Alaska Airlines credit card offer: 80,000 points ends soon

What travelers need to know

What travelers need to know

What travelers need to know

• What's happening: Alaska Airlines' Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card is ending its limited-time offer of 80,000 bonus points plus a 25,000-point Global Companion Award.
• What it costs: $395 annual fee; $4,000 spending required within 90 days of account opening to earn the bonus.
• Who can use it: The companion certificate works on Alaska, Hawaiian and partner awards in any cabin; the cardholder does not need to travel.
• Ongoing benefit: Cardholders receive another 25,000-point Global Companion Award each account anniversary with no spending requirement.
• What to do: Apply before the limited-time offer expires if the companion benefit and foreign-spend rewards align with your travel patterns.

Alaska Airlines is closing a limited-time promotion for what one industry observer called its strongest co-brand credit card, according to a report from View from the Wing. The Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card currently offers 80,000 bonus points plus a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after $4,000 in spending within the first 90 days, but that enhanced welcome package will soon revert to standard terms.

The card carries a $395 annual fee. View from the Wing highlighted two features that set the product apart: an annual companion certificate that renews each year regardless of spending, and three points per dollar on foreign purchases. Cardholders who spend $60,000 in a card anniversary year earn an additional 100,000-point Global Companion Award, and both certificates can be earned in the same year.

How the companion certificates reduce award costs

Each account anniversary brings a 25,000-point Global Companion Award automatically. The certificates apply to eligible Alaska, Hawaiian and partner awards booked through Alaska's website in any cabin class. When an award ticket costs 35,000 points per passenger, two travelers would normally pay 70,000 points total. Applying the 25,000-point certificate drops the combined cost to 45,000 points plus taxes and fees. For premium awards priced at 100,000 points each, the larger 100,000-point certificate earned through high spending cuts the two-ticket cost from 200,000 points to 100,000 points, plus applicable taxes and fees.

The certificates come with restrictions. Both travelers must be booked together on the same itinerary, and the certificate applies only to new reservations. One-way and roundtrip travel qualifies, but multi-city and open-jaw routings do not. If the companion ticket costs more than the certificate covers, cardholders pay the difference in points; unused certificate value is forfeited if the ticket costs less. Certificates must be redeemed within one year of issuance, though travel can occur later. Changes made after certificate expiration forfeit the discount, and partially used tickets cannot be modified. Only one certificate applies per reservation, and it cannot be combined with other discounts. Taxes, fees and surcharges must be paid with the Summit card.

Award space and cardholder flexibility

The cardholder does not need to be one of the two travelers; the certificate can be used to book awards for any two people. Award space for two passengers must be available at the time of booking. View from the Wing noted that maximizing the full 25,000-point value of the annual certificate requires finding awards priced at or above that threshold per person.