Check Your Alaska Airlines Account for 10,000 Free Miles!

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Surprise!  Via Doctor of Credit, many folks report receiving 10,000 free Alaska Airlines miles in their Alaska Airlines account over the weekend.

This appears to be tied to a new promotion launched by Alaska Airlines for members of Virgin America’s frequent flyer program who did NOT have an Alaska Airlines account, but were recently assigned one by Alaska Airlines.

But folks on Flyertalk say they’ve received 10,000 Alaska Airlines miles even if they’re already members of both airlines’ frequent flyer programs.

Let’s take a look at what’s happening and what’s new today with the Alaska Airlines – Virgin America merger.

10,000 Free Alaska Airlines Miles

Link:   Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Link:   Alaska Airlines Award Chart

Sign-in to your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan account to see if you’ve earned 10,000 free Alaska Airlines miles.

If you’ve received it, you should see a 10,000 mile credit with the description “SPECIAL SERVICES ELEVATE MEMBER OTO 10K BONUS.”

Elevate is Virgin America’s frequent flyer program.

There doesn’t seem to be a pattern as to who got bonus miles and who didn’t.  I wish it was everyone!  Because 10,000 Alaska Airlines miles is enough for a round-trip, short haul (less than 700 miles) coach award flight.

You can even add a stopover on each leg for free!

New Alaska Accounts Can Earn 10,000 Miles or $100 Discount

Link:   Alaska Airlines New Account Promotion

With the Alaska Airlines – Virgin America merger deal closing, Alaska Airlines is doing its best to promote the deal to existing Virgin America customers.

Folks with a Virgin America Elevate account who were NOT an Alaska Airlines loyalty program member recently received an email from Alaska Airlines letting them know an Alaska Airlines account had been created for them.

If you received an email, you can earn 10,000 Alaska Airlines miles OR a $100 discount on an Alaska Airlines flight.

To earn the bonus, make your selection by January 31, 2017.  The bonus miles or discount credit should appear in your new Alaska Airlines account within 24 hours.

Transfer Points Starting Today

Link:   Virgin America Points Will Convert to Alaska Airlines Miles at a 1 : 1.3 Ratio

Link:   Alaska Airlines – Virgin America Merger Site

Starting today, you can transfer Virgin America points to Alaska Airlines at a ratio of 1 : 1.3.

Although it’s no longer possible to move Starwood points to Virgin America (and soon, Citi ThankYou points), there are still ways to earn Virgin America points other than flying.

For example, you can still transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin America at a 2:1 ratio.

And you can earn Virgin America points with the Comenity Bank Virgin America Premium Signature Card and Virgin America Signature Card.

After meeting minimum spending requirements, you’ll earn 10,000 Virgin America points with the regular Virgin America card and 15,000 Virgin America points with the Virgin America Premium card.

You could convert 10,000 Virgin America points to 13,000 Alaska Airlines miles with the 1 : 1.3 ratio.  And 15,000 Virgin America points would be worth 19,500 Alaska Airlines miles.

I suspect the Comenity Bank Virgin America Premium Signature Card and Virgin America Signature Card will be discontinued in the near future.  So if you’ve been considering these cards, you should apply sooner than later.

Bottom Line

Check your Alaska Airlines account!  Lots of folks report receiving 10,000 free Alaska Airlines miles. 

Whether you get the miles or not seems to be random.  🙁

However, if you previously did NOT have an Alaska Airlines account but had a Virgin America account, check your email.  If Alaska Airlines created a frequent flyer account for you, you can earn 10,000 Alaska Airlines miles OR a $100 flight discount.

And remember, starting today, you can transfer Virgin America points to Alaska Airlines at a 1 : 1.3 ratio.

Let me know if you got 10,000 free Alaska Airlines miles!