Get 5,500 Miles By Joining the Waitlist for Alaska’s New ‘Premium’ Credit Card!

Fresh off their merger, the combined Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines made waves earlier this week by announcing two new long-haul international flights to Asia from the carrier’s hub in Seattle (SEA).

But beyond the new routes to Tokyo (NRT) and Seoul (SEO), Alaska dished out some more exciting news: A new “premium” Alaska Airlines card is coming in 2025. Alaska’s Vice President of Loyalty, Alliances & Sales, Brett Catlin, revealed during a presentation to investors Tuesday that the card will come with a $395 annual fee and include lounge access, a global companion fare, and a handful of other perks for Alaska flyers. But he was quick to note that “this isn’t a cookie-cutter card.”

The new card is expected to launch next summer and if you pre-register before Dec. 31, 2024, you can earn up to 5,500 Alaska miles for doing so. You’ll get 500 miles now for joining the early-access list and an additional 5,000 miles – on top of the card’s yet-to-be-determined sign-up bonus – after you apply for and are approved for the new card.

If you don’t yet have an Alaska Mileage Plan account, you’ll need to sign up for one before joining the waitlist. Once you do, the 500 bonus miles should be immediately credited to your account. 

Alaska has planned this new premium card to appeal to world travelers, with the card’s key selling point being the global companion fare. One key distinction between Alaska’s “Famous Companion Fare” and this new global version is that Alaska has specifically stated that the new one can be used on partner airlines. With Alaska being a member of the Oneworld airline alliance, and partnering with several other global carriers, you should be able to use this new companion ticket to fly to just about anywhere in the world. 

What’s more, View From the Wing reports that this new global companion fare will be good on award flights in any cabin and that cardholders can earn a second companion fare through spending! The only downside is that these companion fares will have a mileage cap, meaning you likely won’t be able to turn them into BOGO first class Singapore Suites, for instance. The good news is that Alaska plans to allow cardholders to “top off” their companion fare by adding additional miles to cover the cost of more expensive award tickets.

Continuing with the globe-trotting theme, Alaska executives also said the card will earn 3x points on all foreign purchases (processed outside the U.S.) and on dining. Being able to earn 3x everywhere when traveling abroad is unheard of and should make this card a no-brainer for anyone who spends big outside the U.S. While this hasn’t been confirmed, one would assume (or hope) that the card will also waive foreign transaction fees, something the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card already does. 

Other key benefits include same day confirmed flight change fee waiver and waived partner award ticket fees. Changing your flight on the day you fly can cost as much as $50, so getting access to this benefit could be quite valuable for frequent Alaska flyers. Currently, Alaska charges a $12.50 fee when using miles to fly with one of the airline’s partners, so doing away with this charge could also add up to real savings for some people. 

The card also promises an accelerated path to MVP elite status, encouraging cardmembers to spend more on the card, and more uncertain benefits like a “unique currency flexibility offer” and an “innovative travel disruption program.” 

To round things out, the card will include Alaska Airlines lounge and Wi-Fi passes, though no specifics were given on how many of each type cardholders will receive. Given Alaska has a limited (but growing) lounge network, this benefit will be most valuable to travelers on the West Coast. It would be nice if they also included a Priority Pass membership, something that’s common on other premium travel cards, for travelers that live in the rest of the country.  

At $395 per year it certainly won’t be cheap, but compared to top-tier cards from the likes of Delta, United, and American, it actually looks like a bargain in comparison. Some of those cards cost as much as $650 per year to hold!  

While we still don’t have all the specifics, this certainly looks like a promising card and it’s encouraging to see Alaska trying to appeal to global travelers with some unique, new benefits.

Bottom Line

Alaska Airlines recently announced that it’ll be introducing a new “premium” credit card next summer. Exact details are limited but it’s intended to appeal to a new generation of global travelers with perks like a global companion fare and increased earning on foreign purchases. At $395 per year, it’s priced much more favorably than the top-tier credit cards at competing airlines.

Best of all, if you join the early-access list before Dec. 31, 2024, you’ll get 500 bonus miles. If you end up applying (and getting approved) for the card, you’ll earn an additional 5,000 miles – on top of the sign-up bonus – at that time. Who are you to say no to free miles?