Alaska Airlines will let Atmos Rewards members choose how they earn points and status points when flying with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Members can make their choice starting October 1, 2026, and it will apply to flights departing on or after January 1, 2027.
Three Ways to Earn Points
Members will be able to choose from three earning methods:
- Distance: 1 point for every mile flown.
- Price paid: 5 points for every $1 spent on eligible airfare and paid upgrades.
- Segments: 500 points for each flight segment.
The chosen method applies to both award points and status points, so it is not possible to split them. Members can change their choice once per calendar year. For tickets on partner airlines, points are still based on fare class and distance flown.
Which option pays off depends on how you fly. On a 2,000-mile flight with a $150 ticket, distance gives 2,000 points, price paid gives 750, and segments give 500. On a short $80 hop between Hawaiian islands of about 200 miles, segments give 500 points, price paid gives 400, and distance gives only about 200. Expensive tickets, especially in premium cabins, are where the price-based option comes out ahead.
What Happens If You Don’t Choose
Existing Atmos Rewards members who make no selection will keep earning points based on distance. New members who join on or after January 1, 2027 will default to earning based on price paid.
New Earning Options Start in 2027
Alaska Airlines first promised the choice-based earning system when it launched Atmos Rewards, and it was originally expected in 2026. The airline has now set the start for flights from January 1, 2027.
Atmos Rewards replaced Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan and Hawaiian Airlines’ HawaiianMiles programs, combining the two under a single name. Alongside the new earning options, Alaska also announced an Atmos Rewards debit card planned for early 2027.
More information is available on the Alaska Airlines website.