10 Alaska Awards to Book With Amex Points … Before It’s Too Late

Thanks to Alaska Airlines' recent merger with Hawaiian Airlines, there’s a limited-time backdoor way to turn your American Express Membership Rewards points into valuable Alaska miles by first transferring them to Hawaiian Airlines. But that workaround disappears after June 30, 2025 – so don’t wait.

This rare opportunity lets you pad your Alaska Mileage Plan balance, unlocking some of the most valuable award flights in the game – think lie-flat seats to Chile, Dublin, Tokyo, and beyond, all for a fraction of what you'd pay with most other programs..

Alaska miles are traditionally tough to earn, especially since they aren’t transfer partners with the usual suspects like Chase, Capital One, or even Citi. For now, Amex is your best shot to stock up quickly.

If you’ve got the *amex gold* or *amex platinum*, this is your moment. Here are some of the best redemptions to target while this golden window is still open.

1. Short-Haul U.S. Flights from 4.5K Miles

Let's start with the cheapest, and potentially most useful, option for U.S. travelers.

Just last year, Alaska reshuffled its award chart and with it came new opportunities … as well as some higher prices. Generally speaking, the longer the flight, the more miles it will cost you. That's not a major departure from how Alaska previously priced these awards, but the amount you'll pay has changed.

The best news is that the shortest flights now cost fewer miles: as low as 4,500 miles in economy and 9,000 in first class for flights under 700 miles in distance. Under the old system, those same flights used to cost at least 5,000 miles and 17,500 miles, respectively.

Here's a look at a short flight from Seattle (SEA) to San Francisco (SFO) as an example.

But this doesn't just work for flights on Alaska's planes. You can also score these rock-bottom rates when flying Oneworld partner American Airlines. Take this flight from Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) to Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) for example. You can book economy for just 4,500 miles one-way or even first class for a reasonable 9,000 miles. 

Even longer flights, like this nearly five-hour hop from Phoenix (PHX) to Miami (MIA) can be had for just 12,500 miles in economy or twice that in first class. 

This kind of pricing makes Alaska Mileage Plan miles some of the best for domestic travelers from coast to coast – even if you never plan to step foot on an Alaska airplane. 

2. Fly Japan Airlines Business Class to Asia

Ready to kick things up a notch? Japan Airlines has one of the best premium cabin experiences in the world. And using Alaska miles is one of the cheapest ways to do it and save thousands of dollars.

Most Japan Airlines flights to and from the U.S. measure 5,000 miles or more, meaning they'll cost at least 37,500 miles in economy, while business class will run you 75,000 miles. No matter which cabin you're flying in, you'll be on the hook for just $5.60 in taxes and fess, plus Alaska's non-refundable $12.50 partner booking fee – a small price to pay for 13-plus hour flights. 

But the shortest flights to Tokyo from Seattle (SEA) and Vancouver (YVR) are an even better deal. Since both cities clock in under 5,000 miles in distance from Tokyo, a one-way in economy award costs 35,000 miles … while business class will set you back just 60,000 miles.

Read our review of Japan Airlines business class!

3. Business Class to Europe from 45K

Perhaps the best way to get big value from your Alaska miles is by booking lie-flat, business class seats to Europe. Even though Alaska doesn't (yet) fly to Europe, you can use Mileage Plan miles to book partner airlines like Aer Lingus, Condor, and American … all of which serve a handful of cities on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. 

For example, you can fly in a lie-flat, business class seat on Aer Lingus route from Newark (EWR) to Dublin (DUB) for just 45,000 Alaska miles and $19 in taxes and fees one way. 

This route, and others from the Northeast, clock in at under 3,500 miles in total distance so you'll get that 45,000-mile price no matter the airline you're booking. 

Even longer flights like the non-stop between Chicago and Dublin can be had for just 55,000 miles and the same $19 in taxes and fees one way in business class. And you'll find that same price from West Coast cities like Seattle and Los Angeles (LAX), too. 

But there's a sneaky way to drop it even lower. If you add a connection on either side of the pond, like this one to London-Heathrow (LHR), that 55,000-mile redemption magically becomes a 45,000-mile sweet spot … with minimal taxes and fees added.

Plus, Alaska allows free stopovers on award tickets so you could even stop in Dublin for a taste of Guinness straight from the source on your way to another European destination.

Read next: 5 Things I Loved Flying Aer Lingus Business Class (& 2 I Didn't)

4. Air Tahiti Nui to French Polynesia or France

Whether you're looking for a tropical vacation in French Polynesia or even a cheap way to get to and from France in style, don't sleep on Air Tahiti Nui. A business class seat to the islands will run you just 60,000 Alaska miles and minimal taxes and fees.

You could also fly to Paris (CDG) for 70,000 miles, but there are cheaper and arguably better ways to fly to Europe on this list.

5. Business Class to Australia from 85K

While award space on Qantas flights is often difficult to find, especially in premium cabins, it's still possible to book long flights in business class for just 85,000 Alaska miles to Australia.

I mean, who wouldn't want a seat like this for the 15-hour plus ride to Sydney?

If you don't have (or don't want to spend) that many points, you could book premium economy, instead, for just 55,000 miles. Or an economy flight for 42,500 miles to fly from the U.S. all the way to the Land Down Under!

6. American Airlines First Class

Given the extremely high cash rates, it's not every day that you get the chance to fly business class, let alone international first class. Fortunately, with Alaska miles, you could book into a first class seat to London (LHR) on American Airlines and avoid the nasty surcharges that many carriers force travelers to pay.

Take this flight from New York City (JFK). It'll cost you just 67,500 miles to fly at the front of the plane to London. That's cheaper than many business class redemptions!

American is slowly doing away with its international first class product as it rolls out its new business class suites later this summer. If flying AA first class is on your bucket list, get it while you can – you won't find a better price than this! 

7. Starlux Business Class for 75K

Using Alaska miles to book a business class flight with the new, Taiwan-based Starlux Airlines is one of the best deals to get from the West Coast to Taipei (TPE) and other destinations in Asia. 

A one-way, business class flight from San Francisco (SFO) to Taipei on Starlux costs just 75,000 miles each way. But be warned: Award space at those low prices has been hard to come by lately.

If you can make it work, this is an unbelievable deal to get to Asia in business class, considering flights could easily run you over $3,000 one-way. Here's to hoping that Starlux's new route to Phoenix comes with a whole bunch of added award space!

8. Fly LATAM Business Class to South America

Using Alaska miles to fly LATAM is one of the best ways to get to South America in business class – especially when you can get all the way down to Santiago (SCL) in Chile for a low rate.

Under Alaska's current award chart, flights under 6,000 miles cost just 50,000 miles each way for business class. And that's the rate you'll pay whether you're flying from Miami (MIA) to Santiago (SCL) … or even the longer route from New York (JFK) to Santiago.

Shorter flights like the one from New York to Lima (LIM) are an even better deal at just 35,000 Alaska miles one way in business class or 17,500 miles in economy. 

You might even luck out and get to fly on one of LATAM's new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, equipped with “mini-suites” and fully-closing doors. 

9. Fiji Airways Business Class to Fiji, Australia, or New Zealand

Another incredible deal you can book using Alaska miles is to fly Fiji Airways nonstop to Fiji, or continue all the way down to Australia or New Zealand starting from just 75,000 miles one-way in business class!

This is about as cheap as it gets to fly in business class to Australia – and unlike nonstop flights on Qantas and American, finding award space to book it is actually quite easy. Add in the fact that you can stopover in Fiji for some island time on your way to or from (or both) for no extra miles, and this is one of the best deals you can book with any mileage program, if you ask me.

Don't care to fork over the extra miles for business class? Economy flights to Fiji (and beyond) have actually gotten cheaper under Alaska's new award chart, now just 37,500 miles each way.  

10. 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 are now able to fly Hawaiian Airlines directly to Tokyo (NRT) from Seattle (SEA) using your Alaska miles, and soon you will be able to fly to Seoul (ICN). These will be the first Hawaiian Airlines flights to operate wholly outside of the islands (outside of a leg between Seattle and Anchorage). 

Low business class fares have been tough to come by since these new routes were first announced, but flying to Japan or Korea for just 30,000 miles in economy is tough to beat. 

Bottom Line

While it rarely makes sense to transfer points speculatively – without a specific use in mind – Alaska's wide range of partner airlines and low award prices make this the exception.

If you've got a good use for Alaska miles – and there are way more than the ones on this list – be sure to make your transfer to Hawaiian (and then Alaska) before this workaround goes away on June 30, 2025!