Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card Review
If you’re looking for a travel rewards credit card that can help you and your companion reach your international vacation destination quicker, the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card could be a good option for you.
In This Article:
Benefits and Features
The Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card is packed with benefits and features that make it a strong travel rewards credit card. Here are the benefits you can expect when you apply for this credit card:
- Annual Fee: $99
- Welcome Bonus: Earn 30,000 miles and a Yearly companion fare for $99 as a welcome bonus when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
- Rewards: Earn 3 miles for every $1 spent on Alaska Airline tickets, vacations, and cargo services, and 1 mile for every $1 spent everywhere else
- Additional Perks: Complimentary checked bag, price protection on fares
Welcome Offer
When you sign up for the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card and spend at least $1,000 in the first 90 days, you’ll earn 30,000 welcome bonus miles, which can be used towards free flights, vacation packages, or cargo shipping and enjoy Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare ™ (more below). Thirty thousand miles could get you a one-way flight to Europe, and with the rewards you’ll earn with your spending, you’ll be able to book a round trip flight in no time.
Annual Fee
When you sign up for this card, you’ll pay an annual fee of $99. This fee is lower than some competing travel rewards credit cards, and the average yearly cost for credit cards of this caliber is $120. This affordable fee makes the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card an excellent value for your dollars.
Yearly Companion Fare ™
If you and a loved one frequently travel together, the Yearly Companion Fare ™ feature of this credit card will come in handy. With this benefit, you’ll qualify for a once-yearly $99 (or $121 when you factor in fees and taxes) round trip flight on Alaska Airlines to the continental United States, Alaska, Canada, Hawaii, or Mexico. This perk is available for companion flights only, meaning you’ll need to book a flight for yourself before you can take advantage of this offer for your companion.
Rewards
The Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card has a strong miles-to-dollars spent ratio, especially if you’re a frequent flyer. This credit card lets you earn 3 miles for every $1 spent on Alaska Airlines tickets, vacation packages, and cargo services. You’ll also earn points when you use this credit card for your everyday spending, at a rate of 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
How Much Are Miles Worth?
Just how much does that equal in real value? You can use an online calculator to input your spending habits and determine what type of free flights your spending will yield, or you can consult the Alaska Airline’s awards chart to determine what type of flights your miles will buy.
For example, if you spent $1,800 per year on Alaska Airlines tickets, yielding 3 miles per $1 spent, plus $2,500 per month (or $30,000 per year) on other eligible everyday purchases, yielding 1 mile per $1 spent, you’d earn:
$1,800 x 3 miles = 5,400 miles
$30,000 x 1 miles = 30,000 miles
Total miles per year: 35,400 miles
By consulting the awards chart, we can see that this level of miles would result in the following eligible flights from Canada:
| One-Way Economy Flights | Roundtrip Flights |
|---|---|
| Europe | The Carribean |
| Africa | Central America |
| Asia | Mexico |
| South America | Continental US, Alaska and Hawaii |
How to Redeem Miles
When you’re ready to redeem your miles for free international flights, you can book your travel through Alaska Air’s website, or you can call the Alaska Airlines reservation desk at 1-800-252-7522.
Miles can be redeemed with 15 different airlines, not just with Alaska Airlines. The ability to book with a variety of partners is vital because Alaska Airlines does not fly to many Canadian cities. Here are some of the popular partner airlines with whom you can redeem your points:
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Emirates
- Icelandair
- Korean Air
Keep in mind that these airlines don’t offer domestic flights within Canada, which makes this credit card best for anyone planning to travel internationally.
The miles you earn aren’t exclusively for flights either. You can also use your miles to book hotels through Alaska Air’s Rocketmiles portal, which gives you access to 400,000 properties worldwide. You can book your entire stay using miles or use a combination of miles and cash.
Additional Perks and Features
Beyond earning miles and having your companion travel cheaply once per year, the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card offers a suite of additional perks and features to make your travel experience better. When you sign up for this credit card, you’ll gain access to:
Complimentary Checked Bag
You and up to six traveling companions can check one bag each for no cost when flying with Alaska Airlines or any flights operated by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, SkyWest or PenAir. This feature isn’t available if you are flying with another carrier.
Price Protection
If you book a flight and then prices drop, don’t sweat it-you’re covered. With price protection, you can apply for a refund of the difference between the ticket you bought and the lower sale value. You’ll receive a maximum rebate of $500 as long as you request a refund within 60 days of purchasing your ticket.
Rental Car Discounts
Save 10% off in Canada and the US or 5% off internationally when you book a rental car through Avis or Budget at participating locations.
Concierge Service
This credit card gives you access to the Mastercard concierge service, available 24/7. This service can help with a wide variety of tasks, including booking flights and finding rare tickets to events and shows. Click here to learn more about concierge services.
Mastercard VIP Experiences
Mastercard VIP Experiences allows you to participate in exclusive and rare shows and events. Whether it’s backstage access to an exclusive concert or a VIP dinner with a famous chef, Mastercard Experiences are ones to remember.
Purchase Assurance
If you purchase items using this credit card, your new item is covered for up to 90 days from the date you made your purchase, which gives you three months of relief (especially with those expensive items).
Extended Warranty
The Mastercard extended warranty benefit doubles the warranty on new purchases for up to a maximum of one year.
Who Can Apply For the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card?
There are some eligibility requirements to apply. To qualify for this credit card, you’ll need to earn an individual income of $80,000, or a family income of $150,000. You’ll also need to be the age of majority in your province or territory of residence.
Greedy’s Take
What We Liked
- Lower annual fee than competing credit cards ($99)
- Strong rewards program of 3 miles per $1 spent with Alaska Airlines, 1 mile per $1 spent elsewhere
- Annual $99 companion airfare
- Free checked bag
- Rental car discounts
- Welcome offer of 30,000 miles if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
What We Didn’t Like
- Alaska Airlines and partner airlines do not offer domestic flights
- No travel insurance coverage
- High income requirement
How to Apply
You can apply for this card online through the MBNA website or by calling 1-877-428-6060. You must have a valid email address and consent to email communications. You’ll be required to provide basic information on the application, including:
- Name
- Housing status and monthly rent/mortgage payment
- The number of years you’ve lived at your current address
- Mailing address
- Social insurance number
- Employment information
- Banking details if you are planning to transfer a balance from another credit card
Once your application is approved, you should receive your new credit card within 7-10 business days.
How the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card Compares
This credit card isn’t the only airline credit card available in Canada. Here’s how the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card compares to two other top airline credit cards in Canada:
| Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard | WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard | TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affiliated airline | Alaska Airlines & partners | WestJet | Air Canada + Star Alliance (Aeroplan Miles) |
| Annual Fee | $99 | $119 | $139 (Annual Fee Rebate for the first year)† |
| Minimum Income | $80,000 individual, $150,000 family | $80,000 individual or $150,000 family | $60,000 individual or $100,000 family |
| Rewards | 3 miles per $1 spent with Alaska Airlines, 1 mile per $1 spent on everything else | 2% cashback in WestJet dollars per $1 spent with WestJet, 1.5% cashback on everything else | Earn 1.5 miles per $1 spent on gas, grocery, or Air Canada Products. Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on everything else. Earn double miles when you swipe your Aeroplan card. |
| Free checked bag | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Travel insurance | No | Yes | Yes |
| Other perks | $99 roundtrip companion fare, car rental discounts | Instant fuel savings at PetroCan | Maple leaf lounge access, priority check-in, and boarding, car rental discounts |
†Terms and conditions apply
Offer for TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card is not available for residents of Quebec. For Quebec residents, please click here.
The other two most popular airline credit cards in Canada are the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard and the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card. Both credit cards have higher annual fees, and their rewards programs aren’t as strong as the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card. For international flights, the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card is an affordable option because it includes all the standard features you expect from an airline credit card, including a free checked bag and low-cost companion fare.
That said, if you’d prefer to be able to redeem your points or miles for a domestic flight, then one of the other two options examined above may be a better choice. Also, both the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard and the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card have a robust suite of travel insurance. In contrast, the Alaska Airlines® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card does not. If either of these two features is essential to you, one of the other credit cards may be the right choice.
Our Verdict
This is an excellent, low-cost option to earn travel rewards that can be redeemed for free international flights. The features like free checked baggage and the annual $99 companion fare make this credit card a solid choice if you plan to travel internationally. We also love that you can book through 15 partner airlines, which gives you plenty of options to plan your trip.
If we could change one thing, it would be to add a suite of travel insurance, because you never know what could happen, especially if you are traveling outside of the country. Otherwise, this credit card is an excellent pick for anyone with an international travel bug.
Sponsored advertising. MBNA is a division of The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) and TD is not responsible for the contents of this site including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete information on this MBNA credit card, please click on the “Apply Now” button.
This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For residents of Quebec, please click here.
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