Tag: Travel rewards

A Loyalty Shakeup in the U.S.

The loyalty world just got a big jolt. On August 20, 2025, Alaska Airlines officially rebranded Mileage Plan into Atmos Rewards. Hawaiian Airlines will join the program on October 1, 2025, bringing HawaiianMiles members into the fold.

If you’re an Alaska flyer, your account already shows Atmos branding. If you’re a Hawaiian flyer, your miles will convert 1:1 into Atmos Points this fall. No loss of value, no hidden catch. The biggest difference is the name on your balance, what used to be “miles” are now “points.”

Why does this matter? Because this isn’t just a rebrand. It’s the first time in years that a U.S. carrier has built an entirely new program instead of folding one into an existing system.

Why Atmos Rewards Exists

When Alaska and Hawaiian merged, they had a choice:

• Absorb HawaiianMiles into Mileage Plan, or
• Start fresh with something new.

They chose the second option. Atmos Rewards is designed to unify both airlines under one identity while making the program more flexible, and more competitive with American, Delta, and United.

For Alaska members, this feels more like an upgrade than a reset. You keep the strong partner network Mileage Plan already had, including oneworld.

For Hawaiian members, the change is dramatic. HawaiianMiles was a smaller program with limited partners and no global alliance access. Overnight, Hawaiian flyers get plugged into a network of 30+ partners and 1,000+ destinations worldwide.

Your Balances: Same Value, New Name

Here’s the simplest part of the change:

• If you had 50,000 Alaska miles yesterday, you have 50,000 Atmos Points today.
• If you had 50,000 HawaiianMiles, on October 1, you’ll see 50,000 Atmos Points in your account.

No games, no hidden devaluations. A straight 1:1 conversion.

The New Atmos Elite Tiers

Atmos Rewards introduces a four-tier structure:

• Silver (20,000 status points) → oneworld Ruby
• Gold (40,000 status points) → oneworld Sapphire
• Platinum (75,000 status points) → oneworld Emerald
• Titanium (100,000 status points) → oneworld Emerald

On the surface, these look almost identical to Mileage Plan’s MVP levels. But there’s a catch:

Thresholds are rising in 2026

Starting with 2027 qualification, two tiers get more expensive:

• Platinum moves from 75K → 80K
• Titanium moves from 100K → 135K

That’s a significant hike for top-tier elites. If you’re already chasing MVP Gold 75K, you’ll need to push further. Titanium flyers will see the biggest jump, a 35% increase.

More Flexibility to Qualify

Here’s where Atmos tries to set itself apart.

Starting in 2026, you can choose how you want to qualify for status:

• By miles flown
• By dollars spent
• By segments flown

This matters. Mileage Plan historically rewarded distance, while Delta and United have gone all-in on spend. Atmos gives members the ability to qualify in the way that matches their travel style.

• If you’re a long-haul flyer, miles are still your friend.
• If you’re a business traveler with expensive short hops, spend might make more sense.
• If you fly lots of short trips, segments give you another path.

It’s rare for a U.S. airline to let members pick the qualification method.

Upgrades: A New Top-Tier Perk

One of the flashiest new benefits is for Titanium members.

Atmos says it will be the only U.S. program to offer:

• Complimentary day-of-departure upgrades into global Business Class for Titanium elites and one companion, no points or certificates required.

This perk applies on long-haul Alaska and Hawaiian flights with lie-flat seats.

And there’s more coming in spring 2026:

• All Atmos elites (Silver and above) plus one companion will be eligible for complimentary upgrades on Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America.

That’s a big deal for Hawaiian flyers, who have never had access to complimentary upgrades like this before.

What This Means for Travelers

For Alaska flyers:

• Atmos looks and feels like Mileage Plan with new branding.
• The biggest change is coming in 2026, when elite thresholds climb and flexible earning starts.

For Hawaiian flyers:

• This is a massive upgrade. You gain access to oneworld, 30+ partners, and better redemption opportunities worldwide.
• Elite members will finally see a real upgrade system, both on long-haul and within North America.

For everyone:

• The program consolidates two airlines into one stronger competitor.
• It keeps the mileage-based model alive, while also introducing spend and segments in 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Balances convert 1:1. No loss in value.
• Four elite tiers. Platinum and Titanium thresholds rise in 2026.
• Flexible qualification. Choose how you earn starting 2026.
• Upgrades expand. Titanium gets long-haul Business Class day-of-departure upgrades; all elites get Hawaiian North America upgrades starting spring 2026.
• Biggest winners: Hawaiian flyers. They finally get global alliance access and a serious elite program.

Atmos Rewards doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does something rare in U.S. loyalty: it combines two programs without devaluing balances. For Alaska flyers, it’s an evolution. For Hawaiian flyers, it’s a revolution.

The real test will come in 2026, when new qualification rules and higher thresholds kick in. Until then, Atmos stands out as one of the more traveler-friendly programs in the U.S. market.