Alaska Airlines dropped a mountain of news on Tuesday, but one of the most intriguing announcements had nothing to do with new planes, seats, or lounges.
Starting in 2027, some Bank of America cardholders will be able to transfer their points directly to Alaska Atmos Rewards … and that's just the beginning. Alaska says it eventually plans to add even more bank transfer partners, opening new avenues to earn Atmos Rewards points that simply don't exist today.
Atmos Rewards is easily one of the most valuable airline loyalty programs, but its points have traditionally been much harder to earn than other popular airline currencies. Today, Bilt Rewards is the only major transferable points program that allows you to transfer points directly to Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
But starting next year, Bilt will no longer be alone.
In 2027, Alaska also plans to deepen its Bank of America relationship by enabling customers with eligible Bank of America card products to transfer points into Atmos Rewards.
Alaska didn't say which Bank of America cards will be eligible for transfers, when exactly they'll launch, or – perhaps most importantly – at what ratio points will transfer.
But Bank of America is just the start: Alaska says Atmos Rewards plans to add transfer opportunities with other “select global financial institutions” over time. It's anyone's guess whether we will see other big-name banks here in the U.S., like Chase, American Express, or Citi, join the ranks with Bank of America, or if the word “global” means this will expand to travelers in foreign markets (ahem, Canada) next.
Either way, this is big news for points and miles enthusiasts, and it might just be the most consequential update to come from Alaska's big announcement.
Which Bank of America Cards Could Transfer Points to Alaska?
That's the big question … and for now, we don't know.
Alaska only said that customers with “eligible Bank of America card products” will be able to transfer points to Atmos Rewards in 2027. Neither Alaska nor Bank of America has said which cards will qualify. But there are some obvious candidates …
The *BofA Premium Rewards* and the more expensive Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite Credit Card both earn points that can currently be redeemed for cash back, travel, gift cards, and more.
Both cards earn 2x points per dollar spent on travel and dining and 1.5x points on all other purchases. And thanks to Bank of America's Preferred Rewards program, some customers can earn substantially more depending on how much money they keep with Bank of America or its investment arm, Merrill Lynch.
The other (less likely) candidate is the no-annual-fee *BofA Travel Rewards Card*, which earns 1.5x points on everyday purchases.
To reiterate, Alaska hasn't confirmed whether any of these cards will be able to transfer points to Atmos Rewards … but they're the obvious cards to watch, since they already earn Bank of America points.
If Premium Rewards points become transferable to Atmos, it could completely change the value proposition of these cards. Today, Bank of America points aren't really comparable to the likes of Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, or Citi ThankYou points because you can't transfer them to airline or hotel loyalty programs. This means you're stuck redeeming them at a fixed value, with no way to (potentially) squeeze more value out of them with the right travel partner.
Atmos Rewards would change that in a big way … with the right transfer ratio. If Bank of America points transfer to Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, these cards could suddenly become much more compelling for travelers.
But until Alaska and Bank of America reveal which cards are eligible and how transfers will work, we simply don't know how valuable this new option will be.
Bank of America Is Just the Beginning
As interesting as the Bank of America news is, the bigger story might be what comes next.
Alaska made it clear that it plans to add other “select global financial institutions” over time, and that could open up even more ways for travelers to earn these ultra-valuable points. The airline didn't name names or provide a timeline for when those additional partnerships might launch, but it's a potentially huge change for a program whose points have historically been difficult to earn.
Bilt Rewards is currently Alaska's lone transfer partner – aside from a handful of hotel chains, all of which convert at a poor ratio – allowing members to transfer points directly to Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Could Alaska eventually add the likes of American Express, Chase, Capital One, or Citi?
It seems unlikely, but never say never. When Alaska and Hawaiian officially merged a couple of years ago, there was a limited window of time where you could transfer Amex points to Hawaiian and then kick them over to Alaska. That workaround is now closed, but Amex's history with Hawaiian could make it the most likely (secondary) candidate for U.S. travelers.
I think it's more likely that the word “global” in Alaska's announcement signals that we'll see Alaska look abroad for its next bank partner. With its home base in Seattle, just two hours south of the Canadian border, it wouldn't be surprising to see Alaska tap the likes of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Toronto-Dominion (TD) Bank, or someone else as its next transfer partner.
Still, the fact that Alaska is openly saying Bank of America won't be the end of its push into transferable points is significant and gives us hope that more news will soon follow. Making those points easier to earn could make an already valuable loyalty program even more useful … even if there is a potential downside.
Atmos Rewards points (formerly Alaska Mileage Plan miles) have long been some of the most valuable on the planet, in large part due to how hard they are to earn. With Bank of America transfers coming online next year and Alaska making it clear they don't plan to stop there, a sudden influx of earning opportunities will likely lead to a reshuffled award chart and higher redemption rates for travelers.
To be clear: We don't have any inside knowledge that a dreaded devaluation is coming … but we've been down this road before. If you've got a stash of Atmos points or Bank of America points ready to transfer to Alaska when the floodgates open, get it while the gettin' is good.
Why Alaska Wants In With the Banks
Alaska isn't shy about what's in it for them. In announcing the new Bank of America transfer option, the airline said it will create an “additional revenue opportunity for Alaska through the sale of points.”
In other words, when Bank of America cardholders transfer their points to Atmos Rewards, Bank of America will effectively buy those points from Alaska. That's how transferable points programs work, and banks like Chase and American Express purchase billions of dollars' worth of points and miles from airline and hotel loyalty programs each year, turning loyalty programs into big businesses of their own.
Alaska clearly wants a bigger piece of that pie. The airline specifically said that adding more financial institutions as transfer partners would generate “incremental revenue” as it expands the Atmos Rewards program globally.
The more banks Alaska adds, the more opportunities it has to sell its points. And the easier those points are to earn, the more travelers have a reason to engage with Atmos Rewards – whether they regularly fly Alaska Airlines or not.
That helps explain why Alaska isn't stopping with bank transfer partners, either.
Alaska Is Expanding Its Card Lineup, Too
The airline also announced plans to launch a new Atmos Rewards debit card in early 2027, giving members another way to earn both Atmos Rewards points and status points without opening a credit card.
Alaska says the new debit card will come with perks, including discounts on flights and onboard purchases, free points sharing, no foreign transaction fees, and the ability to use points to cover certain account fees.
Meanwhile, Alaska and Bank of America are also refreshing the existing *Atmos Rewards Business Card* later this year.
The revamped business card will include 10x points on eligible purchases through Atmos Rewards for Business, lounge passes, free same-day confirmed flight changes, and more. Alaska says complete details will be available later this fall.
Between a new debit card, revamped business card, Bank of America point transfers, and plans for additional bank transfer partners down the road, Alaska is clearly looking for ways to get Atmos Rewards points into more travelers' hands.
And increasingly, you won't need to set foot on an Alaska Airlines plane to earn them.
Bottom Line
Bank of America cardholders will be able to transfer points directly to Alaska Atmos Rewards beginning in 2027, though we don't yet know which cards will qualify or what the transfer ratio will be.
Alaska also said it plans to add additional points-transfer partnerships with financial institutions around the globe, potentially making one of the most valuable – and historically difficult-to-earn – airline currencies available to a much wider audience.
In all this news, one thing is clear: Alaska wants to make Atmos Rewards points easier to earn, and it sees bank partnerships as a big part of the program's future.
