Best Credit Cards for Flying with Alaska Airlines

If you’re booking a flight with Alaska Airlines, you may be wondering which credit card will help you earn the most rewards and enjoy perks like free checked bags.

Alaska Airlines, like Hawaiian Airlines, is part of the Atmos Rewards loyalty program. It offers three Bank of America credit cards: two personal and one business card.

But these aren’t your only options. In fact, other transferable rewards cards can offer serious earnings on Alaska Airlines flights.

We’ve compiled a list of the best credit cards for booking flights to Alaska. Here’s a breakdown of the main options.

Compare the Best Credit Cards for Alaska Airlines Flights

Here’s a quick overview of the best credit cards for Alaska Airlines flights, along with their earning rates and benefits.

*Bonus value is an estimate based on TPG’s February 2026 valuation and not calculated by the card issuer.

**Must pay by card to receive benefits.

Information for the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Card, Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Business Card and American Express Green Card is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

RELATED: Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Business: Which $95 Alaska-Hawaii card should you buy?

Which card should you use to fly Alaska Airlines?

If you’re looking for extra benefits, the Atmos Rewards co-branded card is your best choice. That’s because when you fly with Alaska and use one of these cards, you’ll get free checked bags, priority boarding, and discounts on in-flight purchases.

Note that you also get two free checked bags when flying to Alaska with your personal Hawaiian Airlines card.

Now, if you’ve never checked a bag in Alaska and haven’t had priority boarding, you can often get even more rewards with a transferable points card that earns bonus points on your ticket. For example, Chase Sapphire Reserve Earn 4 points for every $1 spent on flights booked directly with the airline. Cards that earn transferable points also offer more comprehensive travel protection than Atmos Rewards cards.

The same point applies if you have elite status with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, or another oneworld airline. With elite status, you’ll get free checked bags and priority boarding (among other perks, depending on your status level) no matter which card you use to purchase your ticket. Cards with these benefits won’t be as impactful to status holders.

Related: A Complete Guide to Oneworld Affiliate Benefits

bottom line

The Atmos Rewards card is probably the best option for those who fly frequently to Alaska. That’s because you’ll get free checked bags, in-flight discounts, and priority boarding opportunities, which can help offset the card’s annual fee.

But if you have Alaska elite status and would rather earn transferable points, one of the other cards we list here might be a better choice.

Related: Are airline credit cards still valuable?

For American Express Platinum Card rates and fees, click here.