You're eager to maximize your travel rewards, and understanding how to combine or utilize miles across different airlines is a smart move! Let's dive into the world of American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. While a direct "transfer" of miles between these two programs isn't possible, you can absolutely leverage their partnership to your advantage. Think of it less as moving miles from one bucket to another, and more about using the miles you already have in one program to fly on the other.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
The Truth About Transferring Miles Between American Airlines and Alaska Airlines
First, let's clear up a common misconception: You cannot directly transfer American Airlines AAdvantage miles to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, or vice versa. These are separate loyalty programs, and their miles are generally not interchangeable through direct transfers.
However, here's the good news: both American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are members of the oneworld alliance. This is the key to unlocking the value of your miles across both carriers! Being part of oneworld means they have a strong partnership that allows you to:
Earn miles in your preferred program when flying on the partner airline.
Redeem miles from your preferred program for flights on the partner airline.
Enjoy status benefits across both airlines if you hold elite status with one of them.
So, while you can't literally "add" your American Airlines miles to your Alaska account, you can use your American Airlines miles to book flights on Alaska Airlines, and vice-versa. This is a much more powerful and flexible option!
Let's explore how.
Step 1: Understand the Alliance and Its Benefits
Before we dive into the "how-to," let's make sure you're clear on why this partnership matters. Are you ready to unlock a world of travel possibilities?
Sub-heading: The Power of the oneworld Alliance
The oneworld alliance is a global airline alliance that brings together 13 of the world's leading airlines. When an airline joins oneworld, it extends its network and benefits to its passengers. This means:
Expanded Reach: You can fly to hundreds of destinations worldwide by connecting between oneworld member airlines.
Seamless Travel: Enjoy coordinated schedules and connections, making multi-airline itineraries smoother.
Reciprocal Benefits: This is where your miles and status really shine!
Earning Miles: Fly on one oneworld airline and earn miles in your preferred oneworld frequent flyer program (e.g., fly Alaska Airlines and earn AAdvantage miles).
Redeeming Miles: Use miles from one oneworld airline program to book flights on any other oneworld airline (e.g., use your AAdvantage miles to book an Alaska Airlines flight).
Elite Status Recognition: If you have elite status with American Airlines AAdvantage (e.g., AAdvantage Platinum), you'll often receive reciprocal benefits like priority boarding, lounge access, and extra baggage allowance when flying on Alaska Airlines. The same applies if you have Alaska's MVP status flying on American.
Step 2: Determine Your Goal: Earning or Redeeming?
Now that you understand the foundation, let's figure out what you're trying to achieve. Do you want to earn American Airlines miles when you fly Alaska, or do you want to use your existing American Airlines miles to book an Alaska flight? The process differs slightly for each.
Sub-heading: Scenario A: Earning American Airlines Miles on Alaska Airlines Flights
If you're flying on Alaska Airlines and want to credit those miles to your American Airlines AAdvantage account, here's what you need to do.
Book an Eligible Flight: Ensure your Alaska Airlines flight is eligible for AAdvantage mileage accrual. Generally, flights marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines, or codeshare flights operated by Horizon Air or other oneworld carriers, are eligible. Always double-check the fare class restrictions on the American Airlines website for earning on partner airlines. Some discounted fares might not earn full miles, or any miles at all.
Provide Your AAdvantage Number at Booking:
When you book your flight on Alaska Airlines' website, during the passenger information step, there will be a field for your frequent flyer number. Enter your American Airlines AAdvantage number here, not your Alaska Mileage Plan number.
If you're booking through a travel agent or another online travel agency (OTA), be sure to explicitly provide your American Airlines AAdvantage number when making the reservation.
Verify Your Boarding Pass: When you check in for your flight, check your boarding pass carefully. Your American Airlines AAdvantage number should be listed there. If it's not, ask the check-in agent to add it for you.
Request Missing Miles (If Necessary): Sometimes, despite your best efforts, miles don't automatically post.
Wait: Allow 1-3 days for miles from American Airlines flights to post, and up to 30 days for miles from partner airlines like Alaska.
Submit a Request: If after the waiting period your miles haven't appeared, visit the "Request Flight Miles" section on the American Airlines website (aa.com). You'll typically need your flight details (date, flight number, origin, destination) and your ticket number.
Sub-heading: Scenario B: Redeeming American Airlines Miles for Alaska Airlines Flights
This is often what people mean when they ask "how to add American Airlines miles to Alaska" – they want to use their AA miles to fly on AS. This is completely doable!
Step 3: Booking Alaska Airlines Flights with American Airlines AAdvantage Miles
This is the most common and arguably most valuable way to "add" your American Airlines miles to Alaska. You'll be using the American Airlines website or their reservations team to book an award flight on Alaska Airlines.
Log In to Your AAdvantage Account:
Go to the American Airlines website (aa.com).
Click on "Log In" and enter your AAdvantage number or username and password.
Navigate to Award Travel Search:
Once logged in, look for the "Book Travel" or "Plan Travel" section.
Select "Flights" and ensure you check the box that says "Redeem miles" or "Award Travel."
Search for Your Desired Flight:
Enter your departure and arrival cities, dates, and number of passengers.
Crucially, the American Airlines search engine will automatically show you availability on both American Airlines and its oneworld and partner airlines, including Alaska Airlines. You don't need to specify "Alaska Airlines" in the search, as it will be included in the results if there's availability.
Filter and Select Your Flight:
The search results will display various flight options and the corresponding mileage cost. Look for flights that are "Operated by Alaska Airlines."
Pay close attention to the number of miles required and any associated taxes and fees. Award charts for partner airlines used to be more transparent, but now, American Airlines often uses dynamic pricing.
Pro Tip: Be flexible with your dates if possible. Award availability, especially for popular routes and peak times, can be limited. Consider using the "calendar view" if available to see mileage costs across different dates.
Review and Book:
Once you've selected your desired Alaska Airlines flight operated by American Airlines miles, review all the details: itinerary, mileage cost, taxes, and fees.
Proceed with the booking. You'll need to confirm your details and pay any applicable taxes and fees using a credit card.
Congratulations! You've just used your American Airlines miles to fly on Alaska Airlines!
Sub-heading: What to Expect After Booking
Confirmation: You will receive a confirmation email from American Airlines with your American Airlines (AA) record locator.
Alaska Airlines Record Locator: You might also see an Alaska Airlines (AS) record locator in your confirmation or when you view your trip details on the American Airlines website. It's often helpful to get the Alaska Airlines record locator so you can manage your reservation directly on alaskaair.com. This allows you to select seats, check in, and receive updates directly from Alaska Airlines.
Mileage Deduction: Your AAdvantage mileage balance will be reduced by the amount of miles used for the award ticket.
Step 4: Leveraging Status Benefits Across Airlines
If you hold elite status with either American Airlines (AAdvantage) or Alaska Airlines (Mileage Plan), you can enjoy reciprocal benefits when flying on the partner airline within the oneworld alliance.
Sub-heading: How Your AAdvantage Status Helps on Alaska Airlines
As a oneworld alliance member, your American Airlines AAdvantage elite status (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum) translates to oneworld elite status (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald), which is recognized by Alaska Airlines. This means you can often enjoy perks such as:
Priority Check-in
Priority Boarding
Lounge Access (for Platinum/Sapphire and Executive Platinum/Emerald members when flying internationally or connecting to an international flight)
Extra Baggage Allowance
Preferred Seating
Priority Security (at participating airports)
Important Note: While upgrade eligibility can vary and is often limited on partner airlines unless explicitly stated by American Airlines or Alaska Airlines, the foundational benefits listed above are generally consistent within the oneworld alliance. Always check the specific benefits for your status tier on both the American Airlines and Alaska Airlines websites.
Sub-heading: How Your Mileage Plan Status Helps on American Airlines
Similarly, if you have Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan MVP, MVP Gold, or MVP Gold 75K status, you'll receive oneworld Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald status, respectively, providing you with similar benefits when flying on American Airlines.
Step 5: Alternative Ways to Maximize Your Miles (Indirect Transfers)
While direct transfers between AA and AS are not possible, there are indirect ways to combine value or earn miles that could eventually be used on either airline.
Sub-heading: Transferring Points from Hotel Loyalty Programs
Some hotel loyalty programs allow you to transfer their points to airline miles, including both American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. Marriott Bonvoy is a prime example:
Marriott Bonvoy to American Airlines AAdvantage: You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to AAdvantage miles at a 3:1 ratio. So, 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points convert to 20,000 AAdvantage miles.
Marriott Bonvoy to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: Similarly, you can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Alaska Mileage Plan miles at a 3:1 ratio.
Why is this "indirect"? Because you're not moving miles directly between the airlines, but rather using a third-party loyalty program as a bridge. Be aware of the transfer ratios; they aren't always optimal, and you often get better value by redeeming hotel points for hotel stays. However, this can be a good option if you have a large stash of hotel points and a specific airline redemption in mind.
Sub-heading: Using Credit Card Points that Transfer to Both
While American Airlines AAdvantage doesn't partner with major transferable credit card points programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards for direct transfers, some other cards or platforms might offer ways to use points for flights on both airlines indirectly:
Bank-Specific Travel Portals: Some credit card issuers have their own travel portals where you can use your points to book flights on virtually any airline, including American and Alaska. The value per point might be fixed (e.g., 1 cent per point), which may or may not be the best redemption value compared to transferring to an airline partner (if available) or booking an award ticket.
Conclusion: Smart Strategies for Seamless Travel
While the idea of simply "adding" American Airlines miles to your Alaska account is a common misunderstanding, the reality is far more flexible and powerful thanks to the oneworld alliance. By understanding how to earn and redeem miles across these partner airlines, and by leveraging your elite status, you can maximize your travel rewards and enjoy a truly seamless journey. Plan your bookings wisely, always provide your preferred frequent flyer number, and don't hesitate to reach out to the airline if miles don't post automatically. Happy travels!
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check if my American Airlines AAdvantage number is on my Alaska Airlines booking?
You can usually check by logging into your reservation on alaskaair.com using your Alaska Airlines record locator, or by reviewing your digital or printed boarding pass, where your AAdvantage number should be listed under your passenger details.
How to request missing American Airlines miles from an Alaska Airlines flight?
After allowing 3-30 days for miles to post, visit the "Request Flight Miles" section on aa.com. You'll need your flight details, ticket number, and AAdvantage account information to submit a request.
How to find Alaska Airlines award availability using American Airlines miles?
Log in to your AAdvantage account on aa.com, select "Redeem miles" or "Award Travel" in the flight search, and then search for your desired route and dates. Alaska Airlines flights with award availability will appear in the search results.
How to get an Alaska Airlines confirmation code for a flight booked with American Airlines miles?
When you book an Alaska Airlines award flight through American Airlines, your AA confirmation email or trip details page on aa.com will often include the separate Alaska Airlines (AS) record locator.
How to use my American Airlines elite status benefits on an Alaska Airlines flight?
Ensure your American Airlines AAdvantage number is attached to your Alaska Airlines booking. Your oneworld elite status (derived from your AAdvantage status) will automatically be recognized, granting you reciprocal benefits like priority boarding and baggage.
How to earn Alaska Airlines miles on American Airlines flights?
Similar to earning AA miles on AS flights, when booking an American Airlines flight, provide your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan number in the frequent flyer field during the reservation process.
How to determine the mileage cost for an Alaska Airlines award flight using American Airlines miles?
The mileage cost is displayed during the award search process on aa.com when you select "Redeem miles." American Airlines uses dynamic pricing, so the cost can vary based on demand, route, and time of booking.
How to change an Alaska Airlines flight booked with American Airlines miles?
You typically need to contact American Airlines AAdvantage reservations to make changes to an award ticket booked with their miles, even if the flight is operated by Alaska Airlines.
How to avoid taxes and fees when booking Alaska Airlines flights with American Airlines miles?
While the miles cover the fare, government-imposed taxes and fees are almost always applicable and cannot be avoided. These will be displayed during the booking process on aa.com.
How to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to American Airlines AAdvantage or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan?
Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account on the Marriott website, navigate to the "Transfer Points to Miles" section, and select American Airlines AAdvantage or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan as your preferred airline partner. Follow the instructions to complete the transfer.
