Linking Alaska & American accounts? You don’t need to—here’s how to use Atmos™ Rewards and AAdvantage together (updated 2025-10-03)
Key Takeaways
- No formal account linking exists between Alaska and American; instead, add the frequent flyer number you want to earn with to each reservation.[3][5]
- Alaska’s program is now called Atmos™ Rewards (the evolution of Mileage Plan).[6]
- HawaiianMiles fully transitioned into Atmos™ Rewards on 2025-10-01; an account-access freeze occurred in late September as part of the migration.[9][10]
- American Airlines’ AAdvantage remains a separate program; create an account online. You can book partner awards (including Alaska-operated flights) on AA.com.[4]
- Miles/points cannot be transferred between AA and Alaska programs; redeem instead across partners.[13]
- Earning and redeeming on each other’s flights is enabled via oneworld membership and bilateral partnership pages on both airlines.[1][7]
Creating an Alaska Airlines Atmos™ Rewards account
Sign up for Alaska Airlines Atmos™ Rewards (formerly “Mileage Plan”) on alaskaair.com. You’ll receive a loyalty number used for earning on Alaska, American, and other partners, and for redeeming points on alaskaair.com. Alaska announced Atmos in Aug 2025 as the evolved program, with continued partner earning/redemption and new benefits.[6][8]
Creating an American Airlines AAdvantage account
Create an AAdvantage account via American’s site. After enrolling, your AAdvantage number tracks miles and Loyalty Points earned from flights with American and partners, eligible credit card spend, and other activities. You can redeem miles for travel on American and many partners directly on AA.com (partner flights appear in search results, and you can filter by airline).[4]
Linking the two accounts together
There is no “link accounts” button for AA ⇄ Alaska. What to do instead:
| Action | AAdvantage (AA) | Atmos™ Rewards (Alaska) |
|---|---|---|
| Add the program number to earn miles/points | Enter your AAdvantage number at booking, in “Manage trips,” or at check-in—works on AA and eligible partner flights (incl. Alaska).[3] | Enter your Atmos number for Alaska/Hawaiian/partner flights; credit posts per partner rules.[8] |
| Book partner awards | Redeem on AA.com; partner flights (incl. Alaska) are bookable online in most cases.[4] | Redeem on alaskaair.com; search partners (incl. American) using “Use points.”[8] |
| Request missing credit | Use AA’s Request flight miles form (include ticket number).[11] | Use Alaska’s Request credit page (timelines vary by partner).[12] |
| Elite/status recognition | oneworld benefits apply on partners, including Alaska, per your AAdvantage tier.[3] | oneworld benefits apply on partners, including American, per your Atmos tier.[2][7] |
This alliance-based integration simplifies managing miles and delivers reciprocal perks without any account-linking step.
Transferring miles between accounts
Direct transfers between AAdvantage and Atmos are not allowed. You cannot combine or move balances between the two programs; redeem on the partner you want to fly instead.[13]
Examples: If you have AAdvantage miles and want Alaska-operated flights, search and book on AA.com (partner flights are included). If you have Atmos points and want American-operated flights, search and book on alaskaair.com using “Use points.”[4][8]
Earning and redeeming miles with both programs
- Earning on partner flights: AAdvantage miles & Loyalty Points accrue on eligible Alaska flights per AA’s partner chart; credit your AA number. Atmos points accrue on eligible American flights per Alaska’s partner rules; credit your Atmos number.[5][7]
- Redeeming: Book with the program whose miles/points you’re spending—AA.com for AAdvantage; alaskaair.com for Atmos (partners included in both search tools).[4][8]
Managing accounts and recent program changes
Manage each account separately by logging into both your Atmos™ Rewards and AAdvantage profiles to monitor balances, status progress, and promotions. In Aug 2025, Alaska introduced Atmos™ Rewards; on 2025-10-01 HawaiianMiles transitioned fully to Atmos. Some account functions were temporarily unavailable during a planned late-September migration window; normal access resumes post-transition.[6][9][10]
Troubleshooting common issues
- Missing credit: Submit a retro-credit request to the program you intended to earn with (forms linked in the table above). Keep boarding passes/e-tickets until credit posts.[11][12]
- Wrong program number on a booking: Update it in “Manage Trip,” at check-in, or via an agent.
- Award availability: Search on the site you’re redeeming with; partner space varies and may update throughout the day.[8]
If you’re looking to streamline your travel experience, use the alliance strategy above for added convenience. For more tips, see our carry-on guide here.
FAQs
What are Alaska and American Airlines accounts?
Alaska Airlines (now Atmos™ Rewards) and American Airlines maintain separate frequent flyer programs. Both are oneworld members, enabling partner earning and redemption.[1][2]
Why would I want to use both programs together?
Because both are in oneworld, you can earn and redeem across partners without linking accounts. Choose which program number to apply per trip; redeem on your chosen program’s site.[1][4]
How do I “link” my Alaska and American Airlines accounts?
There’s no formal link. Add the frequent flyer number you want to earn with to each booking; redeem on the site you’re spending from (AA.com for AAdvantage; alaskaair.com for Atmos).[3][8]
Can I transfer miles/points between my Alaska and American accounts?
No. Transfers aren’t supported; redeem on partners instead.[13]
What changed with “Atmos™ Rewards” and HawaiianMiles in 2025?
Alaska launched Atmos in Aug 2025. HawaiianMiles fully transitioned into Atmos on 2025-10-01 (with a brief pre-transition account freeze period). Your HawaiianMiles balance/status moved into Atmos automatically.[6][9][10]
References
- oneworld press release — “Alaska Airlines Officially Joins oneworld” (2021-03-31). oneworld.com
- oneworld members overview (current list of member airlines). oneworld.com
- American Airlines partner page — Alaska Airlines (earn/redeem; status benefits; partner chart). aa.com
- AA “Using miles for travel” — partner award booking on AA.com. aa.com
- AA Alaska earning chart with Loyalty Points notes (see partner page above). aa.com
- Alaska Newsroom — “Introducing Atmos™ Rewards” (Aug 2025). news.alaskaair.com
- Atmos partner page — American Airlines (earn/redeem for Atmos members). alaskaair.com
- Atmos “Use points” — redeem on Alaska, Hawaiian, and partners online. alaskaair.com
- Hawaiian Airlines loyalty updates — HawaiianMiles remains through 2025-09-30; transitions to Atmos 2025-10-01. hawaiianairlines.com
- Hawaiian Airlines September migration notice — pre-transition account-access freeze details. hawaiianairlines.com
- AA “Request flight miles” (retro credit). aa.com
- Alaska Atmos “Request credit” (retro credit). alaskaair.com
- NerdWallet — “Can you transfer miles between American and Alaska?” (2025-09). nerdwallet.com