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In September, Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines merged, which meant their miles could now be transferred in either direction at parity here.
That was fantastic, as I transferred over 500K AMEX points into 600K Hawaiian miles in August, in hopes that I would be able to convert them into Alaska miles at parity. Not only did that happen, but Alaska also had to agree not to devalue miles or expire miles!
For now, you can still transfer AMEX points to Hawaiian miles, though that option will go away in the future as the merger integration progresses.
That’s because Alaska prefers that people open the Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card and spend on it (read more on that card here), rather than transferring points to them.
Ending today, you can get a 100% bonus when you buy 10K+ Hawaiian miles, which you can then transfer to Alaska!
- For example after the bonus:
- 20K miles would cost $254
- 100K miles would cost $1,270
- 200K miles would cost $2,540
- You can buy up to 200K miles in a transaction, but you can purchase as many miles as you want in multiple transactions.
That’s paying just 1.27 cents per mile, which is far less than Alaska sells miles for (currently 2.75 cents per mile and capped at 150K miles per year for non-elites). There may not be another opportunity to take advantage of a promo like this before the mileage programs integrate.
Why pay $425 for a last-minute flight?
When you can buy 4,500 miles for $57!
Sample redemptions and cost when buying miles at this rate (Note that prices exclude the $12.50 partner booking fee, the $5.60 9/11 fee, and international taxes):
- NYC to Cleveland, Detroit, Montreal, Pittsburgh, or Toronto, or Newark or Philadelphia to Chicago in AA economy for just 4.5K miles ($57 when buying miles) or business class for 9K miles ($114).
- NYC to Miami in AA economy for 7.5K miles ($95) or business class for 15K miles ($190).
- Melbourne to Sydney or Sydney to Queenstown, NZ for 7.5K miles in coach ($95), 10K premium ($127), 15K business ($190), or 22.5K first ($285).
- Chicago to LA on AA for 12.5K miles in coach ($158) or 25K miles in business class ($317).
- LA to Honolulu on AA for 17.5K miles in coach ($222) or 35K miles in first ($444).
- JFK to London, JFK to Iceland, or Cleveland to Dublin for 22.5K miles in coach ($285), 30K in premium ($381), 45K in business ($517), or 67.5K in first ($857).
- NYC to Honolulu on AA for 25K miles in coach ($317) or 50K miles in first ($635).
- Sydney to Nadi, Fiji for 25K miles in coach ($317), 32.5K premium ($412), 50K business ($635), or 75K first ($952).
- JFK to Rome or Casablanca for 27.5K miles in coach ($349), 35K premium ($444), 55K business s($698), or 82.5K first ($1,047).
- JFK to Frankfurt in Singapore economy for 27,500 miles ($349) or business class for 55,000 miles ($698).
- LA to Papeete in Air Tahiti Nui economy for 20,000 miles in coach ($254), 30K premium ($381), or business class for 60,000 miles ($762).
- Melbourne to Hong Kong or Tokyo to Sydney for 30K miles in coach ($381), 40K premium ($508), 60K business ($762), or 90K first ($1,143).
- Melbourne to Los Angeles for 42.5K miles in coach ($539), 55K premium ($698), 85K business ($1,079), or 130K first ($1,651).
Of course, that’s dependent on award space, which you can search for on Alaska’s site and via their flexible search calendar.
Award flights and taxes are fully refundable, though the $12.50 partner booking fee isn’t refundable unless you cancel within 24 hours of ticketing.
- Here is how to get AA elite and card benefits when redeeming Alaska miles.
- Here are the best ways to book every American or Alaska Award flight within the US and Canada!
Here are Alaska’s partner award charts:
Will you buy miles to transfer to Alaska?
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22 Comments On "HOT! Ends Today! Buy Alaska Miles For Just 1.27 Cents Each, Fly On American From Just $57 Each Way!"
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Anyone else having trouble transferring from Amex to Hawaiian today? Tried multiple times (including having an Amex agent do it), and the transfer looks like it goes through, but then gets immediately refunded? I’ve successfully transferred in the past…
Is this coded as travel?
plus 1 is this coded as travel
Got x3 points on top of the 100% bonus by using my Hawaiian credit card!!
Dan, don’t you always recommend keeping miles in flexible currency like Amex or Chase points instead of locking them up in a specific airline that might devalue your miles?
Generally speaking, sure.
But limited-time lucrative opportunities like this, combined with the DOT deal not to devalue or expire miles or add ticketing fees, call for an exception.
Does Alaska offer fully refundable tickets on cancelled flights booked with award points? (Like United)
It’s in the post 🙂
American does as well unlike Delta
Thanks Dan needed to get from cle to ny and chase via united is to high so need to have the flexibility
What’s the best credit card to buy it on? Or top 3 cards?
I’ve never purchased miles before and I’m tempted in this case. Is this your one and only recommendation to purchase miles if you don’t need to use them right away?
Yes
major trouble transferring to Alaskan. it says insufficient funds even though i have 20k to move…
Moving from?
Would it be better to open the Hawaiian CC that’s giving 70k miles bonus offer and then transfer to Alaska?
Collect them all. 😀
Just a slight correction- AS did NOT agree not to devalue miles. Miles will certainly be devalued in the future. They merely agreed to not let the value slip below a certain CPM which was not made public. And that clause has exceptions too (i.e. if the card issuer raises the cost per mile for AS)
Thanks for the video! Made everything so clear.
FYI it doesnt seem to code as TRAVEL. rather as BUSINESS SERVICES
I’m confused as to how and where to buy the miles? Is it on Hawaiian or Alaska ?
On Hawaiian and then transfer but I think your too late for the bonus