Redeeming Alaska Points On American: An Underrated Sweet Spot

I mean, this makes sense and I appreciate the window into your more recent thinking, and I believe it may make more sense domestically, but there are real potential gaps on routes like JFK-LHR.

It seems like Alaska does have access to AA saver 70k or lower fares for 45k across the pond. Amazing deal for sure! But go one step up to AA 100k fares (which are sadly much much more common now than the 70k saver) and Alaska does NOT have access to those.

After October 2025, AA's next sub 100k saver availability JFK-LHR appears to be in February 2026, where you can find 65k AA (and still 45k Alaska).

So yes, if you can find a 65-70k AA metal fare you can get it for 45k on Alaska, which is amazing, but again, that's much fewer and more far between these days.

how often can you actually find an american airlines business class flight from nyc to london using atmos? i can only find BA ones with $1k in fees.

Peter -- All of these are totally valid points, and maybe I'm giving away too many secrets here, but let me share my strategy. I try to be realistic about the flights that have decent odds of award space opening up (based on premium cabins still being wide open). Then I set ExpertFlyer alerts, and then you'd be surprised by how often the premium cabin award seats open up on exactly the flights that I want.

Like, this happens all the time. Just in recent weeks, it happened on MIA-GYE, MIA-LHR, and MIA-EZE, all of which were flights I was monitoring. It might not look like odds are great if you just take a static look at availability at any given point, but that's all because award seats get snagged up pretty quickly. But if you use the tools available to you, I find I can book with Atmos Rewards more often than not.

In recent months, I've locked in everything

@ michelle -- See my response below. While there might not often be readily available award space, by setting ExpertFlyer alerts, I generally do very well.

The partner FF number restriction is not enforced in practice. The key is to just book for a "new passenger" and leave the Alaska FF number field blank. Once booked, you can add whatever oneworld FF number you want on the AA website. I've never had an issue taking advantage of Main Cabin Extra seating, free checked bags, or Admirals Club/Flagship lounge access after I add my BA FF number myself on the AA website.

Great article, and I appreciate your insight. One problem, however, with using Atmos points for an American flight is you can't upgrade off of it.

I'm American Executive Platinum. I had multiple flights on American booked in coach, some using American miles, and one using Atmos points. I noticed the upgade language was different on the Atmos reservation on American, although of course I can't remember the exact difference now.

In any event, I called American's reservation line and got a very knowledgeable and helpful customer service agent. She said American doesn't allow upgrades on Atmost awards. Thus, my EP status meant nothing, and I wasn't going to get out of coach (although I was in MCE). That's obviously not a problem if you're booking business in the first place, but it's a serious problem if you're expecting an upgrade from economy that's not going to happen.

Has this ever happened to you?

I agree it's easy to add your AA number and get MCE and club access. However, per my comment in this thread, AA won't upgrade you from economy to business on Atmos rewards. That's not a problem if you're booked in business, but it was an unwelcome surprise when I booked in economy (despite getting an MCE seat).

Hmm, that's odd. I also have AA Platinum Pro status and have been upgraded to domestic first on several Atmos-redeemed award tickets on AA. Not sure why that agent told you otherwise, because it's never been an issue for me.

I’ve been upgraded many times on AA booked with AS, as recently as last week. Book on AS with no FF# attached, message AA on X to add my AA#, reserve MCE and added to upgrade list.

I have a question. we paid off the minimum requirements for the Atmos Summit Cards of 6K in the First 3 Days of receiving the cards. It has been almost a month now. when do they post the 105K plus miles?

Hey Ben, how far into the future are you looking to assess cabin occupancy?

While I used to like saving my Alaska points got first/business flights to Asia/Oceania with a free stopper over, this has become my best use as well.

Sad the days of flying SYD-HKG-LAX in first with a stopover for 70k are pretty much gone, it’s nice to avoid spending hundreds on a last minute AA flight for just a few thousand miles.

Now if only AA flew to more international destinations, could have a nice way of getting to more of Europe without paying the huge BA fees

After the current statement closes. Check the exact date o BOA website.

Thank you!

Hard disagree - I booked an AA flight on AS miles

AA cancelled the flight due to weather

AS told me to call AA to get a refund, AA told me to call AS. Wheeeeeee!

This is why cocaine is necessary

Sounds like you misunderstood slightly.

If you book with AS miles, unless you're very careful, the ticket will have your AS frequent flier number, not your AA frequent flier number. So their computer systems don't know that you're EP, they see whatever status you have in the Atmos program. Now, Atmos elite members are ALSO entitled to upgrades on AA, but at a lower level of priority depending on your Atmos elite status -- and, I'm guessing you have no status in that program?

I have booked AA with AS miles and appeared on the upgrade list with the correct priority. I believe one time I even got the upgrade. I've also booked AA with AS miles and managed to get my AA number on the reservation and was on the upgrade list as well.

I redeemed AS miles on AA for the first time for a flight in Premium economy from DCA to HNL this upcoming January with a layover in ORD. The cost was 30k miles vs >40k miles on AS metal flying all in economy. Nice to fly from ORD to HNL in a 787 in PE vs a 737 from SEA

Loved the build-up to the logical conclusion! 100/100.

Hey, if you can’t give away secrets in the comments section of your own blog, where can you do that - certainly not in a full post! ;-). Plus your comment dropped right after “In recent months, I’ve locked in everything…” - more secrets for sure!

Expert flyer alerts certainly make sense, and no illusions about how quickly award seats are getting snapped up these days.

I’m usually not one to sign up for cards for a SUB, and I like AA Hotels too much as a route to help with OWE, so hard for me to fully switch over to Atmos vs AA. That said, I’m very curious what Bilt 2.0 will be with mortgage payments and could see shifting spend there to take advantage of Atmos as a transfer partner.

Thanks as always for the tips and valuable miles-saving insights!

Btw CX announced SEA to HKG, which is surely to stimulate some engagement for your site.

I'm here for the BA libel.

I was able to get a BCN-PHL in business for 45k at the last minute when I had a change of plans. Just looked on point.me to see what was available, and that was the best by far.

Alaska Atmos is the best! I use points to fly all over the lower 48 for $25. Which now that will be waived as I got a Summit Card. I’m blessed with upgrades automatically to first class many times. Anyone traveling on the same flight with you have your tickets joined under the same reservation. They as well may get the upgrade. There are so many perks with the Alaska Cards. I switched years ago. I have told many friends family and others about this card and points plan. The end up getting two cards. The companion fare is the way to go if you’re going to Alaska or Hawaii. Just get in the Alaska Airlines Website and check out the perks. You will not be disappointed. Don’t let paying a fee of $95 yearly for the card keep you from getting the card. You will get that back and so much more!

I have Alaska status, which I use for flying AA (75% of my points are earned flying on AA - I do this as I fly a lot of segments at the advantage of planning ahead - status is a lot easier to come by on AS). I have used AA miles for a ticket on AA, then even used the text agent to add my AS number to the reservation as well and ta-da there's the ability to select Main Cabin Extra and I've even gotten upgrades.

Maybe it does not work the other way around? I don't know. It could depend on who initiates the ticket. But AA mile ticket booked under AA number with AS status added after the fact yielded the appropriate status tier perks.

It is a nice use of AS points and I've used for close in bookings with some frequency. I did so yesterday in fact. I had a connecting flight on Delta (for $175). American for the 75 minute nonstop didn't waiver from over $400 from time of booking to day of departure. No AS mileage tickets available in advance for any afternoon or evening flights. On day of departure yesterday, I checked it a few times and about 2.5 hours before the flight: 4500 mile award available on the AA nonstop about 30 min after my DL flight. Retail was $488. Booked it, took the DL credit, made it home almost 3 hours early. I'll take a near 11 cents a mile redemption any day

I use my Atmos miles almost exclusively for AA flights. The short hops that I take, in particular, can be very pricey out of ORD on AA ($400 o/w ORD-ILM in Y, for example, which I do with a good amount of frequency); AA often wants close to 45k or more AAdvantage Miles for these flights! But, in August, I booked 4 hours out ILM-ORD in F for 9k using Atmos miles. As much as I prefer DL when flying domestically, being based in CHI when in the States makes Atmos really useful.

how much yearly spend do you have to maintain to get that Executive Platinum status? cursory research looks like it's $100,000k+ annual spend on cards, or $30,000-$50,000 on flights/hotels

I use my AS miles to fly AA ALL THE TIME... I live in DFW. 80% of the time, my flights are 4.5k miles. I use my AAdvantage Platinum number and I get at least an upgrade to Main Cabin Extra on AA on every flight, sometimes First Class. You've now caught on to my "secret" I've been taking advantage of!

I booked a 50,000 Atmos pts Premium Economy seat thru Alaska on AA that they were listing for 70,000.
I liked that deal.

Hey Ben, can you do a review on setting expert flyer reward alerts? or update one? thanks. I am not sure if you have a post.