Alaska or partner award tickets
  • Annual fee: $395
  • Apply now>>

Benefits

  • One 25,000-mile international companion ticket each year: When the cardholder books an award ticket, the companion ticket reduces the companion’s required miles by 25,000. It can be used on international flights operated by Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, or partner airlines. Spending $60,000 in a calendar year earns a 100,000-mile international companion ticket, which works similarly to the 25,000-mile version described above. The comparison below clearly explains the GCA and regular companion tickets.
  • 3x on international spending: This is the first rewards offer I’ve seen so focused on spending outside the US or purchases made in foreign currencies. If this benefit remains stable, this card could pair very well with one dedicated to international spending. It has no foreign transaction fee, which is a clear advantage.
  • Extra 10% points bonus: You just need to have a BofA checking account.
  • $120 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry reimbursement.
  • No award-ticket booking fee: Alaska’s booking fee is generally $10-$30, so having it waived is a nice perk.
  • 8 lounge passes and 8 Wi-Fi passes each year
  • 10,000 elite-qualifying miles each year, plus 1 elite-qualifying mile per $2 spent: Makes it easier to pursue elite status.
  • Free checked bags for you and up to six traveling companions.
  • Receive a $50 voucher if an Alaska-operated flight is canceled or delayed by 2 hours
  • No fee for same-day flight changes on Alaska-operated flights
  • No blackout dates when using points or the international companion ticket, and no award redemption fee
  • No foreign transaction fee

BofA card benefits

  • Free museum admission: On the first weekend of every month, BofA cardholders get free admission to museums nationwide. You can add authorized user cards for family members so they can also get free admission. For a list of participating museums by state, click here
  • BofA Deal offers: These provide 5%-15% cash back or fixed-dollar rebates at many merchants. Notable past offers have included 15% cash back at Sears (up to $25) and Nordstrom Rack (up to $37.5). Using any one BofA Deal also earns an extra $5. See the Guide to Using BofA Deals.
  • Free credit score: BofA credit cards now provide a free TransUnion credit score. See the Comparison of Free Credit Scores.
  • Product change option: This card can be converted to another no-annual-fee BofA credit card. If you don’t want to pay the annual fee after the first year, you can product change. See the Product Change Guide.

Alaska Miles Guide

  • Point value: Each mile is worth 1.6 cents (points value chart)
  • Redeeming miles: Alaska Mileage Plan has been integrated into Atmos Rewards, and existing miles were converted to the new points at a 1:1 ratio. You can redeem flights on Alaska, Hawaiian, and oneworld and other partner airlines such as AA, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines. Short-haul awards and some partner business class awards still offer decent value, but long-haul and multi-segment itineraries are no longer as cheap as before. See Alaska miles redemption
  • Redemption advantages: Eligible international one-way award tickets can include one free stopover of up to 14 days, and round-trip awards can include up to two stopovers. The award chart is priced mainly by region and flight distance, with partner-airline short-haul awards starting at 4,500 points, and some Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and AA business class awards can still deliver strong value.

My Take

This card’s benefits are quite unique. Earning 3x on international spending makes it a powerful card for purchases abroad. If you use it to buy gold and then resell it, you’re essentially making money as long as your loss is under 1%. Manufactured spending (MS) is tightly monitored in the US, but overseas—especially in China—many card terminals process transactions smoothly, making it easy to rack up those 100,000 Alaska miles. As a result, this benefit may be relatively easy to abuse.

The $395 annual fee can be well worth it if you can use the companion ticket. 25,000 Alaska miles are worth about $400. Most of the other benefits are tied to award redemptions or flying, so this card is most valuable for people who fly frequently.

Application

  • You need to enter your Alaska membership number when applying. If you already have one, be sure to provide it; otherwise, the system will automatically assign you a new number.
  • BOA application status check link, or call: (800) 732-9194
  • 2/3/4 rule: at most 2 cards approved within 2 months, 3 within 12 months, and 4 within 24 months. However, BofA’s system is not very reliable, and sometimes a card may be approved at first but later shut down.
  • The welcome bonus on the same card can only be received once every 24 months, and you need to make sure the card is closed before applying again>
  • You need to be a Resident to apply for a BOA credit card online: when applying for a BofA credit card online, if you select Non resident alien, you will not be able to continue and must apply by phone. However, BofA’s definition of Resident alien is different from the IRS definition of Resident alien for tax purpose. No matter what immigration status you used to enter the US, if you have lived in the US for 183 days within the past two years, then select Resident Alien. If you just arrived in the US and cannot meet this requirement, follow the prompt on the online application page and call 1.800.932.2775 to apply.
  • You can call the reconsideration line (888-593-6092) to speed up credit card approval or request a review of a denied application.
  • More about applying for BofA credit cards

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