Deal Alert: Buy Alaska Airlines Miles with a 100% Bonus! (Here’s the Math for Indian Travelers)

Alaska Airlines has launched a new “mystery bonus” promotion for buying miles, running now through December 23, 2025. While the offer is targeted, many members are seeing a massive 100% bonus when purchasing larger quantities of miles.

For travelers based in India, Alaska’s “Atmos Rewards” program can be incredibly valuable for booking premium cabin flights on Oneworld partners like Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qatar Airways.

Let’s break down the costs of this promotion in USD and INR to see if it makes sense for you.

The Deal: Buy Miles, Get Up to 100% More

• What: A tiered bonus on purchased miles. To unlock the full 100% bonus, you typically need to buy at least 20,000 miles.
• When: Until December 23, 2025.
• Where: Through the Points.com portal on the Alaska Airlines website.
• Limits: Non-elite members can purchase up to 150,000 miles per year (bonus miles don’t count toward this cap). Elite members have no annual limit.

Doing the Math (USD & INR)

To find the true cost, let’s look at the numbers for maximizing this promotion by buying 100,000 miles to get a 100% bonus. We’ll use an exchange rate of $1 USD = ₹89 INR.

The Purchase Breakdown:

• Miles Purchased: 100,000
• Bonus Miles: +100,000 (100% bonus)
• Total Miles Received: 200,000 miles

The Cost in USD:

• Base Price: $3,500.00
• Federal Tax (7.5%): +$262.50
• Total Cost: $3,762.50 USD

The Cost Per Mile:

• In USD: $3,762.50 / 200,000 miles = $0.0188 (1.88 US cents) per mile.
• In INR: $3,762.50 x ₹89 = ₹3,34,862.50.
  • ₹3,34,862.50 / 200,000 miles = ₹1.67 INR per mile.

Note for Indian Credit Card Holders: Since this is an international transaction processed by Points.com in USD, your bank will likely charge a foreign currency mark-up fee (typically 2-3.5%) plus 18% GST on that fee. Be sure to account for this extra cost, which could add another ₹7,000 – ₹12,000 to your total.

Is This a Good Deal?

At 1.88 US cents (₹1.67) per mile, this is one of the lowest prices we see for purchasing Alaska miles. However, you should only buy miles if you have an immediate, high-value redemption in mind. Do not buy them speculatively, as award charts can change.

When it makes sense: Alaska’s award charts have some incredible sweet spots. For example, you can often find one-way Business Class tickets from Asia to the US on Japan Airlines (JAL) for 75,000 miles.

• Cost to buy miles: 75,000 miles x ₹1.67 = ~₹1,25,250 (+ taxes/fees on the ticket).
• Cash price of ticket: Often over ₹2,50,000 – ₹3,50,000.

In a case like this, buying miles can save you over 50% on the cash price of a dream ticket.

Final Verdict

If you are targeted for the 100% bonus and have a specific use for Alaska miles on a Oneworld partner flight, this promotion offers excellent value. Just be sure to do the math for your specific booking, factor in foreign transaction fees, and confirm award seat availability before you buy.