Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Business: Which $95 Alaska-Hawaiian card should you get?
Editor's Note
Quick summary
There's a new loyalty program for frequent Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flyers and other Oneworld loyalists: Atmos Rewards. It is the combined program for Alaska and Hawaiian flyers.
If you want to collect Atmos Rewards points to use for flights, you may be interested in applying for a cobranded credit card.
As part of the Atmos Rewards rollout, a new premium credit card has been launched, and two existing Alaska cobranded cards have been rebranded. The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card (no longer available) has been rebranded as the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Credit Card, and the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card (no longer available) is the Atmos™ Rewards Visa Signature® Business Card.
The information for the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature and Alaska Airlines Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Beyond the value of Atmos Rewards points, another reason to consider these cards is that they are both issued by Bank of America. This matters if you've already reached your limit with American Express or are restricted by Chase's 5/24 rule. In that case, looking to other banks for your next credit card is a smart strategy.
Let's take a closer look at these two cards and see how they compare.
Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Atmos Rewards Business comparison
| Card name | Atmos Rewards Ascent | Atmos Rewards Business |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | $95 ($70 per company plus $25 per card) |
| Welcome bonus | Earn 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $4,000 or more on purchases within the first 120 days from account opening. | Earn 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $5,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days from account opening. |
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| Travel benefits |
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| Other benefits |
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*When you purchase your flight with your card
Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Atmos Rewards Business welcome bonus
The personal Atmos Rewards Ascent is currently offering new cardholders the chance to earn 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after they spend $4,000 or more on purchases within the first 120 days from account opening.
And the Atmos Rewards Business is offering new cardholders 80,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after they spend $5,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days from account opening.
Since Atmos Rewards is replacing Alaska Mileage Plan, the bonuses' value is based on TPG's August 2025 valuation of Alaska miles at 1.45 cents per mile. So, the points included in these offers are worth $1,160.
Winner: Ascent. While the bonus points are the same, the minimum spending requirement is lower.
Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Atmos Rewards Business benefits
The two cards have identical perks.
Travel benefits
When you pay for your flight with your Atmos Rewards Ascent or Atmos Rewards Business, you and up to six guests on the same reservation will receive:
- One free checked bag
- Preferred boarding on Alaska flights (coming to Hawaiian flights this fall)
Companion Fare
Both cards include an annual Companion Fare, one of the most generous airline credit card perks available. In effect, this is a buy-one-get-one-discounted deal (plus taxes and fees).
However — and this is a big one — you have to spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year to earn the Companion Fare on either card (apart from any that come with the welcome bonus).
When you book a round-trip economy ticket on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines, you can use the Companion Fare to reserve a second ticket on the same reservation from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23).
The Companion Fare must be redeemed within 12 months of the issue date, though the actual travel can take place after that, extending its usefulness to nearly two years. Even better, both travelers accrue full points credit for their flights and are eligible for upgrades.
The cardholder doesn't even have to be flying, but must use their Atmos Rewards card to pay for the tickets. Depending on how you redeem your Companion Fare, it can be worth hundreds of dollars, especially on some of the airline's more expensive routes, like those to Hawaii, and can more than offset either card's annual fee each year.
Elite status
Both cards also earn status points (formerly elite qualifying miles) based on spending, helping you work toward elite status. The rate is 1 status point per $3 spent, up to a maximum of 30,000 status points through 2025; there will be no cap from 2026.
Discounts
Both cards provide $100 off one Alaska Lounge+ membership each year when paid with the Atmos Rewards card.
And cardholders get a 20% discount on inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi.
Winner: Tie.
Earning points on the Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Atmos Rewards Business
Here are the overlapping earning rates for both cards:
- 3 points per dollar spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
- 2 points per dollar spent at EV charging stations and gas stations, and on local transit (including ride-hailing services)
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
The personal Atmos Rewards Ascent also earns 2 points per dollar spent on cable and select streaming services, while the Atmos Rewards Business offers 2 points per dollar spent on shipping purchases.
Winner: Tie. Both cards offer similar earning rates.
Redeeming points on the Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Atmos Rewards Business
There are several valuable ways to maximize Atmos Rewards points.
For short-haul Alaska Airlines flights like TPG Credit Cards Writer Chris Nelson prefers, such as from Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco, you can redeem as few as 5,000 Atmos points for each leg of the journey. Even for longer flights, economy awards often start at 12,500 points.
If you prefer a first-class experience, longer domestic flights typically require 50,000 points, but shorter flights can begin as low as 15,000 points for each leg in first class.
Winner: Tie. Both cards earn Atmos Rewards points and status points and provide the same redemption options.
Should I get the Atmos Rewards Ascent or the Atmos Rewards Business?
Since the cards are so similar, the main deciding factor is whether you qualify for a business card. If you do, choose based on your spending habits: shipping favors the business card, while cable and streaming services favor the Ascent. Because they're separate products, eligible business owners can apply for both to earn two welcome bonuses and two annual Companion Fares.
Bottom line
Both the Atmos Rewards Ascent and the Atmos Rewards Business deliver excellent long-term value thanks to the generous Companion Fare, valuable Atmos Rewards points and travel perks.
With annual fees under $100, they can easily pay for themselves after just one redemption, especially on costly routes like to Hawaii or cross-country flights.
For frequent Alaska or Hawaiian flyers, either card is a smart addition to your wallet, and holding both could unlock even greater rewards.
Learn more in our full review of the Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa and our full review of the Atmos Rewards Business card.
Apply here: Atmos Rewards Ascent
Apply here: Atmos Rewards Business