Alaska Airlines miles can move to another person's account or convert to partner airline miles, but the rules and costs differ sharply depending on which direction you go

If you hold Alaska Airlines miles in your Mileage Plan account, you have two main paths: transfer miles to someone else's Alaska account, or move them to one of Alaska's airline partners. Transfers to another person cost money and take time. Transfers to partner airlines are often free but happen when ready and cannot be reversed. The choice depends on whether you want to help someone else fly on Alaska, or whether you want access to a different airline's routes.

Alaska does not let you transfer miles to yourself across accounts, and you cannot convert Alaska miles back to cash. Once miles leave your account, they stay with the recipient.

Key Takeaways

  • Transferring Alaska miles to another person's Alaska account costs $1 per 1,000 miles (with a $5 minimum and $250 maximum per transfer) and takes 5 to 7 business days to complete.
  • You can transfer miles to Alaska's airline partners — including American, Delta, United, and others — when ready and at no cost, but the exchange rate varies by partner and the transfer cannot be undone.
  • Partner transfers typically give you fewer miles than you started with; for example, 10,000 Alaska miles might become 7,500 miles with another airline.
  • Both types of transfer require you to initiate the request through your Alaska Mileage Plan account online; there is no phone or chat option for transfers.

Transferring miles to another Alaska Mileage Plan member

To move miles from your account to someone else's Alaska account, you pay a fee based on the number of miles you send. The cost is $1 for every 1,000 miles transferred, with a $5 minimum charge and a $250 maximum per single transfer. So transferring 5,000 miles costs $5; transferring 250,000 miles costs $250, and anything larger requires multiple separate transfers.

The recipient must already have an active Alaska Mileage Plan account before you initiate the transfer. You will need their Mileage Plan membership number. Once you submit the request through your account, Alaska processes it over 5 to 7 business days. The miles land in their account automatically; they do not need to do anything to accept them.

This route makes sense if you want to help a family member or friend book a flight on Alaska, or if you have miles you will not use and want to consolidate them with someone else's balance. It does not work for moving miles between your own accounts.

Converting miles to partner airline miles

Alaska has transfer partnerships with roughly a dozen other airlines. The major ones are American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue, and Southwest Airlines, though the full list changes occasionally. When you transfer Alaska miles to a partner, the conversion happens when ready and costs nothing.

The catch is the exchange rate. Alaska does not give you a one-to-one swap. Most partner transfers cost you miles — you might send 10,000 Alaska miles and receive 7,500 or 8,000 miles with the partner airline instead. The exact rate depends on which partner you choose and can vary month to month. Some partners offer better rates than others, and Alaska occasionally runs promotions that improve the rate for a limited time.

Once miles land in a partner account, they belong to that airline and follow that airline's rules. You cannot move them back to Alaska. This is permanent, so check the partner airline's award chart and routing rules before you transfer.

How to request a transfer through your Alaska account

Log into your Alaska Mileage Plan account online and look for the "Transfer Miles" or "Manage Miles" section — the exact label varies, but it appears in the main account menu. Alaska does not offer transfers by phone, chat, or email.

For transfers to another person's Alaska account, select that option and enter the recipient's membership number, your email, and the number of miles. You will see the fee calculated before you confirm. For partner transfers, select the airline you want to transfer to, enter the number of miles, and confirm the exchange rate shown on screen.

After you submit, you receive a confirmation email. For person-to-person transfers, check back in 5 to 7 business days to confirm the miles arrived. Partner transfers show up in the partner airline's account within hours, sometimes minutes.

When partner transfers make more sense than person-to-person transfers

If you want to move miles to someone else, compare the cost of a person-to-person transfer against the cost of that person transferring their own miles to a partner airline. A person-to-person transfer of 50,000 miles costs $50. If the recipient could use those 50,000 miles directly with Alaska for a flight they want, the transfer makes sense. But if they would rather fly on a partner airline, they might be better off receiving fewer miles through a partner transfer instead.

Partner transfers also make sense if you have miles you cannot use on Alaska's own routes. Alaska's network is smaller than the big three carriers, and some destinations are only reachable through partner airlines. If you want to reach a city Alaska does not serve, converting to a partner's miles may be your only option.

Limits and restrictions on transfers

Alaska limits how many miles you can transfer in a single calendar year. The annual cap is 250,000 miles per account, though this applies to outgoing transfers only — you can receive unlimited miles from others. If you hit the cap, you must wait until January 1 to transfer more.

Miles in your account must be active — meaning you have earned or received them within the last 24 months. If your account has been dormant, Alaska may close it and forfeit the miles. Transferring miles resets the activity clock for both your account and the recipient's account, so transfers can be a way to keep an inactive account alive.

You cannot transfer miles that are part of a pending award or that have been placed on hold by Alaska for any reason. If you have a ticket booked using miles, those miles are locked until the ticket is used or cancelled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer miles to my spouse or family member?

Yes. They must have their own Alaska Mileage Plan account, and you need their membership number. The transfer costs $1 per 1,000 miles and takes 5 to 7 business days. There is no special family rate or exemption from the fee.

What happens if I transfer miles to a partner airline and then change my mind?

Partner transfers are permanent and cannot be reversed. Once miles land in the partner airline's account, they follow that airline's rules and cannot come back to Alaska. Always confirm the partner airline's award chart and routing before you transfer.

Do I lose miles when I transfer to a partner airline?

Yes, typically. Most partner airlines give you fewer miles than you send. The exact loss depends on the partner and the current promotion, but expect to receive 70 to 85 percent of the miles you transfer. Check the exchange rate in your account before confirming.

Can I transfer miles if my Alaska account is closed?

No. Your account must be active to initiate a transfer. If your account is closed, you cannot move the miles. If you have miles in a closed account, contact Alaska Mileage Plan to reopen it before attempting a transfer.

Is there a way to transfer miles without paying the fee?

The $1 per 1,000 miles fee applies to all person-to-person transfers. Partner airline transfers are free, but you receive fewer miles in return. There is no way to avoid both the fee and the loss of miles.