I’ve never flown Alaska Airlines before — here’s why I want its premium credit card
I’ve never flown with Alaska Airlines, and I don’t live in a city where the airline currently operates.
However Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card Even though I have no plans to fly Alaska Airlines, it has jumped to the top of my rewards wish list.
This is one of the most exciting new premium rewards cards I’ve seen in a while. Here’s why.
Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card: Earn 80,000 bonus points and 25,000 Global Companion points when you spend $4,000 in purchases within 90 days of account opening.
Why this Alaska Airlines card caught my attention
It’s not every day that a new premium airline credit card hits the market.
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have launched their new joint loyalty program, Atmos Rewards, with much fanfare. They also announced a new credit card with unique rewards and benefits that piqued my interest.
Huge, versatile welcome offer
Welcome offer Atmos Rewards Summit Card Be the first to notice. For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus points and 25,000 Global Companion points when you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Based on our February 2026 valuation, TPG values Atmos Rewards points at 1.5 cents per Atmos Rewards point, making just 80,000 points worth $1,200 before taking into account Global Partner Awards.
The card’s annual fee of $395 is comparable to other airlines’ premium consumer cards and much lower than some recently updated premium travel cards.
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While huge welcome bonuses aren’t uncommon with airline credit cards, this card offers a ton of one of the most valuable airline currencies you can collect, as well as the new, fun Global Companion bonus.
Related: Who qualifies for the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card?
Unique and generous yield
This card has the following earning rates:
- Earn 3 points per $1 spent on eligible dining, purchases outside the U.S., and purchases on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
When I first read the income structure and saw there were 3 points for dining and direct airline purchases, this seemed like a pretty standard airline credit card.
But I was surprised when I saw that the card also offered 3 points per $1 spent on overseas purchases.
It’s not just foreign dining purchases or foreign purchases on select airlines – you’ll earn 3 points per dollar on every purchase made in a foreign currency (or U.S. dollars if the transaction is made or processed outside the U.S.), regardless of category.
If you travel internationally as often as I do, this multiplier can be the most valuable daily earn rate on your travel card.
This sounds too good to be true. I can’t think of another card that offers such a high rate of return on all foreign purchases.
Industry-leading exchange rate
I’m not yet a member of the Atmos Rewards loyalty program (or its predecessor, the Alaska Airlines Mileage Program) because I’ve never visited Alaska or set foot on an Alaska Airlines plane.
Historically, its currency has been difficult to earn because it isn’t a transfer partner for most major credit card currencies, with Bilt Rewards being the exception.
But I’ve been longing for a healthy balance of Atmos Rewards points since the starting redemption rates are so low, including:
- 4,500 points: Traveling on American Airlines routes up to 700 miles.
- 10,000 points: Fly in economy from the West Coast to Hawaii on Hawaii Airlines.
- 45,000 points: Book a business class seat on Aer Lingus to Ireland—a great value transatlantic lie-flat experience.
- 75,000 points: Book business class on Japan Airlines from the West Coast to Japan.
- 75,000 points: Fly to Fiji in Fiji Airways business class.
Related: What it’s like to fly to Ireland on Aer Lingus’ new Airbus A321XLR
Global Partner Awards are more generous than you think
Atmos Rewards Summit After cardholders spend $4,000 or more in the first 90 days after account opening, they will receive a 25,000-point Global Companion Reward in the first year and on each card anniversary (no spending requirements); after spending $60,000 in a year, they can also receive a second Global Companion Reward of 100,000 points.
This differs from the existing card’s companion fare, which gives the second passenger a 25,000-point discount (or 100,000 points after spending $60,000 in annual purchases) when you book a trip for two using Atmos Rewards points.
While some companion coupons (such as British Airways Travel Together tickets) come with complex rules and restrictions, Summit’s rewards are both generous and easy to use.
That’s because it applies to travel in any class on Alaska Airlines and all of its airline redemption partners, both inside and outside the Oneworld alliance, including Hawaiian Airlines, British Airways, Qantas, Iberia, Icelandair, Korean Air and more. Applicable fees and taxes still apply.
If you’re like me and don’t live in a city where Alaska Airlines operates, you can still use this offer to save points when redeeming a ticket for two, whether you want to fly across the country or to Europe, Asia, Oceania or beyond. This makes Atmos Rewards redemptions cheaper when I travel with others.
The card also waives award fees on partner flights, which will save me up to $12.50 per person, one-way, when using points to book partner award flights.
Benefits I probably won’t use
this Atmos Rewards Summit There are some other interesting perks including (but not limited to):
- Anniversary status points: Earn 10,000 tier points for each card anniversary, equivalent to half the Atmos Rewards Silver tier.
- path to elite status: Earn 1 tier point for every 2 US dollars spent. You can get Atmos Rewards Silver tier (equivalent to Oneworld Ruby tier) after spending 20,000 US dollars. You can get Atmos Rewards Gold tier (equivalent to Oneworld Sapphire tier) after spending 60,000 US dollars.
- Free points sharing: You can share points with up to 10 other Atmos Rewards members for free.
- Free checked baggage: When paying with Atmos Rewards Summit, you and up to six guests on the same reservation can check bags for free on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights.
- No change fee: There is no change fee when changing to an Alaska Airlines flight on the same day.
- Use the lounge: Get eight Alaska Lounge passes per year (two per calendar quarter; partner lounges excluded), plus premium bar experiences.
- Departure delay ticket: For any Alaska Airlines flight delayed by two hours or more or canceled within 24 hours, regardless of the reason, cardholders will receive a $50 voucher (voucher valid for 48 hours; one per calendar day).
- Priority airport security: Earn up to $120 in Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit every four years.
While these perks would certainly be useful to someone who frequently flies with Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines (or is considering switching to those two airlines if they live in the city they operate from), I still don’t have any plans to fly with either airline, so these perks are of limited use to me, especially since I already have elite membership in British Airways Club.
Related: Is Atmos Rewards Summit Worth the Annual Fee?
bottom line
I haven’t flown on Alaska Airlines yet, but I want to Atmos Rewards Summit Credit Card Because its perks are both unique and rewarding: a huge welcome bonus available online for a limited time that almost covers the cost of a round-trip business class ticket to Europe on partner airlines like Aer Lingus, and a Global Companion Award that recurs annually and can be used on many different partner airlines.
Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all foreign transactions, which is incredibly generous.
This is a premium airline card that makes sense even if you’ve never set foot on the airline itself – so if you’re looking for a valuable new card for your wallet, don’t miss this deal.
To learn more, read our full review of the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa.
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