New Atmos Rewards Benefits
Atmos Rewards, the combined loyalty program for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, has finally added its new “choose how you earn” feature. Along with other new Atmos Rewards benefits, this feature allows members to choose whether they want to earn Atmos points by distance flown, segments flown or on the price paid for their flight. The program is also rolling out a new transfer partner program. All in all, these are some exciting changes if you're an Atmos Rewards member, whether you fly Alaska, Hawaiian or one of their airline partners. Let's dive in.
Choose How You Earn Atmos Points
When Atmos Rewards first launched, it promised members three ways to earn Atmos points but said that option wouldn't come until “later in 2026.” That day has finally come. Now, with these new Atmos Rewards benefits announced recently, members get to choose how they want to earn points and status points, and they'll be able to change their selection once per year.
- Distance flown: Earn 1 point for every mile flown
- Dollars spent: Earn 5 points for every $1 spent on flights (excluding taxes and fees) and any paid upgrades to premium cabins.
- Segments flown: Earn 500 points for each segment flown
To choose how you earn Atmos points, log in to your Atmos Rewards account and click on the menu. Under “Earn points,” select the option to “Choose how you earn.” Atmos Rewards members who join after January 1, 2027 will automatically earn points based on how much they paid for their flight, unless they select another option.
Atmos Communities
Atmos Rewards now offers six of what it calls “Atmos Communities”—free groups members can join that offer perks and benefits tailored to how they travel. First, Atmos Rewards only had two Communities: Club 49 and Huakaʻi by Hawaiian, exclusively for residents of Alaska and Hawaii, respectively. The airline loyalty program has now expanded to six Communities, each offering slightly different benefits ranging from free bags, exclusive flight deals and bonus-point challenges to discounts on award flights for children and bonus status points for international travel.
Members of every Atmos Community get quarterly flight deals, offers on 20% off when you redeem points on Atmos Rewards Unlocked experiences and tailored offers and deals from everyday and travel partners. Each community also offers a different bonus-point challenge where members can earn bonus points and status points when flying to select destinations. The number of points you earn increases with the more cities you visit, for up to 10,000 bonus points and status points for 10 destinations. Each Atmos Community also offers additional benefits exclusive to members of that community, which can be more or less valuable to you depending on how you travel.
Global Locals
This Atmos Community is described as “for those that travel globally.” As part of the new Atmos Rewards benefits, members of this community get access to the following perks:
- 10% more status points on international flights, including award flights
- Earn 1 status point for every 25 Atmos points transferred from an eligible loyalty partner
You'll also earn bonus points and status points when you travel to select global destinations. For 2026 and 2027, the focus is Oneworld airline alliance carrier hubs. The following cities qualify for bonus points, and Atmos Rewards says it will also release a new list of qualifying destinations on January 1, 2028:
- Tokyo (NRT)
- Sydney (SYD)
- Doha, Qatar (DOH)
- Casablanca, Morocco (CMN)
- London (LHR)
- Hong Kong (HKG)
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL)
- Amman, Jordan (AMM)
- Helsinki (HEL)
- Madrid (MAD)
Families on the Go
This Atmos Community is designed for travelers with young children. Members of this community enjoy 20% points back on award travel for children 12 and under. Most airlines charge the full adult award rate for children, so this can be a valuable perk for traveling families. You'll also earn bonus points and status points when you travel select “family-friendly destinations.” The following destinations qualify for bonus points in 2026 and 2027, and Atmos Rewards says it will release a new list of qualifying destinations on January 1, 2028.
- Orlando, FL (MCO)
- San Diego, CA (SAN)
- New York, NY (JFK)
- Atlanta, GA (ATL)
- Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
- Long Beach, CA (LGB)
- Cancun, Mexico (CUN)
- Houston, TX (IAH)
- Vancouver, BC, Canada (YVR)
- Seoul, South Korea (ICN)
Culinary Journeys
This Atmos Community is described as “for those who visit flavorful destinations.” Members earn bonus points and status points when they fly to “acclaimed dining destinations.” Atmos Rewards says it will release a new list of qualifying destinations on January 1, 2028, and the following destinations qualify for bonus points earning in 2026 and 2027:
- Tokyo (NRT)
- New York (JFK)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Chicago (ORD)
- Denver (DEN)
- London (LHR)
- San Francisco (SFO)
- Washington, D.C. (DCA)
- Miami (MIA)
- Austin, Texas (AUS)
Active Escapes
This Atmos Community is described as “for those who seek adventure outdoors.” Members can participate in a U.S. National Parks-focused bonus points challenge, where they can earn bonus points and status points for visiting 10 gateway cities to the some of the most popular national parks. Atmos Rewards says it will release a new list of qualifying destinations on January 1, 2028, and the following cities qualify for bonus points earning in 2026 and 2027:
- Bozeman, Montana (BZN)
- Kalispell, Montana (FCA)
- Salt Lake City, UT (SLC)
- Palm Springs, California (PSP)
- Cleveland (CLE)
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming (JAC)
- Phoenix (PHX)
- Yosemite, California (FAT)
- Kona, Hawaii (KOA)
- Nadi, Fiji (NAN)
Club 49
Club 49 was one of the initial Atmos Communities when Atmos Rewards first launched. It is exclusively for Alaska residents.
- Two free checked when traveling to or from Alaska on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines, and three bags free when flying entirely within the state on Alaska Airlines. This benefit applies to Club 49 members and any passengers on the same reservation.
- 30% off one-way refundable Y-Class travel to, from, or within Alaska on Alaska Airlines, booked within four days of departure (available twice per year)
- Discounts on shipping cargo within Alaska
Club 49 members can also earn bonus points and status points when flying to select destinations. Atmos Rewards says it will release a new list of qualifying destinations on January 1, 2028, and the following “sunny” destinations qualify in 2026 and 2027:
- Phoenix (PHX)
- Kona (KOA)
- Santa Barbara, California (SBA)
- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (PVR)
- Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR)
- Las Vegas (LAS)
- Palm Springs, California (PSP)
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida (FLL)
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (SJD)
- Sydney (SYD)
Huakaʻi by Hawaiian
Huakaʻi by Hawaiian was also one of the initial Atmos Communities. Only Hawaii residents can join this community. Huakaʻi by Hawaiian members get the following perks when they fly Alaska or Hawaiian:
- Two free checked bags on flights between the Hawaiian Islands
- 50% bonus points and status points on flights between the Hawaiian Islands, starting January 1, 2027.
- Monthly flight deals
- Upgrade certificates to join the waitlist on Hawaiian Airlines flights between Hawaii and the continental U.S., Asia and Oceania
Huakaʻi by Hawaiian members can also earn bonus points and status points when flying to select destinations in Hawaii and beyond. Atmos Rewards says it will release a new list of qualifying destinations on January 1, 2028, and the following destinations qualify in 2026 and 2027:
- Honolulu (HNL)
- Tokyo (HND)
- Lanai City, Hawaii (LNY)
- Lihue, Hawaii (LIH)
- Molokai, Hawaii (MKK)
- Hilo, Hawaii (ITO)
- Kahului, Hawaii (OGG)
- Sydney (SYD)
- Las Vegas (LAS)
- Kona, Hawaii (KOA)
How to Join an Atmos Community
Joining an Atmos Community is optional, but since it's free, there's really no reason all Atmos Rewards members shouldn't sign up to get additional benefits. To join a community, log into your Atmos Rewards account and click on the menu. Under “Benefits, perks, and milestones,” select “Communities.”
Find the community you are interested in joining, and click “View all benefits.” On the next page, you'll see a button to join at the top.
You can change your Atmos Community once per year.
New Transfer Partner Coming Soon: Bank of America
Easily the most exciting announcement in the new Atmos Rewards benefits is the transfer partner news. Atmos Rewards are some of the most valuable points out there, but they are not the easiest to earn. Currently, Bilt is the only transferrable points program that allows you to transfer points directly to Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy points also transfer to Atmos Rewards, but at a much worse 3:1 ratio.
But Bilt won't be the only transfer partner for much longer. Starting in 2027, some Bank of America cardholders will be able to transfer their points directly to Atmos Rewards. Alaska hasn't said when exactly these points transfer will launch, or which Bank of America cards will be eligible. Alaska also said it plans to add more bank transfer partners in the future.
New Atmos Rewards Benefits: ToP Thoughts
There's a host of new Atmos Rewards benefits for members of the combined loyalty program for Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines. Its new “choose how you earn” feature for earning Atmos points and status points is unique among the major U.S. airlines. Atmos Communities are a no-brainer to join, as you'll get access to even more benefits and features for free. Especially for traveling families, the option to get 20% of your points back when booking award flights for children is especially valuable. Plus, soon there will be more ways to earn Atmos Rewards points when Bank of America launches as a transfer partner.
What do you think about the Atmos Rewards program changes? Let us know in the ToP Facebook group!
