Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Daniel Globe
You cannot transfer American Express Membership Rewards points directly to Alaska Airlines’ Atmos Rewards program. The former Amex-to-HawaiianMiles-to-Alaska workaround also ended in 2025. However, you may still be able to use Amex points for an Alaska-operated flight by booking through an eligible oneworld loyalty partner or through American Express Travel.
Quick Answer
No. Amex Membership Rewards points do not transfer directly to Atmos Rewards. The temporary HawaiianMiles route ended on June 30, 2025, and HawaiianMiles later joined Atmos Rewards. You can instead check whether an Amex partner such as British Airways, Qatar Airways, or Cathay Pacific can book your Alaska flight.
Key Takeaways
- Neither Alaska Airlines nor Hawaiian Airlines is a current U.S. Amex Membership Rewards transfer partner.
- The Amex-to-HawaiianMiles transfer option ended on June 30, 2025.
- Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles have been combined under the Atmos Rewards name.
- You may be able to book an Alaska-operated flight with points from an Amex oneworld partner, but only when that partner can see award availability.
- Always find the exact flight and confirm its point price before transferring Amex points.
At a Glance
| Time Required | About 10 to 20 minutes to compare award searches |
| Difficulty | Easy, but award availability can be limited |
| Tools Needed | An eligible Amex Membership Rewards account and a loyalty account with the program you plan to use |
| Cost | Points plus applicable taxes, fees, and possible carrier charges |
Can You Transfer Amex Points to Alaska Airlines?
No direct transfer is available. Alaska Airlines’ loyalty currency is now called Atmos Rewards points, and Atmos Rewards does not appear on the current American Express Membership Rewards transfer-partner list.
Hawaiian Airlines is also absent from that list. Therefore, you cannot send Amex points to a Hawaiian account and then move them into Alaska’s program.
Note: Alaska launched Atmos Rewards on August 20, 2025. Mileage Plan miles became Atmos Rewards points, while HawaiianMiles accounts and balances transitioned into Atmos Rewards on October 1, 2025.
What Happened to the HawaiianMiles Workaround?
For a limited period, Amex cardholders could complete a two-step transfer:
- Transfer Membership Rewards points to HawaiianMiles.
- Move those HawaiianMiles to Alaska Mileage Plan at a 1:1 ratio.
That route stopped working when Amex ended HawaiianMiles transfers on June 30, 2025. HawaiianMiles then became part of Atmos Rewards later that year, so it no longer operates as the separate bridge described in the original method.
The Former Transfer Fee
When the transfer was available, Amex could charge an excise-tax offset fee for transfers to a U.S. airline program. The published fee was $0.0006 per point, equal to 0.06 cents per point, with a maximum fee of $99.
This historical fee should not be confused with $0.06 per point. More importantly, it does not make the former HawaiianMiles route available today.
Current Program Status
Atmos Rewards now covers the loyalty programs associated with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Existing Mileage Plan miles were renamed points, and HawaiianMiles balances transitioned into the combined program.
If you already have Atmos Rewards points, you can use them through Alaska or Hawaiian for eligible award travel. The program change does not create a transfer path from Amex Membership Rewards.
How to Use Amex Points for Alaska Airlines Flights
You may still be able to use Amex points for an Alaska-operated flight without transferring them to Atmos Rewards. The main options are booking through an eligible oneworld partner or using points through Amex Travel.
Warning: Do not transfer Amex points until you have found the exact award flight, confirmed the point price, and checked the cancellation rules. Membership Rewards transfers are generally final and cannot be reversed.
Option 1: Check British Airways Avios
Alaska Airlines is part of the oneworld alliance. British Airways allows members to use Avios for available flights operated by oneworld airlines. Because British Airways is an Amex transfer partner, this can provide an indirect way to book an Alaska flight.
- Create or sign in to your British Airways Club account.
- Open the British Airways reward-flight search.
- Enter the Alaska Airlines route and travel date you need.
- Confirm that the result is operated by Alaska Airlines.
- Record the required Avios and cash charges.
- Check the live Amex-to-British Airways transfer ratio.
- Transfer only the number of points you need.
- Return to British Airways and complete the booking.
British Airways may not display every seat that Alaska sells with cash or offers to Atmos Rewards members. Partner programs receive access only to award inventory Alaska makes available to them.
Option 2: Compare Other oneworld Programs
Amex also lists programs such as Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Cathay Pacific among its transfer partners. These programs may allow members to redeem their currencies for eligible Alaska or other oneworld flights.
Check each program separately because:
- Transfer ratios can differ.
- The same flight may require a different number of points.
- Taxes and carrier charges may vary.
- One program may see a seat another program cannot see.
- Cancellation and change fees can differ.
Pro Tip: Search British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Cathay Pacific before transferring. The program with the lowest point requirement is not always the cheapest after taxes, fees, and transfer-ratio differences are included.
Option 3: Book Through American Express Travel
You may be able to book an eligible Alaska Airlines cash fare through American Express Travel and use Membership Rewards points toward the purchase.
This is not an airline transfer. Amex handles the booking, and the point value depends on your eligible card, account benefits, itinerary, and payment option. Compare the points required with the cash fare before booking.
Current Atmos Rewards Award Pricing
Atmos Rewards publishes starting award rates. These rates are not guarantees. A flight may require more points because of its route, date, cabin, number of segments, demand, or available award inventory.
For itineraries flown entirely by Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines within North America, the published starting levels include:
| Flight Distance | Economy Starting At | First Class Starting At |
| Less than 700 miles | 4,500 points | 15,000 points |
| 701 to 1,400 miles | 7,500 points | 25,000 points |
| 1,401 to 2,100 miles | 10,000 points | 25,000 points |
| 2,101 to 3,500 miles | 12,500 points | 30,000 points |
| 3,501 miles or more | 20,000 points | 60,000 points |
Partner awards use separate regional and distance-based charts. Short partner flights may also start at 4,500 points, but international economy, premium economy, business, and first-class prices increase with distance.
Taxes and carrier charges start at the amount shown during the award search. An itinerary containing a partner award segment may also include a nonrefundable partner booking fee. Review the complete checkout page before confirming an award.
Best Uses of Atmos Rewards Points
The strongest use depends on the trip you can actually book, not a single advertised rate. These categories are worth checking:
- Short nonstop flights: Flights below the first distance threshold may offer low starting prices.
- Expensive last-minute routes: An award can provide good value when the comparable cash fare is high.
- Partner premium cabins: Business or first class may provide strong value when lower-level inventory is available.
- International stopovers: Atmos Rewards permits an eligible stopover on certain international one-way awards under its current rules.
- Alaska and Hawaiian network trips: Members can redeem across both airlines through the combined program.
A published starting price does not mean every flight on that route will be available at that level. Search several dates and nearby airports when your schedule allows.
Why Atmos Rewards Can Still Be Useful
Flexible Award Options
Atmos Rewards provides access to Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, oneworld airlines, and other participating partners. This gives members domestic and international redemption options through one program.
The program’s distance-based partner charts can be useful for short routes, while longer premium-cabin trips may offer value when award space appears. The actual point price shown during your search should guide your decision.
Booking and Service Considerations
Most eligible partner awards can be searched online, although some itineraries may require help from reservations. Partner space can disappear quickly, and mixed-cabin itineraries may price according to the highest cabin included.
Check the operating airline, cabin on every segment, baggage terms, seat-selection rules, taxes, and cancellation policy before confirming your booking.
Comparing Amex Points and Atmos Rewards Points
Membership Rewards points are flexible because they can remain in Amex until you choose a participating airline or hotel program. Atmos Rewards points are less flexible because they stay within the Atmos ecosystem after you earn or receive them.
That does not mean one currency is always more valuable. The better option depends on the booking in front of you.
Use this formula to estimate the value of an award:
Redemption value in cents per point = (comparable cash fare minus award taxes and fees) ÷ points required × 100.
For example, suppose a flight costs $450 in cash or 25,000 points plus $30 in taxes. The calculation is:
($450 − $30) ÷ 25,000 × 100 = 1.68 cents per point.
This is only an example. Use the cash fare and award price for your exact route and date. Also consider whether the cash ticket would earn points or include more flexible change terms.
Maximizing Your Alaska Airlines Travel
You can improve your chances of getting good value by following a consistent process:
- Search the cash fare first.
- Check Atmos Rewards if you already have Atmos points.
- Search eligible Amex oneworld partners if you plan to use Membership Rewards.
- Compare points, taxes, fees, cabin, baggage, and cancellation rules.
- Check nearby airports and flexible dates.
- Transfer Amex points only after the award is visible.
- Complete the booking as soon as the transfer arrives.
Do not buy or transfer points only because an award chart advertises a low starting rate. The seat must be available at that rate for your itinerary.
Ways to Earn Atmos Rewards Points Without Amex
Although Amex does not transfer to Atmos Rewards, you may be able to build an Atmos balance through other methods:
- Credit eligible Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, or partner flights to Atmos Rewards.
- Use an eligible Atmos Rewards or Hawaiian Airlines co-branded card.
- Earn through participating shopping, dining, hotel, car-rental, and other non-air partners.
- Purchase points through the official program when the cost makes sense for a specific redemption.
- Receive an eligible transfer from another Atmos Rewards member under the program’s current rules.
Compare the cost of buying points with the cash price of the ticket. Purchased points do not automatically produce a better deal.
Key Considerations for Using Amex Points
- Transfers are generally final: Points sent to an airline program normally cannot return to Membership Rewards.
- Availability can change: A seat may disappear while you wait for a transfer.
- Names should match: Your Amex and airline loyalty-account details must meet the applicable linking rules.
- Ratios can change: Check Amex’s live transfer page instead of relying on an old article or screenshot.
- Bonuses are temporary: A transfer bonus can lower the Amex cost, but it does not create award availability.
- Fees differ: Compare taxes, carrier charges, phone fees, and cancellation costs across programs.
- Partner pricing differs: British Airways, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Atmos Rewards may charge different amounts for the same flight.
What to Do if the Alaska Flight Does Not Appear
If an Alaska flight is available for cash but not through an Amex transfer partner, try these steps:
- Search one flight segment at a time.
- Check nearby departure or arrival airports.
- Try dates before and after your preferred date.
- Search another eligible oneworld loyalty program.
- Confirm that the flight is operated by Alaska Airlines rather than only carrying an Alaska flight number.
- Consider booking the cash fare through Amex Travel.
Cash availability does not prove that partner award space exists. The operating airline controls how much award inventory it releases to each partner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer Amex points directly to Atmos Rewards?
No. Atmos Rewards is not listed as a current U.S. American Express Membership Rewards transfer partner.
Can I still transfer Amex points through HawaiianMiles?
No. Amex ended HawaiianMiles transfers on June 30, 2025. HawaiianMiles later transitioned into the combined Atmos Rewards program on October 1, 2025.
Can I use Amex points to book an Alaska Airlines flight?
Possibly. You can check whether an eligible Amex oneworld transfer partner can book the Alaska-operated flight. You may also be able to use points toward an eligible cash booking through American Express Travel.
Which Amex airline partner is best for Alaska flights?
There is no single best program for every trip. British Airways Avios can be a practical place to start for Alaska-operated flights, but compare British Airways with Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific when they can access the same award seat.
How much are 100,000 Atmos Rewards points worth?
They do not have one fixed cash value. Calculate the value for a real itinerary by subtracting award taxes and fees from the comparable cash fare, dividing the result by 100,000, and multiplying by 100.
Are 4,500-point Alaska awards guaranteed?
No. The 4,500-point amount is a published starting rate for eligible short flights. Availability is limited, and some routes, dates, connections, or inventory levels require more points.
Should I transfer Amex points before finding a flight?
Usually not. Search for the exact award, confirm the total cost, and review the rules first. Amex transfers are generally final, while award availability can change at any time.
Conclusion
You cannot currently transfer Amex Membership Rewards points directly to Alaska Airlines’ Atmos Rewards program, and the former HawaiianMiles workaround is no longer available. Your best alternatives are to search eligible Amex oneworld partners for an Alaska-operated award or compare an Amex Travel booking with the cash fare.
Keep your points in Membership Rewards until you find a real flight that works. Confirm the operating airline, point requirement, taxes, transfer ratio, and cancellation rules before moving any points.
Sources
- American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners — current participating transfer programs and live ratios.
- American Express transfer guidance — account-linking, availability, and transfer precautions.
- Alaska Airlines: Introducing Atmos Rewards — the Mileage Plan rebrand and combined loyalty-program details.
- HawaiianMiles is now Atmos Rewards — the October 1, 2025 HawaiianMiles transition.
- Atmos Rewards airline award charts — starting award levels, distance bands, availability limits, taxes, and fees.
- British Airways Reward Flights — using Avios for available oneworld partner flights.