Alaska Airlines is sticking with the BILT partnership as new Atmos program launches

Despite the launch of a brand new loyalty program last week, one of the best ways to win points from Alaska Airlines is completely different.

The airline’s partnership with Bilt Rewards didn’t help, meaning tenants could still turn their monthly payments into reward flights on Alaska and its vast network of partners.

Don’t get me wrong, though, it’s the airline is opening the door to offer more transfer partnerships with other major banking programs.

“These are ultimately competitors,” Brett Catlin, vice president of alliance and sales at Alaska Aviation Group, told TPG.

Read more: Atmos Rewards reveals: 5 radar allowances from upgrade to lounge access

Alaska, atmosphere and bilt

Bilt and Alaska started working together in 2024, providing a attractive option for renters to cash out on monthly fees for many.

As part of the arrangement, BiltMastercard® (See Interest Rates and Fees) Members can earn rent payments for 1 point per dollar* and then transfer these points to Alaska company’s airline and hotel partners.

This means that the $2,000 you rent a monthly can quickly turn into points for 2,000 airlines, which is a valuable offer with Alaska, where only a few thousand points are good for reward flights, including acquiring top domestic partner American Airlines.

*Maximum 100,000 points per calendar year; points must be earned using five cards during each statement

Despite Alaska’s rename of Atmos Rewards, this month launched Atmos Rewards with Hawaiian Airlines, this bilt-to-Alaska transfer option remains.

The same is true of Atmos credit card holders, or, charge rent to their airlines through BILT’s network and earn 3 Atmos points per dollar, despite a 3% fee.

“We are pleased to support the launch of Atmos Rewards and deepen our partnership with Alaska Airlines, including our industry leadership, allowing Atmos members to receive rewards only by paying rent or using Bilt to be nearby.”

A more cautious way to transfer partners

Overall, however, Alaska has less perceptions of customers moving flexible banking points to their broader idea of ​​their loyalty programs, a setting that could prompt customers to spend outside the Atmos reward ecosystem in Catlin’s eyes.

“I think it’s a debate going on across the industry, ‘How many competitors do you want to incubate,'” Catlin said.

1 Transfer partnership has ended

Remember, Alaska’s 2024 acquisition of Hawaiians has already resulted in the end of a major credit card transfer partnership.

Earlier this summer, American Express cardholders lost the ability to transfer member reward points to Hawaiian Miles, which will end on October 1.

According to Catlin’s comments, it sounds like Alaska and Hawaiians are unlikely to reach new deals with any other banking partners any time soon.

Part of the reason: When launching the Atmos Rewards, Alaska wanted to create an ecosystem that inspires customers to spend on Alaska and Hawaiians with Atmos Partners (such as Lyft) or Atmos Cobranded credit cards.

Not to mention the new premium Atmos™ Rewards Summit VisaInfinite® Credit Card In fact, there is a transferable currency of its own; cardholders can transfer Atmos reward points to a few hotel programs, including one from Bonvoy and IHG.

“A lot of the value is our members interacting with partners when we consider our portfolio and what we aim to build through Atmos rewards,” Catlin said. “In some ways, it makes sense to work with competitors. Others may not.”

Read more: Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card Review: The Best Cards to Buy Abroad

So, what about bilt?

Of course, BILT is Alaska’s “competitor” to continue to cooperate.

At this point, Catlin put an alliance on the airline’s connection to the bilt.

“We are happy with the BILT relationship. We have done something innovative,” Catlin told TPG. “It is working with where we are today.”

I asked him about this partnership in the long run. Catlin once again mentioned the airline’s overall view of the transfer partnership:

He replied: “Philosophically, it’s not aimed at biological, whether it’s airlines, our rewards programs, we are not incubating competitors’ businesses.”

Related readings:

For the rates and fees of Bilt MasterCard, click here.
For the rewards and benefits of BILT Mastercard, click here.