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Another week, another pile of travel loyalty news that ranges from “actually helpful” to “mildly insulting.” If you aren’t spending four hours a day refreshing award charts, it’s easy to feel like you’re missing out on the game. I spent the last few days sorting through the noise so you don’t have to. From the Alaska Atmos Rewards bonus to the major airlines finding yet another way to charge you for bringing a suitcase, here is the travel loyalty news you actually need to care about.
Alaska Airlines has officially rebranded its Mileage Plan to “Atmos Rewards” — a change that rolled out over the last several months and is now fully live on cards and the program itself. Honestly, it sounds more like a brand of expensive canned oxygen or a trendy yoga studio than a frequent flyer program. But behind the name change is a welcome offer that caught my eye.
The new Alaska Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite is offering 100,000 points plus a 25,000-point companion award after you spend $6,500 in the first 90 days. For the occasional upgrader, this is a serious haul. Alaska points, or Atmos points, I guess, are still some of the most valuable in the sky because they have a great list of partners like Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.
I’ve always loved Alaska’s companion fare because it’s one of the few perks that doesn’t require a PhD in mathematics to use. You buy one ticket, and the second person flies for just the taxes and fees (plus a $99 base fare on some versions).
Is the $199 annual fee on the Summit card worth it just for the companion award? Let’s look at a typical flight from Seattle to Maui.
Verdict: Worth It. If you fly with a partner at least once a year on a route that costs more than $400, the card pays for itself before you even touch the 100,000-point sign-up bonus.
American, Delta, and United have all bumped up their checked bag fees again this month. It’s the kind of move that feels like a slow-motion heist. Most domestic bags now start at $35 to $40 for the first suitcase if you don’t pay in advance.
But here’s the thing: this news is actually a reminder of why you shouldn’t be a “free agent” with your credit cards. If you fly even three times a year with one of these airlines, holding their entry-level cobranded card is a no-brainer. Those cards usually have a $95 annual fee that is waived the first year.
One round trip with a checked bag for you and a spouse would cost $140 to $160 in fees. The card wipes that out. So, while the travel loyalty news cycle focuses on the “devaluation,” the real takeaway is that the “Stack Tax” (Modhop’s term for the cost of not having the right card for your preferred airline) just went up.
We are currently in a weirdly generous window for transfer bonuses. If you have Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards, your points are currently worth more than usual if you move them to specific partners.
The Aeroplan window just closed. As of today, Air Canada raised award prices on most long-haul premium cabin bookings — some Star Alliance business class routes jumped by 20,000 points or more one-way. If you missed it, that stings. But the lesson is worth saving: Aeroplan publishes its award chart changes in advance, which most programs don’t bother to do. When they telegraph a hard deadline, believe them. Watch for the next one. Aeroplan’s full award chart changes
This is a win for anyone on the West Coast. Cathay Pacific’s Seattle–Hong Kong service just wrapped its spring window — but if you’re a West Coast traveler, it’s coming back. The route resumes September 16 through October 24, which is worth putting on your radar now. Five times a week, A350, Cathay’s Aria Suite business class, fully flat beds. Why does this matter for your points and miles updates? Because it opens up more “Saver Award” space to Asia.
Cathay’s business class is widely considered one of the best “soft products” in the world. (Soft product is the service, food, and bedding, whereas hard product is the actual seat).
I flew Cathay last year, and the service was so attentive I felt slightly guilty for how many times they refilled my water. With Alaska (Atmos) points being so easy to earn right now, this Seattle route is one of the best ways to spend them. It’s a direct shot to Hong Kong, and from there, the rest of Asia is just a short hop away.
I’ve tracked these transfer windows for a while, and the pattern is consistent: consolidation usually kills the best loopholes first. The Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines merger is the current example. They are now allowing 1:1 point transfers between the two programs.
But here is the clever part: Hawaiian is a transfer partner for Amex, but Alaska is not. This means you can currently move points from Amex to Hawaiian, and then move them from Hawaiian to Alaska. It’s a temporary bridge that lets you turn Amex points into Alaska Atmos points.
The expectation is that this transfer bridge will close as the programs fully consolidate — the timeline isn’t officially confirmed, so treat it as a use-it-before-it’s-gone window. If you have a pile of Amex points and want to book that Cathay flight I just mentioned, now is the time to make your move.
Look, most travel loyalty news doesn’t require action. But the Southwest bonus and the Alaska card offer are genuinely worth fifteen minutes of your time this week. The rest is just good to know. Stay smart, don’t overthink the “Atmos” name, and please, for the love of all that is holy, pay for your bags in advance if you don’t have the right credit card.
The most actionable news is the 30% transfer bonus from Chase to Southwest — that one expires June 5 and needs action this week. The 100,000-point bonus on the Alaska Atmos Rewards Summit card is also high value, but acting on it before the sign-up bonus potentially changes is the move.
Yes, several programs like Air Canada Aeroplan are increasing partner award prices. Additionally, major U.S. carriers like Delta and United have increased checked bag fees, which decreases the “out-of-pocket” value of flying without status or the right credit card.
Not directly. However, you can transfer Amex Membership Rewards to Hawaiian Airlines at a 1:1 ratio, and then move those points from Hawaiian to Alaska (Atmos) at a 1:1 ratio. This “bridge” is expected to be temporary.
What do you think of Alaska’s new “Atmos” branding? Does it make you want to earn more points, or does it just sound like a brand of luxury air? Let me know in the comments: are you jumping on the Southwest transfer before June 5, or did you already make a move on the Atmos card?
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Modhop Host & Founder Jake Redman brings years of global exploration and travel tips to the podcast and our videos at Modhop. Jake is also a Producer and Host for SiriusXM.
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