Alaska Airlines invited Mileage Planᵀᴹ members to earn status for 2024 by rewarding guests with 500 elite-qualifying miles for every $100 spent supporting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Member spend contributed towards more than 500,000 gallons of SAF, with nearly 9% of guests maxing out their per-order contributions.
The loyalty program integration, powered by CHOOOSE, is believed to have generated the largest annualized customer contributions towards SAF compared to other airline programs of its kind.

During a time when concerns around climate change and aviation’s impact on the environment are growing, Alaska Airlines is taking the lead in prioritizing sustainability—making it a cornerstone of its operations. With its long-standing commitment to reducing carbon emissions and waste, and protecting local ecosystems, Alaska has set an ambitious goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 (ten years prior to the broader industry-wide aim).

Towards the end of 2023, the airline took steps to integrate its sustainability priorities into the guest experience through its frequent flyer program, the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. Using digital solutions powered by climate tech company CHOOOSE, Alaska propelled guest education and support for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), resulting in contributions supporting over half a million gallons of the lower-carbon, alternative fuel.

Engaging Alaska Airlines' most loyal guests

Near the year-end of 2023, Alaska set out to incentivize Mileage Plan members to participate in reaching or maintaining elite status in a sustainable manner—providing a sustainability-linked alternative to the end-of-year “mileage run” flights sometimes seen across loyalty programs in the airline industry.

Supporting sustainable aviation fuel while earning status

Recognizing the importance of scaling SAF production and usage, Alaska seized the opportunity to offer guests who want to reach the next level of elite status another option to achieve that goal the opportunity to close the gap to the next level of elite status an alternative way to get there—while empowering guests to take part in creating a more sustainable future for air travel.

Through a limited-time promotion, Mileage Plan members were encouraged to support SAF (through the purchase of its environmental attributes), and in doing so would earn elite-qualifying airline miles:

For every $100 spent supporting SAF, guests earn 500 elite-qualifying miles towards their status.

Leveraging digital solutions powered by CHOOOSE, Alaska was able to scale its SAF program while providing guests with a customized purchasing experience. Mileage Plan members had access to a flexible, easy-to-use platform—with the freedom to decide the exact amount they would need to spend to reach their desired status level.

Driving education of, investment in, and contribution to the use of SAF

Mileage Plan members spent a monumental amount to invest in SAF and earn rewards, supporting the use of over 500,000 gallons of SAF by Alaska and setting the stage for the airline to procure substantially more SAF for its fleet.

This campaign showcased the value of incorporating sustainability as a central component of loyalty programs—and that a compelling incentive can drive meaningful action while encouraging guests to make more climate friendly choices. Alaska was able to not only enhance customer loyalty but also foster a culture of environmental responsibility through education of, investment in, and contribution to the use of SAF—a win-win for both the airline and its environmentally conscious frequent flyers.

Why sustainable aviation fuel matters

SAF has emerged as one of the aviation industry’s most significant opportunities to help decarbonize, due to its ability to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% (depending on feedstock and processing pathways). However, challenges such as limited supply and high costs persist.

For the sector to successfully reach net zero by 2050 will require action and support from private financing, public policy, aligned carbon accounting systems and direct demand and use.

A first-of-its-kind, industry-leading SAF program

Alaska’s innovative approach to integrating its sustainability efforts with its loyalty program serves as a blueprint for the aviation industry. By engaging its most loyal guests, providing a compelling incentive, and leveraging CHOOOSE’s digital solutions, Alaska was able to deliver a first-of-its kind, scalable, industry-leading, flyer-focused SAF program.

As we step into a future where climate conscious choices matter more than ever, Alaska demonstrates that responsible travel can be both rewarding and beneficial along the path towards a more sustainable future.

More information

A dedication to sustainability

Since its founding, Alaska has been dedicated to sustainability, identifying the need for both immediate action and long-term investments to protect the environment. Their EverGreen journey features a comprehensive, five-part path to reaching net zero, including: fleet renewal, operational efficiency, SAF, new technologies, and, as a last resort, credible, high-quality carbon removal technology.

Making air travel more sustainable requires innovation, partnership, and continued investment and action on all fronts—from airlines and stakeholders across the aviation industry, to travelers.

The award-winning Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska’s’ award-winning frequent flyer program, Mileage Plan (ranked No. 1 in “Best Airline Rewards Programs” by NerdWallet in 2023), allows members to earn status, providing them with elite status benefits, such as complimentary upgrades upon availability, free checked bags, priority check-in and boarding, and more. These benefits can be accessed by elite status members across Alaska flights, as well as those operated by the oneworld Alliance and its global partners.

Miles are earned on a 1:1 basis, meaning loyalty program members receive one mile for every mile flown in Main Cabin, Premium Class, or First Class to any of the 120+ destinations on Alaska flights. In order to reach or maintain MVP status year-over-year, members must earn at least 20,000 elite-qualifying miles through qualifying flights using Alaska Airlines, oneworld Alliance, and global partners.

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico. We offer our guests a premium flying experience with award-winning customer service and an industry-leading loyalty program, Mileage Plan. With our fellow oneworld Alliance members and additional global partners, our guests have more choices than ever to purchase, earn or redeem on alaskaair.com across 30 airlines and more than 1,000 worldwide destinations. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com and follow @alaskaairnews for news and stories. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.

About CHOOOSE