Bank of America Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card Review: Worth It?

The Alaska Airlines Visa® credit 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.

Welcome Bonus for Alaska Visa

Bank of America applies standard application restrictions to this card. You’ll want to stay within their general card approval guidelines of up to two cards in two months, three in 12 months, and four in 24 months. These limits typically exclude business cards, so you could still be eligible even if you recently opened other Bank of America business credit cards.

Previous cardmembers can qualify for the bonus again, unlike some other airline cards with lifetime restrictions. Having the business version doesn’t affect your eligibility either – you could hold both cards simultaneously and earn separate welcome bonuses.

Earning Miles with Alaska Visa

This isn’t a particularly strong card for everyday spending since the earning rates outside Alaska purchases are relatively modest. While Alaska miles are valuable and hard to earn elsewhere, other transferable points cards offer better returns on common spending categories.

The card shines mainly for Alaska Airlines purchases at 3x, but even there, premium travel cards can potentially offer better value through flexible points. However, if you specifically need Alaska miles for their sweet spot redemptions, this could be worth considering despite the middling earn rates.

If you have an eligible Bank of America checking or savings account, you’ll receive a 10% bonus on all miles earned. This brings the earnings to 3.3x on Alaska Airlines purchases, 2.2x on bonus categories, and 1.1x on everything else.

While this relationship bonus adds some value for Bank of America customers, the enhanced rates still lag behind what you could earn with premium travel rewards cards.

Annual Fee for Alaska Visa

Authorized users can be added at no additional cost and receive the same free checked bag and priority boarding benefits when their tickets are purchased with the card.

Card Benefits and Perks

The Alaska Airlines Visa offers the following benefits for its cardholders:

Free Checked Bag: You and up to six guests on your reservation can check their first bag free when using the card for ticket purchases. Authorized users can also enjoy this perk when booking their tickets with the card, making it perfect for families who want to save on baggage fees.

Priority Boarding: Skip the regular boarding line with priority boarding access for you and up to six guests on your reservation. You’ll need to use your card for the ticket purchase to unlock this benefit, and authorized users can also get priority boarding when paying with the card.

Annual Companion Fare: Score a companion ticket from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes starting at $23) when you spend $6,000 in your card anniversary year. You can use this benefit for one-way or roundtrip flights anywhere Alaska flies, including Hawaii, Costa Rica, and Mexico, and your companion will even earn miles and be eligible for upgrades.

Elite Miles Earning: Starting in 2025, you’ll earn one elite qualifying mile for every $3 spent on the card, up to 30,000 EQMs annually. For 2024, you can earn 4,000 EQMs for every $10,000 spent, up to 20,000 EQMs after $50,000 in spending.

20% In-Flight Savings:Save 20% on all inflight purchases, including food, beverages, and even Wi-Fi, when you pay with your card. The statement credit posts within seven days, and there’s no limit to how often you can use this benefit.

Lounge Discount: Get $100 off an Alaska Lounge+ annual membership when using your card for the purchase. This membership gives you access to all Alaska Lounges plus nearly 100 partner lounges worldwide, including American Admirals Clubs.

Potential 10% Rewards Bonus: If you have an eligible Bank of America account, you can earn a 10% rewards bonus on all miles from card purchases.

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.

Redeem Alaska Airlines Miles

Pros and Cons

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of this card:

Pros:

Companion Fare Benefit: Annual companion fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes/fees) when meeting spending requirements – one of the most valuable companion tickets available as it works on all routes, including Hawaii and international destinations.

Strong Welcome Bonus:  This card consistently offers substantial welcome bonuses of miles plus a companion fare, making it particularly valuable in the first year.

Free Checked Bags: Free first checked bag for the cardholder and up to 6 companions on the same reservation, potentially saving $70 per person roundtrip.

Elite Status Earning: Ability to earn elite qualifying miles through card spending, with improved earning structure coming in 2025, making it easier to gain status through card spending alone.

Cons:

Geographic Restrictions: Most valuable for those who live in areas well-served by Alaska Airlines, primarily the West Coast.

Basic Earning Structure: Apart from Alaska Airlines purchases at 3x, the earning rates (2x on gas/transit/streaming and 1x elsewhere) are not particularly competitive compared to other travel cards.

Annual Fee Required: $95 annual fee with no option to downgrade to a no-annual-fee version, though the benefits can easily offset this for regular Alaska Airlines travelers.

Is the Alaska Visa Worth It?

The Alaska Airlines Visa stands out as a compelling choice for both frequent Alaska flyers and those looking to earn valuable miles for partner airline redemptions.

You’ll get an attractive welcome bonus plus the highly-valuable companion fare certificate, which can save you hundreds on flights to destinations like Hawaii or Costa Rica.

Beyond the initial perks, the card delivers practical benefits like a free checked bag for you and up to six companions, priority boarding, and 20% savings on inflight purchases including Wi-Fi.

The card’s ability to help earn elite status through spending starting in 2025 adds significant value, especially if you’re aiming for Alaska MVP status.

While the $95 annual fee is reasonable, this card really shines if you can make use of the companion fare benefit you’ll earn after spending $6,000 annually, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars on a single trip.

Learn How to Apply: Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card.