Which Airlines Allow You To Book Premium Economy With Alaska Airlines Miles?

Summary

  • Use Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles for premium cabins on oneworld airlines for better value.
  • Consider rates: U.S. to Europe: BA /American – 30,000, 35,000, 45,000, 55,000, 72,500 miles, depending on the total flight distance.
  • Mileage Plan offers stopovers for international bookings at the airline hub location.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is a comprehensive and good-value airline loyalty program. It offers much more than just the core opportunities to earn and spend miles on flights with Alaska Airlines, especially since the airline joined the oneworld alliance.

Some of the best value uses of miles with Mileage Plan (and other loyalty programs) are for premium cabin award bookings. This includes premium economy class, which is available for only a small increase in the miles required over economy class. This often gives better value relative to cash fares.

Mileage Plan allows bookings of award tickets with all oneworld airlines plus several additional partners. Most of these offer premium economy class – some on more routes than others.

Booking American Airlines premium economy

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
miles can be used to book flights on any
oneworld member airline (just as they can be earned from cash tickets with any member airline). One of the best options for Mileage Plan members in the US for premium economy is American Airlines
. American was the first US legacy carrier to start offering the cabin, and it is now widely available. The cabin is now offered on both the Boeing 777 and 787 on all long-haul international flights.

Related

What Is American Airlines’ Premium Economy Offering On International Flights?

What can passengers expect when traveling internationally in American Airlines’ premium economy cabin?

All award flights with Mileage Plan are priced dynamically. Since 2023, partner awards have also moved to dynamic pricing. Fixed starting rates are published depending on flight zone and total distance, but mileage rates can increase above this. At the moment, it appears that most direct flights with partner airlines price in line with these starting rates (if there is availability), but this could change.

Related

How To Spend Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan uses dynamic award pricing but still offers some good value partner awards.

For example, for routes with American Airlines from the US to Europe, the starting prices for premium economy would be as follows. Connecting flights with the same airline would also be permitted:

Total distance (miles)

Miles required for premium economy

1,501 to 3,500 miles

30,000

3,501 to 5,000 miles

35,000

5,001 to 7,000 miles

45,000

7,001 to 10,000 miles

55,000

Over 10,000 miles

72,500

To see the value – consider the same starting prices for economy class. In most cases, this is just around 30% more for premium economy. To go up from premium economy to business class is normally more than a 50% increase.

Total distance (miles)

Miles required for economy

1,501 to 3,500 miles

22,500

3,501 to 5,000 miles

27,500

5,001 to 7,000 miles

35,000

7,001 to 10,000 miles

42,500

Over 10,000 miles

55,000

American Airlines aircraft at Terminal 8 at New York-JFK Airport.

Photo: Ritu Manoj Jethani | Shutterstock

The rates for routes from the US to Asia with American Airlines would be similar – as follows:

Total distance (miles)

Miles required for premium economy

1,501 to 3,000 miles

32,500

3,001 to 5,000 miles

40,000

5,001 to 7,000 miles

50,000

7,001 to 10,000 miles

55,000

Over 10,000 miles

85,000

Some example searches show rates available at these minimum levels for searches a couple of months in advance:

Booking British Airways premium economy

British Airways
is another great option for using Mileage Plan to book premium economy. The airline offers the cabin on all long-haul flights with widebody aircraft. This includes many routes to and from the US, as well as all British Airways flights from London to other destinations.

The rates from US to Europe are priced using the same US charts with Mileage Plan as American Airlines – as follows:

Total distance (miles)

Miles required for premium economy

1,501 to 3,500 miles

30,000

3,501 to 5,000 miles

35,000

5,001 to 7,000 miles

45,000

7,001 to 10,000 miles

55,000

Over 10,000 miles

72,500

Alaska Airlines search

Photo: Alaska Airlines

Other oneworld airlines with premium economy

Premium economy is now offered by many oneworld airlines, with differing available between aircraft and routes.

For US to Asia flights, Japan Airlines
and Cathay Pacific
both have good products and wide availability. These would price the same as American Airlines, using the Asia chart:

Total distance (miles)

Miles required for premium economy

1,501 to 3,000 miles

32,500

3,001 to 5,000 miles

40,000

5,001 to 7,000 miles

50,000

7,001 to 10,000 miles

55,000

Over 10,000 miles

85,000

Japan Airlines is especially notable here for those looking for the best premium economy offering. It offers the most spacious premium economy seats in the sky – with up to 42 inches of legroom.

Read more about the most spacious premium economy cabins in our guide

Related

How To Explore Japan With Alaska Airlines Miles

There are good options with Japan Airlines – both for international and domestic flights

Other airlines operating in different regions also have a good premium economy offering. These can all be booked using Mileage Plan:

Alaska Airlines booking

Photo: Alaska Airlines 

Note that many member airlines do not offer a premium economy cabin – including:

  • Qatar Airways
  • Royal Jordanian
  • Malaysian Airlines

Related

Which Major Carriers Don’t Have Premium Economy Cabins & Why?

While most full-service airlines offer premium economy, a few still don’t.

Non-oneworld airlines with premium economy

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has several other airline partners in addition to oneworld members. Other airline partners for award booking include:

  • Aer Lingus
  • Air Tahiti Nui
  • El Al Israel Airlines
  • Hainan Airlines
  • Icelandair
  • Korean Air
  • LATAM
  • Ravn Alaska
  • Singapore Airlines
  • STARLUX Airlines

Of these, perhaps the most notable for premium economy award booking is Singapore Airlines. This is a highly rated cabin, often rated among the best in the sky. It is offered on the Airbus A350-900, Airbus A380, and Boeing 777-300ER.

Icelandair, Air Tahiti Nui, El Al Israel Airlines, and Hainan Airlines all offer premium economy to some extent as well.

Related

5 Of The Best Premium Economy Products In The World In 2024

These five airlines offer the best premium economy product in the skies today.

These partners can all be booked online, and at the same rate as other alliance partners.

Inside Singapore Airlines' premium economy cabin.

Photo: Christian Heinz | Shutterstock

Remember that Mileage Plan allows a stopover

All awards with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan allow one free international stopover, which is unusual among loyalty programs and can create great value opportunities.

The basic limitations and rules for this are as follows:

  • One stopover is permitted each way on an international booking
  • This must be at the airline hub location (for example, London Heathrow for a booking with British Airways).
  • Partner airlines cannot be combined in the same booking.
  • Additional taxes may be required.

Related

How To Use Alaska Airlines Miles For A Free International Stopover

The carrier’s international stopover programs can offer a great value.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *