A new way to book your next stay: Alaska Airlines partners with Expedia Group to launch Stays by Alaska Vacations

Rhea-AI Summary

Alaska Airlines has partnered with Expedia Group to launch Stays by Alaska Vacations, offering exclusive deals on over 900,000 hotel and vacation rental properties worldwide. Alaska Mileage Plan members will earn one mile per dollar spent, while Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® cardholders earn an additional three miles per dollar on eligible pre-paid stays. Members can also redeem miles for bookings, with cardholders enjoying preferred redemption rates.

This partnership enhances Alaska's industry-leading loyalty program, allowing guests to earn and redeem miles while saving on accommodations. The collaboration follows the earlier launch of Packages by Alaska Vacations, offering package-only discounts on airfare, hotels, car rentals, and activities. Both initiatives aim to provide a seamless, end-to-end travel experience for Alaska Airlines customers.

Positive

• Partnership with Expedia Group expands Alaska Airlines' travel offerings
• Mileage Plan members earn 1 mile per dollar spent on accommodations
• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® cardholders earn additional 3 miles per dollar on eligible pre-paid stays
• Access to over 900,000 hotel and vacation rental properties worldwide
• Ability to redeem miles for accommodation bookings
• Preferred redemption rates for Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® cardholders

Negative

• None.

Insights

Travel Industry Analyst

This partnership between Alaska Airlines and Expedia Group marks a significant move in the airline's strategy to expand its travel ecosystem. By launching Stays by Alaska Vacations, the airline is diversifying its revenue streams and enhancing its value proposition to customers. This integration of hotel and vacation rental bookings with the airline's loyalty program is a smart play to increase customer retention and lifetime value.

The ability for customers to earn and redeem miles on accommodation bookings creates a stronger incentive for travelers to stick with Alaska's ecosystem. This could potentially lead to increased flight bookings and overall customer loyalty. However, the success of this initiative will largely depend on the competitiveness of the deals offered and the seamlessness of the booking experience compared to standalone platforms like Booking.com or Airbnb.

From an investor perspective, this move could positively impact Alaska Airlines' ancillary revenue and help offset the cyclical nature of airline profits. It's a step towards becoming a more comprehensive travel company, which could enhance the company's valuation in the long term.

Customer Loyalty Expert

Alaska Airlines' partnership with Expedia Group to launch Stays by Alaska Vacations is a strategic move to enhance their loyalty program's value proposition. By allowing members to earn 1 mile per dollar spent on accommodations and offering additional 3 miles per dollar for Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® cardholders, they're creating a compelling reason for customers to book through their platform.

This initiative addresses a key aspect of customer loyalty: expanding the opportunities for members to earn and redeem rewards. By extending their loyalty program beyond flights to include accommodations, Alaska Airlines is increasing the 'stickiness' of their program and potentially driving higher engagement rates.

The preferred redemption rates for cardholders is particularly noteworthy, as it incentivizes credit card sign-ups and usage, which can be a significant revenue source for airlines. However, the success of this program will ultimately depend on the perceived value of these miles and the ease of redemption compared to competing loyalty programs and booking platforms.

Guests can book their next hotel room or vacation rental through Stays by Alaska Vacations and experience Alaska's award-winning loyalty program while saving money

SEATTLE, Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines is teaming up with Expedia Group to introduce Stays by Alaska Vacations, a platform where guests can explore exclusive deals on more than 900,000 unique hotel and vacation rental properties, all while earning and redeeming miles through Alaska's industry-leading loyalty program.

Starting today, our guests can begin to take advantage of top deals on accommodations around the world through Stays by Alaska Vacations. For our most loyal customers, we're rewarding them for every dollar they spend: Alaska Mileage Plan members will earn one mile per dollar on all Stays by Alaska Vacations bookings. Plus, Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® cardholders will earn an additional three miles per dollar spent on eligible pre-paid stays.

Guests can treat themselves to another dream vacation with the ability to conveniently redeem miles on their next hotel room or vacation home through Stays by Alaska Vacations. Our Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® cardholders enjoy preferred redemption rates when redeeming their miles for bookings, allowing them to maximize their rewards and save on travel costs!

Our Mileage Plan is the most generous in the industry with the fastest path to elite status, allowing our guests to experience an elevated premium travel experience when flying Alaska with the most legroom in First Class* and Premium Class, global connectivity to thousands of international destinations through our Global Partners, no change fees, high-quality West Coast-inspired food and a premium selection of beverages.

"Stays by Alaska Vacations combines convenience and affordability, by giving our guests access to Expedia Group's vast inventory and unlocking special savings while earning status on an award-winning airline. Through this partnership with Expedia Group, we're empowering our guests with choices for every part of their trip — from flights to where they're staying. It's a testament to our shared commitment to enhancing the travel experience," said Courtney Lansing, managing director of business development and products at Alaska Airlines.

"We are excited to expand our partnership with Alaska Airlines, underscoring our commitment to seamless, end-to-end traveler experiences backed by proven, reliable tech. Powered by our White Label Template solution, Stays by Alaska Vacations unlocks our robust lodging supply and offers incredible value for Alaska Mileage Plan members to earn and redeem miles across various trip elements," said Stephen Cheng, vice president of strategic partnerships at Expedia Group.

We're making it a breeze for our guests to plan their next trip through our partnership with Expedia Group. Earlier this year, we announced the launch of Packages by Alaska Vacations, where guests can take advantage of package-only discounts on airfare, hotel rates, car rentals and activities. The travel portal, which is powered by the travel tech leader, allows our guests to easily customize and bundle their vacation packages, all while saving money and earning miles every step of the way.

Become an Alaska Mileage Plan member of the most rewarding loyalty program in the industry and start earning miles now! There's a reason our loyal flyers are MVPs: Our members earn more miles on average than other airlines, earning miles every time they fly and more.

*Out of any U.S. legacy airline excluding lie-flat seats

This credit card program is issued and administered by Bank of America, N.A. Visa and Visa Signature are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association and are used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.

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 Expedia Group
Expedia Group, Inc. brands power travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, we help people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections. We provide industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers. Our organization is made up of three pillars: Expedia Brands, housing all our consumer brands; Expedia Product & Technology, focused on the group's product and technical strategy and offerings; and Expedia for Business, consisting of business-to-business solutions and relationships throughout the travel ecosystem.  

For more information, visit www.expediagroup.com. Follow us on X @Expediagroup and check out our LinkedIn.

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SOURCE ALASKA AIRLINES

FAQ

What is Stays by Alaska Vacations and when was it launched?

Stays by Alaska Vacations is a platform launched on August 20, 2024, through a partnership between Alaska Airlines (ALK) and Expedia Group. It offers exclusive deals on over 900,000 hotel and vacation rental properties worldwide.

How many miles do Alaska Mileage Plan members earn on Stays by Alaska Vacations bookings?

Alaska Mileage Plan members earn one mile per dollar spent on all Stays by Alaska Vacations bookings. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® cardholders earn an additional three miles per dollar on eligible pre-paid stays.

Can Alaska Airlines (ALK) customers redeem miles for accommodation bookings?

Yes, Alaska Airlines (ALK) customers can redeem miles for hotel rooms or vacation homes through Stays by Alaska Vacations. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® cardholders enjoy preferred redemption rates when using their miles for bookings.

What other travel services does Alaska Airlines (ALK) offer in partnership with Expedia Group?

In addition to Stays by Alaska Vacations, Alaska Airlines (ALK) offers Packages by Alaska Vacations, which provides package-only discounts on airfare, hotel rates, car rentals, and activities through a partnership with Expedia Group.