The question is if you fly AA a lot but credit the miles to AS what kind of service do get in irregular operations? Generally if you're EXP/CK and maybe even PP you will find agents willing to help, if only to reticket you on the flights you want with no questions asked/no hesitancy.
Bingo. I'm very curious about this as the IRROPS situation is the main reason why I'm hesitant to switch.
You’re not crazy. I made this switch last year, don’t regret it at all. The Atmos Summit card is a key part of requalifying for Emerald and it’s worked out really well so far (80% of the way there and it’s only September.)
I've switched my loyalty from BA to Alaska for similar reasons. Since I am a part-time digital nomad, lots of my spend is abroad making the Atmos card ideal.
Wonder how long until AA finds a way to close this loophole. They are probably hemorrhaging loyalty revenue to Alaska
Mostly makes sense to me. Ben, don’t you have some sort of lifetime AA status after all the years of flying with them?
You didnt didn’t factor in BILT’s “reverse Midas touch. Regardless, there will be a lot more people with Atmos status, and a lot more people redeeming Atmos points.
And Alaska’s value is still primarily access to AA, meaning they’re at the mercy of AA’s executive decisions…and AA isn’t doing so well. In fact, AA is cooked. Yall just don’t know it yet.
No I don’t want to joint BILT rewards. Stop trying to sell me.
Ive been an AS 100k / Titanium from the start of that tier.
I am overall happy with AS and the upgrades still do come through from time to time...but generally they are being monetized.
The issue is that award pricing is like DL now....insane prices.
The IT is terrible and the promised full roll out of the Atmos program is still not completed "Later in 2026" should be a hashtag of shame with AS. They promise and never really deliver on time....
Issac, given what some of the proposed and/leaked. changes coming "later in 2026," I hope the delay will last into 2028. . .
As someone who primarily travels internationally from a non-AA hub, I switched to BA, where Gold status is easy for me. I also like the transferability of Avios to other participating airlines, which expands the ability to use points. I still struggle to use my AA points accumulated more than 5 years ago.
As someone who primarily travels internationally from a non-AA hub, I switched to BA, where Gold status is easy for me. I also like the transferability of Avios to other participating airlines, which expands the ability to use points. I still struggle to use my AA points accumulated more than 5 years ago.
I was "forced" into being loyal to Alaska when they took over Virgin America (I had been top tier elite with VX since the very beginning), and I've been MVP Gold, Gold 75k/ATMOS Platinum (oneworld Emerald) ever since. So I never had to switch my loyalty from AA to AS, but I did switch my lounge membership from AS to AA via being a Citi AAdvantage Exec cardholder (the AF is less than a paid lounge membership with either airline).
I have no "magical powers," and I'm Platinum not Titanium, but I have been upgraded to F about 30% of the time YTD. Several of those trips were with my wife, and she got upgraded as well since we were on the same reservation.
My only complaint -- as @IsaacC mentioned -- is that the number of points now required for award tix in Business on long-haul international flights is ludicrous! If that doesn't change, I may have to flip my current "policy" of paying for domestic and using points for long-haul international award tickets, follow @Ben's practice of using the points for short-haul domestic.
@jbl1776 I came over from VX too.....i actually really like alaska in general. They took the meals from VX....and i will say i love the lounges with AS that what VX had at LAX....
I agree i use my points more for short haul and long haul Y class awards.....i usually pay for my J class...hence i want the increased earning.....
i do find saver space on J from time to time.....but usually close in and you have to be persistent on checking. My last one was SFO>>SEA>>HEL>>ARN on AS/AY....70k oneway.....i got the upgrade on the AS segment....
As someone who lives in Hawaii, I'm happy to hear that your strategy matches what I've been doing for a while.
When I book an AA flight using my ATMOS points, I pay the service charge (e.g $5.60) using my AA Credit Card. When I go to the AA website to confirm my seat assignments, I also see that I have my first free checked bag (domestic). Using my ATMOS credit card doesn't give me the free checked bag, even if I add the checked bag in the AA app and use my credit card to pay the full charge. I thought they would refund the money when they see I'm using an AA credit card, but no, they need the AA credit card to be used to pay for the ticket, not the checked luggage, even if it's only $5.60.
Same Here-- I was Platinum Pro last year with 130k loyalty points. This year, I have 10 and that's only because I forgot to change an auto renewal on my credit card.
I never got upgrades, and even the MCE seating was a little difficult to come by on some planes out of PHL. I've switched all my purchases to BILT or Citi Premier (because there are still good AAdvantage mile deals AS doesn't have). I use the Amex Plat incidental fee reimbursements for when I want a better seat or checked bag.
Maybe you should cover the fact that specific partner routes have been blocked on Alaska like JFK to LHR or SFO to TPE.
There's no specific partner issue, as AA and BA still show up on other routes, and you can even route via JFK to LHR, but the entirety of this route has zero results when you search on Atmos.
Agree with you. I was surprised that is not covered in the article as most of AA international flights cannot be booked on Alaska
I think that's an error. I can find a flight tomorrow from SEA->SFO->TPE on AS/JX business, but no inventory out of SFO is showing up. It's clearly there, though. Did you try calling in?
Alaska and Atmos is a garbage program and garbage airline. Too many reasons to list but here's the latest - As a Gold I emailed a request to have miles reinstated for an award that, shocker, wouldn't allow me to cancel online. Took a phone call to have rep manually cancel. No cancellation email and miles weren't reinstated. Email response to my request to have miles reinstated was to be advised to send a copy of my boarding pass and copy of my ticket.
Alaskan should be specialized eastwards if you want to fly over the East American Ocean towards Asia.
American is better suited if you want to fly over the Western American Ocean to Europe.
Ben, not necessarily related to this post, but do you have any insight on Magnifica Air? I saw a random job posting for this new airline, looks almost like a JSX style concept possibly based in Orlando (the company at least). Wondered if you have heard any tips on what this is actually going to be...
@ cwestpvb -- Interesting that they're hiring! I wrote about the airline in late 2025:
https://onemileatatime.com/news/magnifica-air/
I'll look into it, and will provide an update if there's anything new that I find interesting. I find the whole concept to be rather strange...
I've found that BA partner business class award availability from the U.S, to Europe is FAR better with AA miles (57,500 miles). With Atmos, they do not get nearly as many award seats from BA.
Also, I have noticed that Atmos often charges upwards of 300K+ miles for a one way business award to Europe. Not worth it.
@ Boise Flyer -- They should have access to roughly the same availability, but to be honest, BA awards don't appeal to me much, since premium cabin tickets often have around $1K in carrier imposed surcharges. Regarding pricing of 300K+ points one-way, are you referring to awards on Alaska metal, or which airline?
Ben are you nowhere close to lifetime status with AA?
@ cgu -- I have lifetime AAdvantage Gold status, around 1.5 million lifetime miles. But that's not worth a whole lot, and American's lifetime program isn't compelling enough for me to factor that into my math.
Ben, I have a basic question about mechanics. Do you book all your AA metal flights via Alaska account? If so, is there ever a circumstance that you book via AA but credit AK? I am unclear exactly how this is accomplished. Thanks.
@ Timo -- When I'm redeeming Atmos Rewards points on American, then I do book through Alaska. However, if I'm booking a revenue American ticket and crediting to Atmos Rewards (which I only rarely do), it would be possible to book directly with American, and to then just add your Atmos Rewards number.
So in both instances you book via AA. How do I redeem Atmos on AA?
Do you mean that you redeem Atmos on AK??
@ Timo -- I'm sorry, I wrote that out incorrectly. If redeeming Atmos Rewards points on American, you book through Alaska.
Same. EP for years, switched to UA, and now with the Summit card + Bilt, it's fairly easy to hit Platinum. I love having ow emerald again. I do fly AS/HA to Hawaii quite a bit, but Alaska is now a better program, period. Bummer because I'm kind of close to AA's (uncompetitive) million miller.
The ironic thing is that booking both Alaska and AA long haul, it's cheaper to use the other's miles.