There’s some disappointing news about MBNA Rewards. Last year, the program had confirmed that MBNA Rewards points would become transferable to the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program, but that’s not what’s happening at all, unfortunately.
Here are the details.
What happened
MBNA is a smaller credit card issuer that used to have 2 great co-branded travel card lines, with Alaska Airlines and Best Western. Unfortunately, they were discontinued last year.
Alaska cardholders were transitioned to the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard or MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard.
What will happen now
Here are the details:
- Only a 1-time transfer to Alaska Airlines is offered
- At the promised 1-to-1 transfer rate
- Only for those who had an Alaska card
- And kept the MBNA Rewards replacement card
- Only available from August 1 to October 31
- You should wait until the very end
- Must be done by phone
- By calling 1-888-876-6262
You should maximize your points until October 31 — for example with the gift cards trick — and then do the 1-time transfer with the most points possible, assuming you still have the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard or MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard that replaced your Alaska card.
MBNA Rewards points are only worth a fixed value of 1¢/pt and our Flytrippers Valuation of Alaska Airlines miles is ≈ 1.5¢/pt (50% more!!!) so it’s definitely something we recommend if you understand the basics of airline points like these.
Alaska miles are rewards of the more lucrative type that can give you outsized value and unlimited value, but they’re obviously less simple.
What was supposed to happen
When the Alaska cards were discontinued, something great was announced: MBNA Rewards points would become transferable to Alaska Airlines miles “in 2024.”
For all MBNA Rewards card holders, not just those who had Alaska cards.
That would’ve been amazing because airline points are the most valuable reward currency. They are rewards of the more lucrative type: the amount of points required for a reward flight is NOT tied to the cash price of the flight, so you can get outsized value and unlimited value.
MBNA Rewards points would have automatically become the 3rd-best bank rewards program in Canada since only 2 programs currently offer transferable points: American Express Membership Rewards and RBC Avion.
It was especially interesting since the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard would’ve joined the American Express Cobalt Card as the only cards that earn 5 points per dollar in a points currency of the more lucrative type.
But that’s not at all what will happen, unfortunately.
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Summary
Unlike what they previously announced, MBNA Rewards points will not become transferable to Alaska Airlines miles. Only previous Alaska cardholders will get to transfer their points, and it’s only a 1-time transfer that needs to take place before October 31, 2024.
What would you like to know about MBNA Rewards transfer to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan? Tell us in the comments below.
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Super disappointing news. Thanks for the update.
Indeed, I couldn’t be any more disappointed myself. I thought we’d finally have a bit more competition for airline points.