The Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card offers valuable perks for frequent Alaska flyers, including a free checked bag and an annual companion fare from $122 when meeting spending requirements. This card excels with its ability to earn hard-to-get Alaska miles, which provide exceptional value when redeeming for partner airline flights, especially in premium cabins.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let’s dive right in.
- Get 75,000 bonus miles and Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you make $4,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
- Annual Companion Fare Each Year
- Free Checked Bag for You and & 6 Companions
- 3 Miles Per Dollar on Alaska Airlines
- 20% In-Flight Savings on Food and Drink
- $70 Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus of Alaska Business
The Alaska Airlines Business card currently offers the following welcome bonus: Get 75,000 bonus miles and Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you make $4,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
Earning Miles with Alaska Business
The Alaska Airlines Business card earns miles at the following rate:
This rewards structure is fairly limited compared to premium transferable points cards that can earn higher rates on travel and everyday spending.
While the 3x on Alaska Airlines purchases is decent, cards like American Express Platinum Card® offer better earning rates on airfare. The 2x categories provide some additional value but aren’t particularly competitive with other business cards’ bonus categories.
This card is best viewed as a companion to other rewards cards rather than a primary spending card, with its value coming more from the perks and companion fare than the earning rates.
Annual Fee of Alaska Business Visa
The Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card charges $70 for the company and $25 per card, making it $95 total for a single user. For this modest annual fee, you’ll get valuable perks including free checked bags for you and up to six guests, priority boarding, 20% back on inflight purchases, and an annual Companion Fare after spending $6,000. These benefits can easily offset the annual fee, particularly through the checked bag benefit which could save up to $490 on a roundtrip itinerary with six companions.
Authorized users get access to the free checked bag and priority boarding benefits when purchasing tickets with their cards. The cost is $25 per additional card.
Card Benefits and Perks
The Alaska Airlines Business card offers the following benefits for its cardholders:
Free Checked Bag: When using your card to book Alaska flights, you’ll score a free checked bag for yourself and up to six companions on your reservation. This comes in handy when traveling with family or colleagues, saving you significant money on those dreaded baggage fees.
Priority Boarding: Skip the regular boarding line and hop on early with up to six travel companions. This benefit ensures you’ll find overhead bin space for your carry-on and settle in before the main cabin rush. You must purchase the tickets with your card to receive this benefit.
Companion Fare Benefit: Earn a companion fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $6,000 in purchases within your anniversary year. This fare works on any economy ticket, including international routes, and both travelers earn miles and are eligible for upgrades.
20% In-Flight Savings: Get 20% back on all your Alaska Airlines inflight purchases, including food, drinks, and Wi-Fi. The savings appear as a statement credit on your account, making those mid-flight purchases a bit more budget-friendly.
Alaska Lounge+ Discount: Save $100 on an Alaska Lounge+ membership when paying with your card. This membership gives you access to all Alaska Lounges plus nearly 100 partner lounges worldwide, including American Airlines Admirals Clubs.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
Redeeming Alaska Airlines Miles
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan offers outstanding value for travelers from North America through its partnerships with premier carriers like American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines. These alliances open up a world of possibilities for both domestic and international travel. For flights within North America, Mileage Plan’s distance-based pricing is particularly attractive. Short-haul economy flights under 700 miles can be booked for just 4,500 miles, while flights between 701 and 1,400 miles cost only 7,500 miles. This makes Mileage Plan an excellent choice for domestic travel, especially on routes operated by Alaska or American Airlines. International travelers from North America can take advantage of some impressive sweet spots. Flying from the Northeast US to London in business class costs just 45,000 miles. For those looking to explore Asia, you can book a business class flight from the US with a stopover for 85,000 miles. This generous stopover policy allows you to effectively visit two destinations for the price of one. Flights to South America also offer good value. Business class awards from North America to destinations like Lima or São Paulo can be booked for 35,000 to 50,000 miles, depending on the distance. To maximize value when redeeming from North America, focus on shorter domestic flights, leverage stopovers on long-haul international itineraries, and look for premium cabin awards on Alaska’s great partners.
Pros and Cons
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of this card:
Pros:
Companion Fare Value: The annual companion fare from $122 ($99 plus taxes) is one of the most flexible airline cards. It is valid on all economy fares, including international flights, and both passengers are eligible for upgrades and mileage earning.
Baggage Benefit: Free checked bags for cardholders and up to 6 companions on the same reservation can provide significant savings of up to $490 roundtrip if maximized.
Partnership Value: Alaska Airlines’ Oneworld alliance membership and partnerships make their miles especially valuable for premium international redemptions on partners like Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.
Cons:
Annual Spending Requirement: Must spend $6,000 within the anniversary year to earn the companion fare benefit after the first year.
Limited Earning Structure: Basic earning rates of only 1x on most purchases and 2x in select categories isn’t competitive with other business cards.
Card Payment Requirement: You must use the card to pay for flights to receive core benefits like free checked bags and priority boarding.
Weak Travel Protections: This card lacks comprehensive travel insurance benefits like trip delay, trip cancellation, or baggage delay coverage commonly found on premium travel cards.
Alternatives to the Alaska Business Visa
Now that you know about this credit card’s various benefits and pros and cons, it’s time to see its alternatives.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (review) offers great rewards for small business owners. With bonus points on travel, shipping, advertising, and communication services, plus valuable travel protections, it’s a solid choice for companies looking to maximize their everyday spending. Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full Earning Rewards: 3x points on travel, shipping, advertising made with social media sites and search engines, and internet, cable and phone services on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year; 1x points on all other eligible purchases. Card Benefits: Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation insurance, cell phone protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty. Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business (review) simplifies rewards earning with double miles on everything you buy. This straightforward business card lets you transfer miles to travel partners or redeem directly for travel purchases, making it a practical choice for business owners who want travel flexibility without complex bonus categories. Welcome Bonus: Earn a 50,000 miles bonus when you spend $4,500 in the first 3 months. Earn Rewards: 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars for bookings via Capital One’s travel booking site; 2x miles on all other eligible purchases. Card Benefits: Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, primary rental car insurance, extended warranty, purchase protection, and no foreign transaction fees. Transfer Partners: Accor (2 to 1), Aeromexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, Emirates, Etihad, Finnair, I Prefer Hotels (1 to 2), Japan Airlines(2 to 1.5), JetBlue (5 to 3), Qantas, Qatar, Singapore KrisFlyer, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Red, and Wyndham Rewards.
Is the Alaska Business Card Worth It?
The Alaska Airlines Business card fits well into a travel strategy for business owners who regularly fly with Alaska Airlines or their partners.
The card’s core benefits include a free checked bag for you and up to six companions, priority boarding, and a 20% discount on inflight purchases, which can help offset the $95 annual fee.
You’ll earn 3x miles on Alaska purchases and 2x miles on categories like gas, transit, and shipping, though other business cards may offer stronger earning rates for everyday spending.
One of the card’s standout features is the annual companion fare from $122 ($99 plus taxes), which becomes available after meeting a spending requirement and can provide significant savings on Alaska flights.
This card makes the most sense if you frequently fly Alaska Airlines or value their unique airline partnerships for redemptions, but consider your typical business expenses and travel patterns before deciding if it deserves a spot in your wallet.
