Alaska Airlines' New Premium Card Pays for Itself in One Trip

What Makes the Global Companion Award Different?

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Unlike the $99 companion fare on Alaska's standard cards (domestic only, restrictive), the Global Companion Award works on:

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✅ Alaska Airlines flights (any route)

✅ Hawaiian Airlines flights (post-merger)

✅ Partner airlines (Oneworld carriers like British Airways, Cathay Pacific, JAL, Qantas)

✅ Any class of service (economy to first class)

✅ Top-up capability (if award costs more than 25K/100K, you can add points)

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Real-World Example: Booking two business class seats SEA to Tokyo on Japan Airlines:

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• Award cost per person: 75,000 points

• Total for two: 150,000 points

• With 25K companion award: 125,000 points

• With 100K companion award: 50,000 points (67% savings!)

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The catch: You need award availability for two people. But Alaska's partners have better availability than most programs.

Who Should Get This Card? (The Decision Tree)

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✅ Apply if you:

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1. Fly Alaska/Hawaiian or partners 3+ times yearly

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• The companion award alone justifies the fee

• 8 lounge passes add $320 in value

• Status points accelerate your path to elite benefits

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2. Spend heavily abroad (digital nomads, expats, frequent international travelers)

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• 3x on foreign purchases is unprecedented for an airline card

• No foreign transaction fees

• Effectively 3.3x with Bank of America Preferred Rewards

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3. Travel as a couple or family

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• Companion awards save $500-1,200 per year

• Works on partner airlines (huge flexibility)

• Can top-up for premium cabin bookings

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4. Want Alaska MVP status without flying

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• $60,000 spend = 30,000 status points

• Plus 10,000 annual bonus = 40,000 total

• MVP status threshold: 40,000 status points

• Earn elite status purely from card spend

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❌ Skip this card if you:

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1. Rarely fly Alaska or partners

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• The companion award loses value if you can't use it

• Other cards offer more flexibility (Chase, Amex, Capital One)

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2. Travel solo most of the time

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• Companion awards are less useful without a travel partner

• Better options exist for solo travelers

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3. Spend less than $12,000 annually on credit cards

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• You won't earn enough to justify the fee

• Stick with no-annual-fee cards or lower-tier Alaska cards

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4. Already have elite status

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• The status acceleration becomes redundant

• Other card benefits may overlap with your status perks

Card Comparison: How Does It Stack Up?

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Before committing to the $395 annual fee, let's see how the Alaska Atmos Summit Card compares to other premium travel cards you might already have—or should consider instead.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve®

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[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "510", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint": "$300 Annual Travel Credit"} ]]

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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

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[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "2888", "isExpanded": "true", "bestForCategoryId": "52", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint" : "Luxurious Travel Benefits" } ]]

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American Express Platinum Card®

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[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "106", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint": "Serious Points on Flights"} ]]

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^{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}

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Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card

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[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "48", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint": "Annual Companion Fare"} ]]

The Foreign Purchase Bonus: A Game-Changer?

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This is the first major U.S. airline card to offer 3x points on foreign purchases. Here's why it matters:

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What qualifies as "foreign purchases":

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‍✅ Purchases made in foreign currency (buying lunch in Paris)

✅ US dollar transactions processed outside the US (booking a hotel in London charged in USD)

✅ Online purchases from international merchants

✅ Subscriptions to foreign services (European software, UK streaming services)

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What doesn't qualify:

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‍❌ Domestic purchases from foreign companies (buying from Amazon.com while in the US)

❌ Purchases made abroad but processed in the US

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Real-world value calculation:

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Digital nomad spending $25,000 abroad annually:

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• 25,000 x 3x = 75,000 points (worth ~$750)

• Plus 25K companion award = $500

• Total value: $1,250 vs. $395 fee = $855 profit

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Potential concern: Bank of America has historically scrutinized accounts with heavy foreign spending (fraud prevention). No official cap exists, but be prepared for potential account reviews if 80%+ of your spend is overseas.

The $60K Spend Strategy: Worth It for Elite Status?

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Should you put $60,000 annual spend on this card to unlock the 100,000-point companion award and MVP status?

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The Math:

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$60,000 spend earns:

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• 30,000 status points (1 point per $2 spent)

• Plus 10,000 bonus status points (card anniversary)

• Total: 40,000 status points = MVP status

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MVP status benefits:

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• Free upgrades (when available)

• 50% bonus on earning future status points

• Complimentary premium upgrades

• Priority boarding

• Value: ~$800-1,200 annually

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Plus the 100,000-point companion award:

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• Worth $1,000-1,500 for international business class

• Worth $500-800 for domestic first class

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Total value from $60K spend: $2,300-3,700

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Should you do it?

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✅ Yes, if:

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• You'd spend $60K on a 1x-2x card anyway (might as well get MVP status)

• You travel with a partner regularly (100K companion award is massive value)

• You want Alaska MVP status and would otherwise fly to earn it

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❌ No, if:

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• You'd earn more value chasing sign-up bonuses on multiple cards

• You travel solo (100K companion award loses value)

• You already have elite status elsewhere

How to Apply & Maximize Your Value

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Step 1: Check Your Approval Odds

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Recommended credit score: 670-850 (Good to Excellent)

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Bank of America approval tips:

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• Having an existing Bank of America checking/savings account helps

• Bank of America Preferred Rewards status boosts earning (3x becomes 3.3x)

• Avoid applying for multiple cards within 30 days

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Application path: Apply directly through Alaska Airlines or Bank of America (not via third-party links for best bonus tracking)

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Step 2: Hit the Welcome Bonus

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Requirements: Spend $4,000 in 90 days

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Strategy to meet spend:

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• Pay rent via Bilt (if possible) - should code as 1x

• Pre-pay insurance (car, health, etc.)

• Buy gift cards for regular expenses

• Front-load annual subscriptions

• Don't manufacture spend excessively (Bank of America monitors unusual patterns)

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Bonus earned:

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• 80,000 points (worth ~$800 in travel)

• 25,000-point Global Companion Award (worth ~$500)

• Total: ~$1,300 value from $4,000 spend

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Step 3: Optimize Ongoing Spend

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Best categories for this card:

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1. All foreign purchases (3x points)
2. Dining (3x points)
3. Alaska/Hawaiian flights (3x points)

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Use other cards for:

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• General travel: Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X

• Groceries: Amex Gold

• Everything else: 2% cash back card

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Pro tip: With Bank of America Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors status ($100K balance), your 3x becomes 3.3x—one of the highest earn rates in the industry.

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Step 4: Maximize the Companion Award

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Best redemptions for 25,000-point award:

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• West Coast ↔ Hawaii: $400-600 value

• Seattle ↔ East Coast: $300-500 value

• Any partner airline booking: varies widely

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Best redemptions for 100,000-point award:

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• US ↔ Asia in business class: $1,200-2,000 value

• US ↔ Europe in business class: $800-1,500 value

• Domestic first class multi-city: $600-900 value

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How to find availability:

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• Search Alaska Airlines website for award flights

• Look for two seats available (required for companion award)

• Book when you find availability (it disappears quickly on premium routes)

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can I use the companion award on Hawaiian Airlines after the merger?

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Yes! The Global Companion Award works on Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and all Oneworld partner airlines (British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qantas, American Airlines, and more).

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What happens if the companion ticket costs less than 25,000 points?

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Unfortunately, any unused portion is forfeited. If you book a 15,000-point award, you don't get the remaining 10,000 points back. Always try to maximize value by using it on awards that cost at least the full 25,000 or 100,000 points (you can top-up with additional points if needed).

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Do the companion awards expire?

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The 25,000-point award is issued annually on your card anniversary and expires 12 months later. The 100,000-point award (earned via $60,000 spend) also expires 12 months after issuance. You cannot roll them over or combine multiple years' awards.

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Is the 3x foreign purchase bonus capped?

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No annual cap exists. However, Bank of America may scrutinize accounts with unusually high foreign spending (potential fraud prevention). There's no official policy, but spending 90%+ of transactions abroad could trigger a review.

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Can I get this card if I have the Alaska Visa Signature Card?

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Yes! There's nothing preventing you from holding both cards. Many travelers keep the $95 Visa Signature for the $99 domestic companion fare and add the Summit Card for premium benefits. You can earn welcome bonuses on both cards.

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Does this card have foreign transaction fees?

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No foreign transaction fees—making the 3x foreign purchase earning even more valuable. You earn triple points AND avoid the typical 2-3% foreign transaction fee that many cards charge.

Bottom Line: Run Your Personal ROI Calculation

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The Alaska Atmos Summit Visa Infinite Card is the most strategically designed airline card launch in years—but it's not for everyone.

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Apply immediately if you:

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• Fly Alaska/Hawaiian or partners 3+ times yearly AND travel with a companion (break-even in one trip)

• Spend $15,000+ abroad annually (the 3x foreign purchase bonus makes this a no-brainer)

• Want to earn MVP status via card spend rather than flying ($60K strategy)

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Consider carefully if you:

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• Fly Alaska occasionally but not regularly (the $95 Visa Signature might be enough)

• Travel solo most of the time (companion awards lose 50% of their value)

• Already hold Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X (evaluate if switching makes sense)

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Skip this card if you:

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• Never fly Alaska, Hawaiian, or Oneworld partners (companion awards become worthless)

• Spend less than $10,000 annually on credit cards (won't earn enough to justify fee)

• Need maximum flexibility in redemptions (Chase/Capital One transfer partners are better)

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Your next steps:

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Action 1: Calculate your annual spending in the 3x categories (dining + foreign purchases + Alaska flights). If it's over $10,000, this card likely makes sense.

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Action 2: Estimate how many times you'd use a companion award annually. If it's 1-2 times, you'll easily recoup the $395 fee.

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Action 3: If approved for this card, use Kudos to track your card benefits and ensure you're maximizing the companion awards, lounge passes, and status points before they expire.

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The difference between wasting a $395 annual fee and earning $1,200+ in value comes down to one thing: strategic use of the companion awards. Book them early, use them on expensive routes, and travel with a companion—that's when this card becomes genuinely profitable.