Alaska Airlines just announced they will be joining the One World Alliance as a full member from mid-2021. Alaska MileagePlan is one of the most lucrative frequent flyer programs out there still offering genuine value.
Since Alaska Airlines partners with a lot of airlines on individual terms, this means there are some really nice redemption opportunities for Aussie based travellers.
In this post:
Alaska Airlines Joining One World Isn’t Great News…
Since Alaska already partners with a lot of One World Partners such as Qantas, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Japan Airlines etc. I only expect this will be bad news in the long run.
Joining an alliance isn’t cheap so something will have to give and (I hope I’m wrong), I have a feeling that something will be the Alaska MileagePlan redemption rates.
What will happen to non-One World Partners?
Right now, you can earn miles and status on a whole bunch of individual airlines with your Alaska MileagePlan frequent flyer number. This includes the likes of Emirates and Singapore Airlines. At this stage, it’s unclear if these kinds of partnerships will continue and if so, will there be any cuts?
On The Positive Side
Alaska joining One World also comes with a bunch of benefits and might offer opportunities for those chasing One World Status. For all we know, Alaska Airlines might actually come out with a very competitive program to rival that of its fellow One World family. Only time will tell!
Summing up
I think we will get a much better idea of how the new Alaska MileagePlan redemption chart will work and I’m sure that initially there will be some excellent opportunities for savvy users. In the meantime, check out our ultimate guide on Alaska MileagePlan to learn how you can utilise it for luxury travel.
