Chase Points to Alaska: 2026 Transfer Workaround

Last Updated on September 29, 2026 by Daniel Globe

No, you cannot transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards. Alaska is not on Chase’s list of transfer partners, and no Chase card changes that. The only Chase-linked workaround is indirect: move points to British Airways Avios and book an Alaska-operated flight through British Airways. That route works only when Alaska releases partner award seats for your exact flight, and it does not put any points into your Atmos Rewards account. Read the limits below before you apply for a card or move any points.

Updated September 30, 2026: This guide now states clearly that Chase has no direct transfer to Atmos Rewards. Thank you to the reader who flagged the confusion.

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Can You Transfer Chase Points to Alaska Airlines?

No. Atmos Rewards, the loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, is not a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner. This applies to every Chase card, including the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, and Ink Business Preferred. You can confirm this yourself: sign in to Chase, open the “Transfer to Travel Partners” section, and check the list of partners. Alaska and Atmos Rewards are not on it.

What does work is an indirect route that uses two separate programs:

1. Chase converts eligible Ultimate Rewards points into British Airways Avios. British Airways is a Chase transfer partner.
2. British Airways uses those Avios to issue an award ticket on an Alaska-operated flight. Alaska is a oneworld member, and British Airways can book its partner award seats.

This is a workaround for booking a flight, not a way to move points to Alaska. The Avios remain in your British Airways Club account, and you can spend them on other British Airways Club rewards. You can read more about how British Airways Avios work with oneworld partners in our related guide.

British Airways renamed its loyalty program from British Airways Executive Club to The British Airways Club. You may still see the older name on some pages, emails, or saved guides, but the booking currency remains Avios.

Is the British Airways Workaround Right for You?

The workaround makes sense only when all of these are true:

• You already have an eligible Chase card and Ultimate Rewards points, or you have a separate reason to hold the card
• You are comfortable paying with British Airways Avios instead of Atmos points
• The exact Alaska-operated flight you want shows award space on the British Airways site
• The Avios price and cash charges beat the flight’s cash fare (see the value section below)

Skip this route if you want any of the following:

• Atmos points in your Atmos Rewards account
• Atmos benefits, such as its international stopover rule or other program perks
• A guaranteed seat on a specific date, since award space is not held while a transfer posts

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Set up the accounts and trip details before you transfer anything:

• An eligible Chase card that can transfer Ultimate Rewards points, such as Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred
• A free account with The British Airways Club
• The Alaska route, date, cabin, and number of travelers you want to book
• Enough Chase points to cover the Avios price in 1,000-point transfer increments
• A payment card for the taxes, fees, and other cash charges shown by British Airways

If your Chase points sit on a Freedom or another card that does not allow partner transfers, Chase may let you combine them with an eligible Ultimate Rewards account you own. Complete that step before searching and transferring. You can also see our guide to transferring Chase points for the general process.

Step 1: Find Alaska Award Space on British Airways

Start with the award search, not the transfer. Sign in to The British Airways Club and open the Reward Flight search. Enter your origin, destination, travel date, cabin, and passenger count.

Review each result carefully. The flight must show Alaska Airlines as the operating carrier. Note the following details before leaving the page:

• Travel date and departure time
• Alaska flight number
• Cabin
• Avios needed for every traveler
• Total taxes, fees, and cash charges
• Whether the trip is nonstop or has separately priced segments

Search one direction at a time when possible. If a connection is required, also search each segment separately. British Airways partner pricing can depend on route and distance, so a connecting itinerary may require more Avios than a nonstop flight.

Step 2: Transfer Chase Points to British Airways Avios

Log in to Chase, open Ultimate Rewards, and choose the option to transfer points to travel partners. Select British Airways Club and link the eligible British Airways account shown in the portal. Do not look for Alaska or Atmos Rewards in this list, because neither is offered.

Enter only the number of points needed for the award. Chase transfers are made in 1,000-point increments. For example, if the award costs 17,500 Avios and you have no Avios balance, you would need to transfer 18,000 Chase points.

Review the member name, membership number, transfer amount, and ratio before confirming. Chase currently lists British Airways as a 1:1 transfer partner, so 1,000 Chase points normally become 1,000 Avios unless the portal displays a limited-time bonus or a changed rate.

Step 3: Book the Alaska Flight with Avios

Return to the British Airways Reward Flight search and repeat the same route, date, cabin, and passenger count. Select the Alaska-operated flight you verified earlier.

Before payment, confirm all of these details again:

• The operating airline says Alaska Airlines
• The date, departure time, and airports are correct
• The cabin is correct on every segment
• The Avios amount has not changed
• The taxes, fees, and cash charges are acceptable
• Every traveler’s name matches their government-issued ID

Pay the cash portion and complete the booking. Save the British Airways booking reference, ticket numbers, and any Alaska Airlines confirmation code shown in the reservation.

How to Calculate Your Points Value

Do not divide the full cash fare by the Avios price without accounting for the award’s cash charges. Use this formula:

Suppose an Alaska ticket costs $300 in cash or 20,000 Avios plus $11.20. The net value is:

($300 – $11.20) ÷ 20,000 × 100 = about 1.44 cents per Avios

Compare that result with the exact value Chase Travel shows at checkout. Under current Chase terms, a standard Chase Travel redemption without a Points Boost offer is worth 1 cent per point. Points Boost can raise that on select bookings: up to 1.5 cents on hotels and select flights, and up to 1.75 cents on select premium cabin flights, for Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred, and up to 2 cents for Sapphire Reserve. Offers rotate, and some older accounts keep temporary legacy rates, so use the value shown in your own portal.

Also compare the award with the cash ticket’s rules. A cheap cash fare may earn points, offer easier changes, or include benefits that make it a better deal even when the cents-per-point figure looks close.

When Avios Can Offer Good Value

British Airways partner pricing is influenced by the route, distance, date, cabin, and number of segments. Avios often work best when you can book:

• A nonstop Alaska flight instead of a connection
• A route with a high cash fare but reasonable partner award pricing
• A last-minute trip with partner space still available
• A short or medium nonstop route where segment-based pricing stays manageable

Avios can also book eligible flights on other oneworld airlines, including American Airlines, subject to partner availability. However, do not assume that every program using Avios can book the same Alaska seat. British Airways is the verified Chase-to-Alaska path covered in this guide.

Long routes, connections, or low cash fares may offer weak value. Always compare the final Avios and cash total against Chase Travel and the airline’s cash price.

Transfer Times and Key Restrictions

Chase says partner transfers should post within several business days. Some transfers may appear sooner, but you should not rely on an instant transfer. Award space can disappear while you wait.

• Transfers are final: Chase cannot move the Avios back into Ultimate Rewards.
• Transfers use 1,000-point increments: Round up only as much as needed.
• Account details matter: Use an eligible recipient listed by Chase and check the name and membership number before submitting.
• Availability is not held: Finding a seat does not reserve it while the transfer processes.
• Avios can expire: British Airways says Avios expire after 36 months with no collecting, spending, buying, or sharing activity.
• Partner cash charges vary: British Airways shows the final taxes, fees, and carrier charges before payment.

What to Do After Booking

Open the reservation in British Airways Manage My Booking and look for the Alaska Airlines record locator. You may need that separate code to view the trip on alaskaair.com, choose seats, or add traveler details.

Then complete these checks:

• Confirm every passenger name and flight segment
• Add your contact information and known traveler number, if eligible
• Review Alaska’s current seat and baggage rules
• Check whether any elite-status or credit-card benefit applies to this partner-issued ticket
• Save both airline confirmation codes and the ticket receipt

Changes and cancellations follow British Airways Reward Flight rules, not Atmos Rewards rules. British Airways says most Reward Flights can be changed or canceled for a service fee, subject to the ticket terms and timing. Review the fee shown for your market before making a change.

Troubleshooting Missing Alaska Award Flights

The Alaska flight appears for cash but not on British Airways

Alaska has not released that seat to British Airways as partner award space, or the seat has already been taken. Try nearby dates, another departure time, or a different airport. If nothing appears, this workaround will not work for that trip, and you should not transfer any points.

A connecting trip does not appear

Search each nonstop segment separately and search one-way. One segment may have partner space while the other does not. Separate tickets can create missed-connection risk, so leave a large buffer and understand the tradeoff before booking.

The transfer has not posted

Check the transfer confirmation in Chase and the activity page in your British Airways account. Chase advises allowing several business days. Do not submit a duplicate transfer unless Chase confirms the first one failed.

The Avios price changed after the transfer

Search nearby dates and times, then compare other Alaska routes or oneworld partner options. You cannot reverse the Chase transfer, but the Avios remain available for other eligible British Airways Club redemptions.

British Airways shows an error

Try signing out, clearing the search, and starting again with a simple one-way itinerary. If a specific partner flight appears but cannot be ticketed online, contact British Airways and ask whether the Alaska-operated flight can be booked by phone.

Alternatives if You Want Atmos Points

If your goal is to hold Atmos points or use Atmos benefits, Chase is not the right source. These are the main alternatives:

• Use Bilt points: Bilt transfers points directly to Atmos Rewards at 1:1, subject to Bilt’s current terms. Bilt is a separate points program, so your Chase points cannot be moved into it.
• Earn Atmos points directly: Bank of America’s Atmos Rewards co-branded cards earn Atmos points from card spending. This is different from transferring Bank of America Premium Rewards points.
• Book through Chase Travel: This works like a paid ticket. Compare the live point value, fare rules, and any Points Boost offer before redeeming.

Limited-time Chase transfer bonuses to British Airways can improve the deal, but never transfer only because a bonus is available. First confirm a real Alaska award that you are ready to book.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Alaska Airlines a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner?

No. Neither Alaska Airlines nor its Atmos Rewards program is a Chase transfer partner, and no Chase card can transfer to it directly. The indirect method is to transfer eligible Chase points to The British Airways Club and use Avios for available Alaska partner awards.

Should I apply for a Chase card just to fly Alaska?

Not for that reason alone. Chase does not transfer to Atmos Rewards, and the British Airways route depends on Alaska releasing partner award seats for your exact flight. Search British Airways first. If you want Atmos points, Bilt or an Atmos co-branded card is a more direct fit.

Can I convert British Airways Avios into Atmos points?

No. Avios stay in your British Airways Club account and are spent on British Airways Club Reward Flights, including eligible Alaska-operated flights. They do not convert into Atmos points.

Do I need an Atmos Rewards account?

No. British Airways can issue the Alaska-operated award without an Atmos account. You need an eligible Chase account and a British Airways Club account. An Atmos account is optional for your Alaska profile.

Are there fees for transferring Chase points to British Airways?

Chase does not list a separate transfer fee. The award ticket still requires Avios plus the taxes, fees, and cash charges British Airways displays at checkout.

How long does a Chase-to-British Airways transfer take?

Chase advises that partner transfers should post within several business days. A transfer may arrive sooner, but award space is not held while you wait.

Can I transfer Chase points to someone else’s British Airways account?

You cannot freely send Chase points to any friend or relative. Transfer only to an eligible British Airways recipient shown in your Chase portal, and verify the member name and account number before confirming.

Why can I see an Alaska seat on alaskaair.com but not on British Airways?

British Airways can only book partner award inventory that Alaska releases to it. Cash seats and Atmos award seats do not always match the partner seats British Airways can access.

Does the Atmos Rewards free stopover apply to an Avios booking?

No. The Atmos stopover benefit applies to eligible awards booked through Alaska or Hawaiian with Atmos points. A British Airways Avios booking follows British Airways rules.

What is Atmos Rewards?

Atmos Rewards is the combined loyalty program Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines launched on August 20, 2025. It replaced the Mileage Plan name and uses points as its redeemable currency.

Chase points cannot be sent to Alaska Airlines, but they can be used indirectly for Alaska-operated flights when the right award seat is available. Follow the right order: search British Airways first, calculate the real value, transfer only what you need, and book immediately after the Avios arrive. The search-first rule protects you from the biggest risk, which is moving points into a program that cannot book your chosen flight.

Sources

1. Chase Transfer Partners: Everything You Need to Know – eligible cards, 1,000-point increments, final transfers, and posting guidance
2. Chase Points Boost Guide – current Chase Travel redemption structure and promotional values
3. British Airways Reward Flights – partner awards, pricing factors, cash charges, and change rules
4. British Airways Reward Availability – searching and booking partner award seats
5. Head for Points: Can you use Avios for Alaska Airlines flights? – booking Alaska-operated awards through British Airways
6. Alaska Airlines: Introducing Atmos Rewards – program launch date and combined loyalty-program details
7. Atmos Rewards Everyday Partners – Bilt’s direct 1:1 transfer relationship