Up to $50 free: This offer to join Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is a no-brainer — here’s how to do it

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Alaska Airlines is offering a great incentive to join its loyalty program, a bonus that is too good to pass up.

For a limited time, new members who sign up for Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan can score a $25 or $50 discount on a future Alaska flight, just for enrolling in the program.

Mileage Plan is a popular program for travelers because, as an Oneworld alliance member, it has valuable partnerships with airlines like American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas. The airline's recent merger with Hawaiian Airlines is another reason why frequent flyers value this loyalty program.

Read more: How to earn and redeem miles with the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

How it works

The new offer, which is good for new members through Dec. 31, gives travelers who sign up for Mileage Plan a promo code for $25 off a future flight with the airline (which they must use to book a flight within 28 days of signing up).

You can access the sign-up page on Alaska's website.

If you book a flight within 14 days of joining Mileage Plan, the discount doubles to $50. To qualify, all new members must opt in to receive email communications from Alaska Airlines. If you don't mind regular emails from the carrier, it probably won't be a big deal.

Residents of Alaska, California and Hawaii are not eligible for the $25 discount offer.

However, California and Hawaii residents are eligible for their own $50 discount offer when joining Mileage Plan. To get the discount, they will have to book a flight within 28 days of enrollment.

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Only first-time Mileage Plan enrollees over 18 are eligible for this promotion. The initial $25 discount code will be sent via email within 72 hours of enrollment and must be used by Oct. 15. If you unlock the $50 discount offer, the extra $25 discount code will be sent separately after your flight booking is confirmed.

Benefits of Alaska Airlines membership

Free money toward travel is always a no-brainer, but especially when you consider Alaska's Mileage Plan is consistently ranked among the top frequent flyer programs. That's due in large part to its generous mileage-earning structure and the ability to earn miles through its shopping portal, dining program and cobranded credit cards. Aside from the previously mentioned Oneworld alliance and its member airlines, Alaska also has partnerships with international carriers, including:

• Icelandair
• Korean Air
• LATAM
• Singapore Airlines
• Starlux Airlines

Read more: How to earn Mileage Plan miles through Alaska Airlines partners

Bottom line

It's always a good idea to sign up for loyalty programs that have international reach and offer strong value; Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan checks both boxes. When you throw in that you're getting potentially up to $50 off a flight just to sign up, it's really worth a closer look.

Related reading:

• When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
• The best airline credit cards
• What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations