There are many changes coming to Alaska Airlines in 2026. The company’s loyalty program was rebranded to Atmos Rewards last August, but the change brings more than a new name. The airline is adding Starlink internet to their entire fleet, and soon, passengers will pick how they accrue mileage points.
We talked about the program with Scott McMurren of the Alaska Travelgram. Here are five things to know.
1. Three Ways to Earn
When you fly on Alaska Airlines, mileage members typically earn one point per mile flown. For example, you get over 1,400 mileage points when you fly between Anchorage and Seattle. But later this year, the airline will let passengers choose how they earn points.
Members will be able to pick one of three options, and change their preference once a year.
- When you purchase a flight, you’ll earn five points for each dollar you spend (including upgrades).
- Segments flown: Get 500 points for each segment flown.
- Distance traveled: If you’re an Atmos member, this is how you’re currently earning points. This option will accrue one mile for each mile flown.
Scott McMurren with the Alaska Travelgram newsletter said he’s planning to choose option three, or “the legacy plan” as he called it.
“Here in Alaska, many of our flights are long haul, and that's the way, I think, to get the most value,” McMurren said.
The airline said more details would be released as the launch nears.
2. A bumpy takeoff for Atmos
McMurren said he’s encountered lots of hiccups when booking flights recently. He calls himself a “mileage grabber," hunting for the best travel deals leaving the state. He’ll then share his thrifty fare finds through his newsletter and sometimes on his Facebook page.
He’ll search on Google Flights – which allows travelers to compare and track airfare prices.
There have been multiple times, McMurren said, that he’s tried to book flights on Alaska Air’s website to earn points through the airline’s partners. It happened when he booked tickets to travel to Dublin, Ireland this year through Aer Lingus, the country’s national airline.
He said flights would’ve cost $300 more if he booked through Alaska Air for the same exact flights.
“I mark this differential down to transition because I'm not prepared to think that it's a malicious money grab.”
Alaska Airlines spokesperson Tim Thompson said by email that generally, “fare variations can occur due to factors such as demand, destination, cabin availability and frequency in the market.”
McMurren has hopes he’ll be able to maximize his points, but said it’s just not there yet.
3. Travel will cost you more miles or “points”
Miles are now called “points,” and McMurren said you’ll need to spend more of them to purchase an airline ticket. Part of that, he said, is because there’s simply more people in the rewards pool.
Around this time of year, tickets to Juneau usually run about 5,000 mileage points each way, he said. McMurren recently booked a ticket to the capital city and the cheapest ticket he found cost double that.
Club 49 gives residents a ‘Constituent Fare,’ that allows a 30% one-time discount. You need to book that travel either three or seven days in advance – and when McMurren checked, it would’ve cost him around $600.
“I’m just using my miles because that’s expensive.”
He ended up using 25,000 miles roundtrip for the flight that’s shorter than two hours each way. Each time I see McMurren, he encourages me to book a trip – and tells me that my airline miles are worth more today then they will be tomorrow.
4. Not everyone is on board
Alaska Airlines’ loyalty program is a huge deal to Alaskans, but McMurren said not everyone is happy about the Atmos changes.
He recently spoke with an airline super-user with over 2 million miles under her belt. He said she’s concerned that people will be able to earn mileage through the amount of money spent – while she’s had to sit in the seat of an airplane.
“She said, I earned every single one of those miles sitting with my butt in the seat, and have somebody basically charging their way to titanium and competing with me for my upgrades, that's a rub,” McMurren said.
Depending on your reward status, you can automatically be upgraded on your flight if seats are available.
5. Beyond the rewards
Alaska Airline Visa cardholders might’ve gotten a new, rebranded Atmos Rewards Visa Card, but card numbers and benefits are the same. Your mileage account number hasn’t changed either.
The company announced their largest fleet order in history in January that includes over 100 new aircraft, some with a new logo of a blue and green aurora. They’re also adding additional nonstop routes from the state’s largest city this spring. Additionally, Southwest Airlines will start service out of Anchorage in May.
If you’re an Alaska resident and a rewards member, you sign up for Club 49 to get two free checked bags while traveling to and from the state.
