There have recently been a lot of news developments with Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan loyalty program. In late September, Alaska announced there would be a new award chart coming and some changes with partner bookings. A week later, Alaska announced that Cathay Pacific redemptions were now bookable online.
Now, it seems that LATAM Airlines redemptions are also bookable online through Mileage Plan.
Related: How to earn miles with the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program
The basics
As of Nov. 3, Alaska Mileage Plan has added online bookings for LATAM. Previously, you needed to call Alaska to book any awards on LATAM, even though you could typically book all other partner redemptions online.
This is definitely a good thing because you previously had to pay a one-time $15 phone booking fee. This essentially left you with no choice because your only option was to book on the phone.
Related: Delta and LATAM win final approval for joint venture; frequent flyer enhancements expected
Sweet spot for LATAM redemptions
Alaska Airlines miles are the most valuable airline currency in TPG’s monthly valuations thanks to Alaska’s many individual airline partnerships.
Alaska miles are incredibly valuable when flying business class to South America. Business-class flights to South America are all priced the same, whether you’re going to Santiago, Chile or São Paulo.
You’ll pay 45,000 Alaska Airlines miles to fly these routes in business-class seats. Plus, you can get a free stopover when connecting through either Santiago or Lima, Peru on your way to another destination thanks to Alaska’s generous stopover policy.
Sign up for our daily newsletter
If you want to get to South America on a decent business-class product, you will want to book these awards quickly. As discussed, Alaska will change award pricing by the end of the year on some routes. According to the airline, “partner award levels may vary depending on multiple factors including route, distance, or demand.”
Related: Best sweet spots with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Bottom line
It’s now possible to redeem Alaska Mileage Plan miles for travel on LATAM Airlines online. Although there are better ways to use Alaska Mileage Plan miles, redeeming them on LATAM business class to and from South America provides solid redemption value. Also, given a potential upcoming devaluation, it might be a good idea to lock in an award flight on LATAM now, even if it’s for travel into 2023.
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is currently offering 50,000 bonus miles, plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ from $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22), after you spend $2,000 or more within the first 90 days of opening your account.
