Atmos Rewards Ascent

For Alaska and Hawaiian flyers, the Ascent's steadiest value is the free first checked bag and preferred boarding for you and up to six guests on the same reservation, which can clear the $95 annual fee on a single family trip. The current offer is 70,000 points after $2,500 in three months plus a $99 Companion Fare, and it has been volatile this year, reaching 80,000 in late April, dropping to 50,000 in May, and settling back at 70,000 in July. After year one the Companion Fare only returns at your anniversary if you put $6,000 on the card during the prior year, which is the real hurdle for casual flyers. The earn rates are middling away from the airline: the 3 points per dollar is gated to Alaska and Hawaiian purchases, 2 points per dollar covers gas, EV charging, streaming, and transit, and everything else is 1 point per dollar. It ranks #10 on our best travel cards list, and that placement is about right: useful if you fly Alaska or Hawaiian a few times a year, unremarkable if you don't.