This is the first card I have seen so far (I am relatively new to this, of course) that has a $99 companion certificate issued without a spend requirement nor having to wait until your first anniversary - this says if you get the Visa Sig version of the card you'll get your 30K miles and your $99 companion cert. upon approval (1-2 wks for the 30K miles). That is quite nice.

It also has a vague reference to Alaska Airlines Boardroom Passes, but I"m not sure whether this is an added free perk to the card, or what.

Now I must research whether these are transferable miles, and/or whether I have the ability to utilize this airline. ^

edit - I see, I cannot transfer these out to other programs by the looks of it (aside from via points.com, of course) but I CAN use the miles on AA or DL. It also says I can EARN elite qualifying miles with AS when I fly on AA or DL... now I am curious whether I must do something special in order to make the miles post.. whether I will get miles for both AA and AS when I fly on AA, etc.

FT : Educating THrough Encouraging Research .. ETHER... whoa man, deep. :P