Atmos Ascent and Summit Cards Compared for Flyers

Atmos Rewards, the integrated loyalty program for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, offers two co-branded credit cards issued by Bank of America: the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® card and the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® card. These cards are designed to enhance the travel experience for frequent flyers of both airlines, with the Ascent card positioned as an entry-level option and the Summit card as a premium offering for dedicated loyalists.

The Atmos Ascent Visa Signature® card carries an annual fee of $95. Its earning structure allows cardholders to accumulate 3 points per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases. Additionally, it offers 2 points per dollar on spending related to electric vehicle charging, gas stations, local transit, cable services, ride-hailing, and select streaming services. All other eligible purchases earn 1 point per dollar. The welcome bonus for the Ascent card includes 70,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare, achievable after spending $2,500 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. The Companion Fare requires an additional payment of taxes and fees starting from $23.

In contrast, the Atmos Summit Visa Infinite® card has a significantly higher annual fee of $395. This premium card offers a more focused earning strategy: 3 points per dollar spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases, eligible dining expenditures, and foreign transactions. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar. The welcome offer for the Summit card is more substantial, providing 80,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after meeting a spending requirement of $4,000 on purchases within the first 90 days. A key distinction for the Summit card is the absence of foreign transaction fees, a perk not explicitly detailed for the Ascent card in the provided information, though typically standard for Visa Infinite products.

Both cards leverage the value of Atmos Rewards points, which are noted as being among the most valuable airline miles. These points can be redeemed for flights not only on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines but also on Oneworld alliance partners, including American Airlines. The comparison highlights that the choice between the Ascent and Summit cards depends on an individual's spending habits, travel frequency, and desired level of benefits, with the Summit card offering more premium travel perks and a higher earning potential on specific categories like dining and foreign transactions, albeit at a considerably higher annual cost. The Atmos Rewards program itself aims to provide a unified experience for members of both airlines' legacy loyalty programs, Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles.