Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think we finally got *some* clarity on *some* changes to the Atmos program “coming later in 2026”

2026 Updates - FAQ - Atmos™ Rewards

Will class of service bonuses still apply in the distance traveled earn option?

No. Members choosing to earn based on how far they fly will earn based on flown distance only in the Main Cabin and above.

What flights will be eligible for choice based earn?
Choice based accrual applies to all Alaska, Hawaiian, codeshare and partner tickets booked via AlaskaAir.com and HawaiianAir.com. Partner flights booked direct with partners will continue to earn a percentage of flown miles if either the distance or ticket price earning method is chosen, or will earn 500 points per segment if the segment earning method is chosen.

Of course some will still insist this doesn't apply to partner bookings 😜

Alaska says it doesn't!

James

It looks like it does? It’s clear as mud but a “percentage of miles flown” could imply COS bonuses (250%)

As for AS marketed flights now, it seems really odd that it makes a bunch more sense to credit upfront fares to AA since they will be giving COS bonus distance earn on AS

Does it? AA earn is a percentage (fare class purchased) of the distance flown on AS.

Earn method aside, will an AA plated AS J prime earn 250% of flown miles because AS won't know what AA charged for it?

James

Ding ding ding, we have a winner until such time as AS joins ATI JVs TATL/TPAC (at which point they would "know" this for AA/BA/JL flights covered because everyone is sharing revenue).

But even then some Oman Air J fare (or random whatever) is going to be inscrutable to AS for determining revenue-based earn.

Joint ventures don't cover HNL<->JFK.

James

It seems to me as if Alaska is saying no more COS bonuses for flights impacted by choice earn (any AS/HA flight of anything booked via Alaska app/online).

But they are also saying that directly booking with the partner flights don’t qualify for choice earn.

This means to me that distance based option will still earn COS bonus on flight directly booked with partner (which makes little logical sense, but that’s par for the course)

AA sometimes has a few good domestic F fares which may come in handy with this scenario. I'm still naively hoping that "later in 2026" means December 31, 2026...

If the ticket it issued by AS on 027 ticket stock, choice earn applies, regardless of the operating carrier and would apply to both codeshare and prime flight numbers. AS will know how much you paid for the flight(s) because they sold it. 1 SP for every mile flown, regardless of cabin, if earning by distance. 5 SPs per net dollars spent, regardless of cabin flown, if earning by revenue.

Nothing has changed sans the increase in premium cabin J & F earning rates for booking with a partner. Choice earn by distance or revenue will earn a percentage of the miles flown on partner purchased tickets. That was outlined by Brett Caitlin last October. There has been no indication that the percentage of miles flown on partner purchased tickets will differ between those two earn choices. If we continue with the current unified earning chart, a partner purchased ticket would earn between 25% (discount economy) and 250% (partner international first/business class)

If you earn by distance, you would earn 2 to 4 times as many SPs on an economy JL ticket on 027 stock as opposed to 131 ticket stock. AS tickets would appeal to flyers that don't purchase premium cabin flights.

If you earn by revenue, a $5K net SEA-NRT J ticket on AS would earn 25,000 Status Points. A $5K J ticket (4769 miles)* purchased directly from JL would earn. 4769 × 2.5 = 11,923 Status Points. If you fly on OPM, the AS flight is more attractive.

*SEA is closer to NRT than it is to LHR.

As a reminder, AA domestic F flights will earn 150%, just as they did before the partner earning chart was unified. The elevated 250% applies only to AA international J/F. An AA flight PHX-DFW-MEX would earn 150% PHX-DFW and 250% DFW-MEX.

AS likely would prefer to not have additional year end processing. If AS provides a window, say 3 months, to make your choice earn selection, that will spread out current members. New members will make their choice which can be anytime throughout the year. You cannot change your choice until one year after selection.


James

Alaska, way to make this super confusing....

FWIW, DL continues to use mileage based earning on JV partner marketed flights. They did once have an exception for KL marketed JV flights where they were treated like DL marketed ones and earned based on spend. But I guess that exception caused too much confusion and they went back to mileage based earning for all partners.