Update: This offer has expired. Check our “Free-Travel Credit Cards” page for the latest deals.
The Bank of America card that offers the Visa Signature card associated with Alaska Airlines is a great deal. They offer you some things that most other cards don’t offer. Let me show you some of them.
- 40,000 miles upon approval. I emphasize this because it normally would require a spending requirement to get a bonus like that. 40,000 Alaska Airlines miles really have great value.
The miles can be used to fly to either Mexico or Hawaii for free as long as you use the Alaska Airlines miles to fly on their “Super Saver Coach” option.
Award Requirements to Hawaii
Like I mentioned above, you could also use the miles to secure a free trip to Mexico. Alaska flies into a lot of great places in Mexico. Brad made a post once about his family trip to Xtapa and Ziuatenejo. They loved that place.
Award Travel to Mexico
I’ve never been to Alaska either, but this card is great for people who live in the Western United States. If you watch it and get the right deal, then you can fly within those states for 15,000 points. This means that this card would get two people to Alaska, and you would still have miles left over.
Award travel to Alaska Air Destinations
- $99 Companion Ticket is given annually. This means that if you bought a ticket to go to Oahu for $400, then you could take along a spouse, friend, or whoever for an additional $99. The best part about this offer is that you can use the companion ticket to fly to Hawaii or Mexico. Most companies exclude places like that, but this one allows you to fly to anywhere that they fly.
- This card offers an unlimited amount of miles that can be accumulated. For the most part credit cards will have an earning cap of 50,000, or 60,000 miles per year. I’m not that big of a spender so this isn’t a big deal to me, but some people might see a value to this point.
- You can also combine this card with the SPG American Express for an amazing stay in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. You could fly into Puerto Vallarta, stay five nights at the Westin Puerto Vallarta, and soak up the sun during cold winter months. This would cost you $75 for the annual fee on the Alaska Airlines card, maybe some baggage fee, and your food. Where else can you get a vacation for this price?
What other value do you see to this card? Let me know what I’ve missed.
I know I’ve had a few people tell me that they put an inquiry with two of the credit reporting agencies, which is a bummer, but if you are only hitting a couple of cards a year, it should be no big deal.
Airfare Tax Holiday
I was browsing on their website and I found this information: For tickets sold beginning July 23, 2011, the following taxes will not be collected:
- The 7.5% tax generally applicable to domestic transportation (as well the 7.5% tax on amounts received from the sale of “frequent flyer miles”.)
- The $3.70 domestic segment tax.
- The $16.30 international arrival/departure tax.
- The $8.20 departure tax for flights between Alaska/Hawaii and the mainland US.
The expiration occurs based on the date at the location where the ticket is purchased. Taxes/Fees not specifically mentioned above will continue to apply. (Source for this information was the Alaska Airlines website)
