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Don’t let regionally named airlines fool you. You don’t have to live in the Pacific Northwest (or Hawaii) to find great value in the joint loyalty program for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, Atmos Rewards.
Take it from me. I live in South Carolina and fly most often out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) or Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP). Because CLT is my nearest major airport, I fly American Airlines frequently, which operates a large hub there.
Considering where I live and how I fly, beginner award travelers may not understand why Alaska and Hawaiian’s Atmos Rewards program would be so valuable to me.
I’ll let you in on the secret: Atmos Rewards has some of the best award rates on American Airlines flights, thanks to its Oneworld alliance partnership. If you’re a fellow American Airlines traveler who hasn’t dived into Atmos Rewards yet, allow me to share some tips illustrating why you absolutely should.
How I redeem Atmos Rewards points for American flights
While many loyalty programs have switched to dynamic pricing and watched redemption rates soar, Atmos Rewards maintains the popular award chart from the former Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program. Therefore, you can find great value when searching for award redemptions on partner airlines.
Plus, TPG’s April 2026 valuations deem Atmos Rewards points are worth a solid 1.4 cents apiece.
As someone who loves to stretch my points for multiple redemptions, I often redeem Atmos Rewards for economy tickets to visit my friends living in New York City and Louisville, Kentucky.
I frequently find award availability to fly American Airlines from CLT to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) for 4,500 to 6,000 points.
But you aren’t limited to these cities. You can redeem Atmos Rewards points to fly American Airlines across the U.S. and to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. Award rates are based on the distance flown and the cabin you choose. You can check out Atmos Rewards’ award charts here.
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Using Seats.aero, I’ve found American Airlines premium economy seats from JFK to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) for 35,000 points plus $18.10 in taxes and fees, and business-class availability from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) for 45,000 points plus $18.10 in taxes and fees.
These are just a few examples. Pick your destination and run your own award searches to see how much value Atmos Rewards could unlock for you.
Related: Flying Starlux and Japan Airlines in business class: How I used miles to make it happen
How to earn Atmos Rewards points
Of course, you can earn Atmos Rewards points by flying on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines, buying points or making purchases with partners.
I don’t live in an area of the U.S. that either airline frequently flies to, so I earn my Atmos Rewards points with a credit card. In my case, I transfer Bilt Points earned from my Bilt Palladium Card (see rates and fees).
Atmos Rewards is a 1:1 transfer partner with Bilt, and Bilt points are the only transferable currency that partners with Atmos Rewards.
You don’t need a Bilt credit card to earn Bilt points, but I frequently spend on my Bilt Palladium because it earns 2 points per dollar spent on everyday purchases, with the option to earn 4% in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases (up to $100 of Bilt Cash earned rolls over to the next year).
Atmos Rewards also issues three cobranded credit cards that earn Atmos Rewards points. These cards offer perks when flying with Alaska and Hawaiian, but this article will focus on earning points within the program.
| Card | Welcome offer | Earning rates | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Earn 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 120 days from account opening. Plus, receive a 50% flight discount code for a qualifying future flight after opening your new account. |
|
$95 |
|
|
Earn 100,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $6,500 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. Plus, receive a 50% flight discount code for a qualifying future flight after opening your new account. |
|
$395 |
|
|
Earn 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. |
|
$70 for the company and $25 per card |
You don’t need a co-branded credit card to earn Atmos Rewards points either, but it can help you collect them faster by adding one to your wallet.
Related: How to earn Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points
Bottom line
I’ve only flown on Alaska Airlines twice, but I’ve redeemed points within its Atmos Rewards loyalty program many times.
I discovered Atmos Rewards thanks to the Bilt program. Even if you don’t fly on Alaska or Hawaiian, it could be worth checking out how you can earn Atmos Rewards points to redeem for travel. In my experience, Atmos Rewards has some of the best redemption rates on many American Airlines routes.
I’d advise any American Airlines flyer to check out Atmos Rewards and consider picking up a card that earns Atmos Rewards points to unlock its value.
