Rundown of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan for Canadians
Alaska Airlines appears to be growing in popularity in Canada, so it’s only fair to give a rundown of the airline and its loyalty program, Mileage Plan. Note that Alaska Airlines is not a member of any airline alliance, but they do have several co-share partners that you can earn miles with.
Especially for Canadians who live in the west coast (because Alaska Airlines does not fly in the eastern part of Canada, yet?), I strongly believe that Alaska Airlines is a strong alternative to some of the more unpopular airlines to choose from. That being said, anyone can still earn Mileage Plan miles without flying.
Earn Miles Through Car Rentals
Personally, I’m not really a fan of earning car rental points, so I always bank my car rentals towards a partner program. My suggestion would be to call the specific location ahead of time to find out if they qualify for earning Mileage Plan miles.
Below are the partners and earnings per day: (note that it has to be a participating location)
- Alamo – earn 50 miles per day on qualifying rentals
- Avis – earn 50 miles per rental day on rentals 1 – 4 days or 500 miles per rental on rentals of 5 days or more
- Budget – earn 50 miles per day on qualifying rentals
- Dollar – earn 50 miles per day on qualifying rentals
- Hertz – earn 50 miles per rental day on rentals of 1 to 4 days, or 500 miles per rental on rentals of 5 or more days
- National – earn 50 miles per day on qualifying rentals
- Thrifty – earn 50 miles per day or 250 bonus miles for 3 qualifying parking stays
Earn Miles Through Hotel Stays
Personally, I actually rather earn hotel points, because I value elite status with hotels and I feel that I can leverage my hotel points to get more value. But if you can’t find any use for hotel points, you can bank them directly towards a partner instead. Below is a list of hotels that have partnered up with Mileage Plan to earn miles instead, along with the earnings per day:
- Best Western – earn 250 miles per stay on qualifying rates
- Choice Hotels – earn 250 total miles per eligible stay
- Coast Hotels and Resorts – earn 500 miles per qualifying stay
- Fairmont Hotels & Resorts – earn 500 miles per qualifying stay
- Hilton – earn 1 miles per eligible US Dollar spent (maximum 10,000 miles per stay; maximum 100 per stay at Home2 Suites)
- IHG Rewards Club – earn 2 miles per $1 USD or local currency equivalent paid on eligible charges at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean and at all Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, and Holiday Inn Express hotels worldwide
- IHG Rewards Club – earn 1 mile per $1 USD or local currency equivalent paid on eligible charges at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites
- IHG Rewards Club – earn 500 miles per qualifying stay at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts outside of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean and at all InterContinental Alliance Resorts worldwide
- La Quinta Inns & Suites – earn 250 miles per stay
- Marriott – earn 2 miles per US$ spend on all qualifying charges at JW Marriott, Autograph Collection Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Marriott Vacation Club
- Marriott – earn 2 miles per US$ spend on room rate at The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION, Gaylord Hotels
- Marriott – earn 1 mile per US$ spent on room rate nly at Courtyard by Marriott, AC Hotels by Marriott, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, TownePlace Suites by Marriott®, Marriott Executive Apartments
- Preferred Hotels & Resorts – earn 500 miles per qualifying stay
- Rocketmiles – earn between 1,000 – 10,000 miles per night
- Starwood Preferred Guest – transfer Starpoints at a 1:1 ratio to Mileage Plan
- Westmark Hotels – earn 2 miles for every $1 spent on accommodations at a qualified rate and earn 1 mile for $1 dollar on food and beverage purchases (excluding alcohol)
- Wyndham Hotel Group – earn 500 miles per qualifying stay
Earn Miles Through a Credit Card
The MNBA World Elite Alaska Airlines MasterCard is actually the only co-branded Canadian credit card with a U.S. based airline. This is a pretty decent credit card with the following highlights:
- $75 annual fee
- Earn 25,000 sign up bonus points upon approval
- Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on Alaska Airlines tickets, cargo purchases, in-flight purchases and vacation packages
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
- 1 annual coach Companion Fare
The $75 annual fee is fairly reasonable compared to the Aeroplan co-branded credit cards of similar benefits, which usually have a $120 annual fee.
The sign up bonus is pretty good for Canadian standards and I love the 3 points for every $1 spent on Alaska Airline purchases, so this is a must have credit card for Alaska Airline fans.
If you manage to take advantage of the companion fare benefit, the $75 will be well worth it. Basically the cardholder can purchase a round-trip coach companion fare on Alaska Airlines from $121 (USD) ($99, plus taxes and fees from $22) when travelling with another passenger on a paid published coach airfare on the same itinerary, booked at the same time. Note that the trip needs to be taken within the continental United States, Alaska, Canada, Hawaii or Mexico.
List of Destinations Departing from Canadian Airports
Below is an updated the list of destinations from last time departing from Canadian based airports (changes are in brackets):
Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
- Alaska Airlines: Los Angeles
- Horizon Air: Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma
Calgary International Airport (YYC)
- Horizon Air: Seattle/Tacoma
Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
- Horizon Air: Seattle/Tacoma
- SkyWest Airlines: Seattle/Tacoma (added)
Victoria International Airport (YYJ)
- Horizon Air: Seattle/Tacoma
Kelowna International Airport (YLW)
- Horizon Air: Seattle/Tacoma
The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air hub. So expect to have lots of connection flights in Seattle if you fly directly with Alaska Airlines.
Good post, thank you. I think that one of the most important things that many people don’t know that they can credit (and redeem) flights on other convenient airlines, even though AS is not a member of any alliance. AA, DL, EK, AF, KL, CX, for example. Or that they are actually based in SEA, not Alaska, and that you don’t have to fly through Alaska on any flight with them.
Thanks for the additional insights Maxi!
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