Even if you’re not a regular Alaska Airlines flyer, its Mileage Plan frequent flyer program is one of the most valuable out there thanks to a strong network of global partners.
With some of the best redemption rates of any points and miles program, Alaska miles can take you far – think Chile, Dublin, Fiji, Sydney, Tokyo, and more – all for a fraction of what you'd pay with most other programs.
But the real magic? You don’t even need to fly Alaska Airlines to unlock these amazing deals. From short-haul Finnair flights in Europe to island-hopping with Fiji Airways, Alaska miles open the door to tons of unique, under-the-radar redemptions.
Let's take a closer look at some of our favorite, lesser-known ways to redeem Alaska miles.
How to Earn Alaska Miles
Before we get into some of our favorite redemptions, you'll need to know how to earn Alaska miles.
Unlike most U.S. airlines, Alaska doesn't partner with any of the major banks like American Express, Chase, Capital One, or even Citi … at least not directly.
But the airline's merger with Hawaiian has opened a temporary, backdoor way to transfer Amex points to Alaska. This is a golden opportunity, and arguably the best way to get a big stash of these ultra-valuable Alaska miles right now. Alaska and Hawaiian are expected to fully merge their loyalty programs sometime later this year, which all but guarantees the end of this workaround.
It also means the Hawaiian Airlines' co-branded credit cards won't be available for much longer. But for the time being, they provide another easy avenue to rack up Alaska miles in a hurry.
If you're planning to take advantage of this opportunity, you should start with the Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard®. It currently comes with a 70,000-mile bonus after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days and carries a modest $99 annual fee. That's a small price to pay for such a big stash of miles.
Once you've earned the big bonus on the Hawaiian Card, you can transfer those miles to Alaska and redeem them for even greater value.
After that, you could open the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card and earn 70,000 bonus miles and Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ (paying a $99 fare plus taxes and fees, from $23) after spending $3,000 or more within the first 90 days.
In addition to these co-branded credit cards, you can earn Bilt points by paying rent, or swiping the *bilt rewards card*, and then transfer them 1:1 to Alaska. Or fly with the airline or one of its partners and earn miles the old fashioned way.
All information about the Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines cards have been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuers.
Read more: The 14 Best Ways to Earn Alaska Miles in 2025
Under-the-Radar Redemption Options
Fly Finnair Between European Countries
Trains are plentiful in Europe, but maybe you want to get between cities and countries a little faster. Finland might not be on your radar – but it should be – and Finnish flag-carrier, Finnair, is the perfect choice for getting there.
Fly between countries like France, Germany, the U.K., Spain, and Finland from 7,500 Alaska miles (or 15,000 in business class each way). Save big on airfare and time by booking these flights with Alaska Mileage Plan!
You can also use Alaska miles to fly with British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, or Condor from select cities within Europe for the same rate.
Fly to the Faroe Islands (or Greenland!) with Icelandair
Finnair and its Oneworld partners aren't your only option for getting around Europe, though. You can also fly Icelandair to other European countries for as few as 7,500 Alaska miles one way. Or venture out to unique destinations like the Faroe Islands or Greenland from 15,000 to 20,000 miles.
Considering the cash price of these tickets is often $300 (or more) one way, using Alaska miles can save you big bucks.
Fly Starlux Within Asia
The same goes for short intra-Asia routes between countries like Japan, Vietnam, and Taiwan. You can fly Starlux airlines from Taipei to select Asian countries from 7,500 Alaska miles (or 15,000 in business class) each way.
You can also use a similar amount of Alaska miles to fly Cathay Pacific or Korean Air to Hong Kong and Seoul, respectively.
Island Hop with Fiji Airways
If you find yourself island hopping in Oceania, you can use Alaska miles to help you save big. Fly Fiji Airways between destinations like Kiribati, Samoa, and the Soloman Islands from 7,500 Alaska miles each way.
You can even book longer flights, like Nadi (NAN) to Auckland, New Zealand (AKL) for the same 7,500 miles each way – or do it in business class for 15,000 miles.
Fly LATAM to South American Islands
Or maybe you have your sights set on a different, remote island. You could fly South American-carrier LATAM Airlines from Quito, Ecuador (UIO), to the Galapagos for just 7,500 Alaska miles. Or take a longer flight from Santiago, Chile (SCL) to Easter Island (IPC) in business class for 35,000 miles one way.
Book Hawaiian Airlines Flights to Asia
While booking Hawaiian Airlines flights with Alaska miles might not seem unique, given the recent merger, there are a couple of noteworthy examples.
You will soon be able to fly Hawaiian Airlines directly to Tokyo (NRT) from Seattle (SEA) using your Alaska miles. This will be the first Hawaiian Airlines flight to operate wholly outside of the islands.
But here's the catch: These flights aren't cheap. Alaska is currently charging a whopping 105,000 miles roundtrip in economy on this route.
Next fall, you'll also be able to fly Hawaiian Airlines from Seattle to Seoul (ICN). This new nonstop route can be booked for as few as 47,500 miles one way.
Book a Free Stopover
Alaska offers one of the most generous stopover policies on award tickets in the airline industry: You can add a free stopover to any award ticket, squeezing in two destinations for the price of one.
One way, roundtrip, domestic, or international – it doesn't matter: You can add a stopover when using Alaska miles to book with any partner airline.
Bottom Line
With Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines merging, there are far more ways to earn and burn Alaska miles than ever before. Not only can you use them to fly to and from the carriers' hubs in Seattle and Honolulu, but thanks to a strong network of global partners, you can also use them to reach some truly unique destinations.
Long haul award space to Asia in premium cabins at a good value is still the severe shortcoming for Mileage Plan which is ironic because that used to be MP’s greatest strength.