I really dislike paying an annual fee for credit cards but am thinking of getting an Alaska airlines cc. I’d love to hear some feedback from anyone that has one and uses it. Cost looks to be $75. Our son lives in Seattle and we can get flights for a semi-reasonable cost from two airports that we use. We’re planning to visit him in May and I want to book our flights soon. We have a Capital One cc that I use as our main card. What I find attractive about the Alaska card is the yearly companion ticket for $121 and a free checked bag for every person made under a Alaska Air reservation using the card. Flights from our area are about $400 RT to Seattle. They also fly to Denver where my in-laws live. Worth it, or not?
For flights in and out of Seattle, yes, definitely worth it for the companion ticket (used to be a free companion ticket) and the free luggage check, plus 25,000 bonus miles when you sign up. My boss here uses the United card and airline, another option, with 50,000 bonus miles.
I was going to ask if you get bonus miles for signing up.(25k?) Also, is it possible to waive the annual fee for the first year? I recently signed up for my first ever annual fee card because, 1. AA (American Airlines in my case) As a hub city, most flights from my Charlotte airport are AA. 2. I am getting a50k mile sign-up bonus (if I spend $3k in the first 3 months, no problem for us), and 3. The $95 annual fee is waived for the first year. There are other good things about the card (no foreign transaction fees) but I will most likely cancel the card after the first year and before I have to pay the $95 annual fee.
Yes, bonus 25K miles.
Alaska’s mileage program is excellent. I use it strategically to buy tix for kid using my accumulated miles and buy my travel using $$ to keep the Gold status. Alaska is one of the majors here in Seattle, flies almost everywhere, including non-stops to DC area airports and Boston, and partners with AA, Delta, KLM, Korean Air, and Air France, so you will get some miles for travel on those (% is tier status dependent).
Another vote for the card. That companion fare alone makes it worth the annual fee, and the mileage is excellent, as noted. Any time we’ve had to deal with customer service, they’ve been easy to deal with, and now that they’ve added the free bag, it’s really a no-brainer for people who live in Seattle.
Free bag?
CC holders get 1 free checked bag for each person on the same booking using the card. It used to be $25.
Hmmm, now I wish I had not just paid for 4 tickets!
Somemom, if you just bought them, you can cancel within 24 hrs without a penalty!
Well, I did it but now I have to wait for the card to pay for the trip! No way I’m going to pay another $50 for bags after agreeing to pay $75 for the card.
We’ve had an Alaska mileage card for about fifteen years now. Lots and lots of free flights. We don’t end up using the companion ticket that much but the rest of the perks are good. Their website is pretty easy to use to book mileage flights as well.