Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Credit Card Review (2026)

The Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card is Bank of America’s $95 annual fee airline card for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines travelers. It replaced the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card. The benefits include a free checked bag when you pay for your flight with the card, preferred boarding, and an annual $99 Companion Fare after qualifying purchases.

My take: Ascent is worth a look if you fly Alaska or Hawaiian with a companion or regularly check bags. Start with the trips you already plan to take. The card needs to save you more than $95 a year, and the $99 Companion Fare requires $6,000 in purchases during the prior account anniversary year. A welcome bonus can help in year one, but I’d judge whether to keep the card on the benefits you’ll use each year.

Atmos Rewards Ascent: Annual Fee and Benefits

• Annual fee: $95.
• Airline purchases: 3 points per $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases.
• Everyday categories: 2 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services, and local transit purchases, including rideshare.
• Other purchases: 1 point per $1 spent.
• Checked bags: First checked bag free for you and up to six guests on the same reservation when you pay for your Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines flight with the card.
• Annual Companion Fare: $99 base fare, plus taxes and fees from $23, after $6,000 or more in purchases during the prior account anniversary year.
• Other travel benefits: Preferred boarding, 20% back on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines inflight purchases paid with the card, and $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ membership purchased with the card.
• Foreign transaction fees: None.

How Atmos Rewards Works with Alaska and Hawaiian

Atmos Rewards is the combined loyalty program for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Existing Alaska Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles balances converted to Atmos Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio.

You can use Atmos Rewards points for eligible award flights on Alaska, Hawaiian, and partner airlines, including oneworld carriers. Award availability and the points required vary by itinerary. That gives you more places to use your points, but it’s still worth comparing the award price with the cash fare before booking.

For status tiers, earning choices, and program benefits, see our Atmos Rewards guide for Alaska and Hawaiian flyers.

How the Annual $99 Companion Fare Works

The annual Companion Fare can reduce the cost of a second ticket when you fly together. After spending $6,000 or more on purchases in the prior account anniversary year, eligible cardholders can book a companion on the same Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines itinerary within North America for a $99 base fare, plus taxes and fees from $23. You can earn it each year you meet the spend requirement.

For example, if you pay $500 for a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Honolulu, your companion fare is $99 plus as low as $23 in taxes and fees. If the second ticket would otherwise cost $500 and the companion ticket costs $122, you save $378. After the $95 annual fee, that leaves $283 in savings from that trip, before considering other benefits.

Use the actual total at checkout for your own calculation. Compare it with the cheapest itinerary you would be happy to book for two people. I wouldn’t spend extra just to reach the $6,000 requirement; the annual benefit makes more sense when you can qualify through purchases you already planned.

Free Checked Bags: How Much Can You Save?

A family of four flying round-trip could save up to $360 in checked bag fees, based on a $45 first-bag fee per person each way ($45 × 2 directions × 4 travelers). That’s because the card waives the first bag fee for the primary cardholder and up to six guests on the same reservation when you pay for your flight with your Ascent card. The benefit applies to eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights.

At that $45 rate, one traveler checking a bag in both directions would save $90. Two travelers would save $180. For a couple, that one round trip could cover the $95 annual fee through bag savings alone. Count only fees you would have paid: a bag that was already free through status or your fare adds no extra savings.

The $45 example uses the standard North America first-bag fee for tickets purchased on or after April 10, 2026. Fees vary by route, ticket date, and applicable baggage policy. Check Alaska and Hawaiian’s current checked baggage fees for your itinerary.

Combined with the $99 Companion Fare, the bag benefit can make Ascent useful for families who already fly these airlines.

Earning Points, the 10% Bonus, and Status Points

The Ascent card earns 3 points per $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases, 2 points per $1 spent in its listed everyday categories, and 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases. Gas, EV charging, cable, streaming, and local transit can help you earn points between trips.

The card also gives cardholders with an eligible Bank of America account (like a checking account) an additional 10% rewards bonus on points earned from card purchases. For example, 1,000 eligible purchase points become 1,100 points.

Ascent also earns 1 status point for every $3 spent on purchases, with no cap. That means $6,000 in qualifying purchases would earn 2,000 status points in addition to the redeemable points from those purchases. Status points help you qualify for Atmos Rewards status and milestones; redeemable points pay for award travel.

I’d compare the rewards on your other cards before moving all your spending to Ascent. Reaching the Companion Fare requirement is useful when you’ll redeem it, but the points you give up on another card also belong in the calculation.

Ascent Card Limitations to Know

• No complimentary lounge access. The card offers $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ membership purchased with the card.
• No TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit.
• The annual $99 Companion Fare requires $6,000 or more in purchases during the prior account anniversary year. It is valid only on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America booked on AlaskaAir.com with the card. Taxes and fees apply.
• The checked bag benefit requires paying for your flight with the card. Guests must be on the same reservation.

The $100 Lounge+ discount has value if you already intend to buy that membership. If you would skip the membership otherwise, I’d leave the discount out of your annual fee calculation. Paying interest on a carried balance can also outweigh the rewards and travel savings.

Is Atmos Ascent Worth the $95 Annual Fee?

I’d consider keeping Ascent if you can cover the $95 annual fee with benefits you use on trips you would take anyway. Two people checking bags on one eligible round trip could save $180 at a $45 first-bag fee each way. A well-used Companion Fare could add more savings if you meet the spending requirement.

It’s a harder sell if you mostly travel alone with a carry-on, already get free bags through airline status, or rarely fly Alaska or Hawaiian. Add up your expected savings before putting $6,000 of spending on the card for the annual Companion Fare.

If you want transferable rewards and broader travel benefits, compare our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review. Compare the benefits against your usual airports and the trips you take most often.

Atmos Rewards Ascent Credit Card FAQs

What is the Atmos Rewards Ascent card’s annual fee?

The annual fee is $95. Compare that cost with the checked bag fees you would otherwise pay and the savings from a Companion Fare you can actually use.

How much do you need to spend to earn the annual Companion Fare?

Eligible cardholders must spend $6,000 or more on purchases during the prior account anniversary year. The companion ticket has a $99 base fare, plus taxes and fees from $23. Book an eligible Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines itinerary within North America on AlaskaAir.com with the card.

Does the Atmos Rewards Ascent card work on Hawaiian Airlines?

Yes. Eligible Hawaiian Airlines purchases earn 3 points per $1 spent. The checked bag benefit applies when you pay for your flight with the card, and the $99 Companion Fare can be used on eligible Hawaiian Airlines itineraries within North America.

How many people get a free checked bag with the Ascent card?

The first checked bag is free for you and up to six guests on the same reservation when you pay for your Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines flight with your card. Baggage size, weight, and other eligibility rules still apply.

Who qualifies for the 10% Bank of America rewards bonus?

Cardholders with an eligible Bank of America account, like a checking account, can receive a 10% bonus on points earned from card purchases. For example, 1,000 eligible purchase points become 1,100 points.

Does the Ascent card include complimentary lounge access?

No. It offers $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ membership purchased with the card. There is also no TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit.

Does the Ascent card charge foreign transaction fees?

No. The Ascent card has no foreign transaction fees. Purchases outside the listed bonus categories earn 1 point per $1 spent.

Do Atmos Rewards points expire?

Atmos Rewards points do not expire on active accounts. Status points are tracked separately and count toward the program’s annual status qualification.