The New 30,000 Mile Alaska Airlines Offer – Maybe not the Best Offer?

As first reported during the first part of the year, the 30,000 mile Alaska Airlines card offer is here – but a few days earlier than originally expected. This is a nice 5,000 mile boost, but is it better than the regular 25,000 mile offer? Let’s compare!

New 30,000 Mile Alaska Airlines Offer

Here are the details of this new 30,000 mile Alaska Airlines card offer:

– 30,000 Mile Alaska Airlines Link

• Earn 30,000 Alaska Airline miles after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
• Up to 5 miles per $1 spent using Mileage Plan Dining.
• 3 miles for every $1 spent on Alaska Airlines tickets, vacation packages, cargo and in-flight purchases
• 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Annual companion fare from US$121 ($99, plus taxes and fees from $22) after you make $1,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening. There are no blackout dates.
• Free checked bag for you and up to six other passengers on the same reservation.
• Annual fee – $75 (not waived)

This is the highest current offering for this card. There have been some targeted 40,000 mile offers in the past but this is the best public offer for the miles available. For a card that normally offers only 25,000 miles, is this a better deal that the normal offer? For some, yes.

The Regular 25,000 Mile Alaska Airlines Offer

Here are the details of the normal 25,000 mile offer with the $100 statement credit:

– 25,000 Mile Alaska Airlines Link (with $100 credit)

• A $100 statement credit after making at least $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of your new credit card account open date. Please allow 8-12 weeks after you make the qualifying purchases with your new card for the statement credit to post to your new Alaska Airlines Visa card. This one-time promotion is limited to new customers opening an account in response to this offer.
• 25,000 Bonus Miles upon approval (Please allow 2-3 weeks for Bonus Miles to post to your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan account.)
• Coach Companion Fare every year from $121(USD) ($99, plus taxes and fees from $22.  Please allow 2-3 weeks after approval for the companion fare to post to your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan account.)
• 3 miles for every qualifying dollar in purchases of Alaska Airlines tickets, Vacation packages and Cargo purchases
• No mileage cap. There’s no limit to the number of miles you can earn with the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card
• Free checked bag for you and up to six other passengers on the same reservation.
• Annual fee – $75 (not waived)

Which Offer is Better?

Comparing the two offers, here are the differences to note:

• 25K offer gives miles without any spending | 30K offer gives miles after spending $1,000 in 90 days
• 25K offer gives $100 credit (which wipes out the $75 annual fee) after spending $1,000 in 90 days | 30K offer gives no credit

So, you are essentially paying $100 for the 5,000 extra miles that the new 30,000 mile Alaska Airlines offer gives. That means you are paying 2 cents per mile, which is more than you would pay during some of the promotions that Alaska Airlines runs. Does that mean you shouldn’t go for the 30,000 mile offer?

Not necessarily! With the overnight change of the Emirates premium redemptions, some people may value the ability to earn as many Alaska miles as possible for other redemptions. However, you can get this card again and again so if you have a longer term goal, you might as well try for the regular 25K + $100 offer. The spending is the same but you get the money instead of the extra miles.

Finally, the 25K offer is better if you value the $0 spending to get miles. It is really a nice, easy thing to get 25,000 airline miles without having to spend any money! The 30,000 mile offer should eventually come with the $100 statement credit offer but we will have to wait and see when that will be.

Which offer do you think is better?

HT: Doctor of Credit