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If you use an Alaska Airlines credit card or have Alaska Airlines miles, you've likely heard about transfer partners—but what that means in practice isn't always obvious. Understanding transfer partners is important because they can significantly affect how far your miles actually go and what redemption options are available to you.
Transfer partners are airlines and other loyalty programs that have a partnership agreement with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. When you have Alaska Airlines miles in your account, you can transfer them to these partner programs at a set conversion rate—typically one-to-one, though rates vary by partner.
For example, if Alaska Airlines has a partnership with a particular international carrier, you might be able to transfer 10,000 Alaska miles to that partner's program at a 1:1 ratio (meaning you'd receive 10,000 miles in their system). From there, you can use those miles to book flights with that partner airline according to their award chart and rules.
This is distinct from using Alaska miles to book flights directly with Alaska Airlines or its regional partners—those redemptions don't require a transfer.
The value of transfer partners depends on what you're trying to accomplish:
The tradeoff is that transferring miles is irreversible—once miles leave your Alaska account, you can't bring them back. And transfer rates aren't always favorable; some partners may require more miles for equivalent flights than Alaska's direct redemptions.
Transfer partners don't all operate the same way. Key variables include:
| Factor | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Conversion ratio | How many miles you receive in the partner program per Alaska mile transferred (usually 1:1, but not always) |
| Minimum transfer | Smallest amount you can transfer at one time (often 1,000 or 5,000 miles) |
| Transfer speed | How long it takes miles to arrive in the partner account (typically hours to days) |
| Earning on partner flights | Whether you earn Alaska miles when flying on a partner airline |
Before transferring miles to a partner, consider:
The specific redemption: Look up the award price in the partner's program for your desired flight. Compare it to what you'd pay in Alaska miles or cash. If the partner requires significantly more miles for the same flight, the transfer may not be worthwhile.
Your flexibility: Partner programs may have less award availability on popular routes, or may have different award chart pricing (some use distance-based charts, others use zone-based or dynamic pricing). Research the partner's award rules before committing your miles.
Exit strategy: Some travelers transfer miles to partners specifically to "bank" them for future use, especially if a partner program is devaluing. This is a valid strategy, but it assumes the partner program won't devalue further or that you'll actually use the miles.
Earning and status: Check whether flights booked through the transfer partner earn Alaska miles or count toward Alaska elite status. For frequent flyers, this can influence whether a transfer is worth it.
The specific transfer partners available, their conversion rates, and current promotions change periodically. When evaluating whether to transfer:
Transfer partners can unlock genuine value, but only if the math works for your specific trip and priorities. The landscape is wide, and where you land depends on what you're trying to book and how patient you are with research.
