The current welcome bonus is 80,000 miles + a 25k companion ticket. This card earns 3x on overseas spending, so if you have that kind of spend, it’s well worth keeping long term. The $395 annual fee can be very worthwhile 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 actually fly often.

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

BofA Atmos Rewards Summit Credit Card

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Full review

BofA Atmos Rewards Summit Credit Card

Annual 25k-mile discount certificate; extensive airline benefits

  • Welcome bonus: 80,000 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 international companion ticket each year: When the cardholder books an award ticket, a companion ticket can be used to reduce the companion’s required miles by 25,000. This ticket can be used on international flights operated by Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, or partner airlines. If you spend $60,000 in a calendar year, you can earn a 100,000 international companion ticket, which works similarly to the 25,000 version above. The comparison below explains GCA and the regular companion ticket very clearly.
  • 3x on international spending: This is the first time I’ve seen rewards so focused on spending outside the US or on purchases made in foreign currencies. If this benefit remains stable, it could pair very well with a card dedicated to international spending. This card has no foreign transaction fee, which is a clear advantage.
  • Extra 10% points bonus: Just hold a BofA checking account.
  • TSA GE $120 reimbursement.
  • No booking fee on award tickets: Alaska’s booking fee is generally $10-$30, so waiving it is certainly nice.
  • 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 yourself and up to six traveling companions.
  • If an airline-operated flight is canceled or delayed by 2 hours, you receive a $50 voucher
  • No fee for same-day flight changes on airline-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 participating museums nationwide. You can add an authorized user card for family members so they can also get free admission. For the list of participating museums by state, please click here
  • BofA Deal offers: These provide 5%-15% cash back or fixed-dollar rebates at many merchants. Strong past offers have included Sears 15% cash back (up to $25) and Nordstrom Rack 15% cash back (up to $37.5). If you use any one BofA Deal, you can also get an extra $5. See: Guide to Using BofA Deals
  • Free credit score: BofA credit cards now provide a free TransUnion credit score. See: 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 keep paying the annual fee after one year, you can product change. See: 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

The benefits on this card are quite unique, and earning 3x on overseas spending makes it a strong tool for international purchases. If you use it to buy gold and then resell it, as long as your loss stays within 1%, you’re basically coming out ahead for free. Manufactured spending (MS) is tightly monitored within the US, but overseas—especially in China—many card terminals will still process these transactions smoothly, so earning those chunks of 100,000 Alaska miles can be quite easy. Because of that, this benefit seems relatively easy to abuse.

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

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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