Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Southwest Airlines announced it’s ending a route from California’s Oakland International Airport to the popular college town.

In this week’s news, Alaska Airlines announced the merger of its loyalty program with Hawaiian Airlines’ HawaiianMiles and is rolling out new credit cards; Alaska also said it will install Starlink Wi-Fi across its fleet over the next two years; Delta Air Lines asks customers to vote on its next new European destination; Clear and the Transportation Security Administration introduce new “eGates” at three key airports to speed up security processing; a Frontier Airlines promotion offers elite status to customers of four other airlines for $69; Southwest Airlines starts selling complete vacation packages through a new subsidiary; Google Flights uses AI to let users search for deals with plain-English requests; Southwest plans to slash dozens of routes in March, including some from the Bay Area, but plans to revive a Texas route from San Francisco International Airport; Alaska trims its Mexico schedule; Norse Atlantic Airways scales back U.S. operations; and American Airlines opens a grab-and-go lounge at its hub in Charlotte, North Carolina.     

Since Alaska acquired Hawaiian last year, the company has been working to combine the two carriers’ loyalty programs — Alaska’s Mileage Plan and Hawaiian’s HawaiianMiles. And this week it announced the result: a new program called Atmos Rewards. Mileage Plan members have become Atmos members effective immediately, keeping their existing account numbers. HawaiianMiles members and their miles are slated to become Atmos members on Oct. 1, with a new account number unless they previously linked their account to a Mileage Plan account. Under the new Atmos program, “miles” become “points,” Alaska said in its announcement Wednesday, and elite-qualifying miles become “status points.” 

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Most airlines in recent years modified their loyalty programs from earnings based on miles/segments flown to points based on money spent, but Alaska said it will give its Atmos members “ultimate flexibility.” Starting “later in 2026,” it said, members can select one of three earnings options: distance traveled (1 point per mile), price paid (5 points per dollar spent on airfare and upgrades in premium cabins); or segments flown (500 points per segment). “One Mileage Plan or HawaiianMiles mile = one Atmos Rewards point,” the company said. “The value of points does not change, and points do not expire.”

A Hawaiian Airlines flight prepares for takeoff alongside a flight from Alaska Airlines.

Points can be redeemed for travel to destinations on Alaska, Hawaiian, and more than 30 partner airlines including members of the Oneworld alliance. Members can also earn and redeem points at hotels and vacation rentals worldwide and earn 2 to 3 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides. They can also earn points for spending using affiliated credit cards. Alaska Airlines Visa cards are being rebranded as Atmos Rewards Visa cards with the same account numbers and benefits; current cardholders will get a new Atmos card when their card expires. The Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard “continues unchanged,” Alaska said. “... Eligible Atmos Rewards Visa cardholders have access to select benefits across both airlines, including a free checked bag, the $99 Companion Fare, and 3x points on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases.” 

The two airlines and Bank of America are also introducing an Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card at an annual fee of $395. It comes with an array of benefits, including earnings of 3 points per dollar spent on Alaska and Hawaiian purchases, and on dining and other eligible purchases; eight passes annually for Alaska’s airport lounges; accelerated earning of status points; discounts on companion reward........

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