Can I Give My Alaska Airlines Miles To Someone Else? | Rules

Yes, Alaska lets you move miles to another member for a fee, or you can book an award ticket in their name without moving miles.

If you’re asking, “Can I Give My Alaska Airlines Miles To Someone Else?”, you’re usually trying to do one of two things: put miles into their Mileage Plan account, or get them on a flight using your miles. Those are different moves, with different costs and risks.

This page breaks down both paths, shows what you’ll pay, and helps you pick the option that keeps the most value in your pocket.

Giving Alaska Airlines Miles To Someone Else: Two Clean Options

There isn’t a single “send miles” button that always makes sense. Alaska miles can be shared, yet the cheapest move is often not a transfer.

Option 1: Transfer miles into their account

This is a true handoff: miles leave your account and land in theirs. Alaska sells this as a paid transfer in set mile blocks, with a per-mile fee plus a processing fee.

Option 2: Book the trip for them from your account

This keeps the miles in your account until checkout. You redeem miles for an award ticket, then type the other traveler’s name as the passenger. The traveler flies, you pay the miles.

For most people, the second option is the better deal since you avoid the transfer fee. A transfer still has a place, like when the other person must hold the miles for a later trip or when you’re topping off their balance for a specific redemption.

When A Transfer Makes Sense And When It Doesn’t

Before you move miles, decide what problem you’re solving. If the only goal is “get them on a plane,” booking an award ticket for them is usually the cleanest route. A transfer is more like handing over cash: it’s final, it costs money, and you lose control of the miles.

Transfer miles when the other person needs miles in their own account

• They’re booking from their phone and need the miles in their login.
• They’re combining miles with their own stash for one redemption.
• You want them to handle date changes and rebooking on their own.

Skip the transfer when you can book for them directly

• You’re comfortable booking the flight yourself.
• You want to avoid paying cash to move miles.
• You’d rather keep miles under your account security rules.

How Alaska’s Transfer Miles Pricing Works

Alaska’s Transfer Miles option is priced per 1,000 miles, plus a flat processing fee per transaction. You pick how many miles to send, pay by card, and the miles post to the recipient’s account after Alaska finishes the transaction.

Alaska states the current pricing and transfer range on its Transfer Miles page: Transfer Miles program pricing.

Here’s what that pricing means in real money: you pay $10 for each 1,000 miles you move, then add a $25 processing charge for that one transfer. Sending more miles in one transaction lowers the fee per mile a bit, since that $25 gets spread over more miles.

What to watch for before you pay

• Transfer caps: The transfer tool limits how many miles you can send per transaction. If you need more, you may have to run multiple transfers and pay multiple processing fees.
• Timing: If the trip is soon, leave room for posting time and any account checks that can slow a new transaction.
• Finality: Once miles leave your account, you can’t claw them back if plans change.

How To Transfer Alaska Miles Step By Step

Transferring is simple on paper, yet small mistakes can cost you. Use a slow, methodical pass so the miles land in the right place.

1. Confirm the recipient has an Alaska Mileage Plan account with their name spelled exactly as on their profile.
2. Ask them for their Mileage Plan number, then double-check it digit by digit.
3. Sign in to your account, open the Transfer Miles tool, and choose the mile amount in 1,000-mile steps.
4. Review the fees shown on the payment screen before you enter your card.
5. Submit the transfer, then save the confirmation email or screenshot for your records.
6. Have the recipient sign in later to confirm the miles posted and the balance matches what you sent.

If you’re transferring to help them book a flight, ask them to hold off on booking until the miles show up in their balance. Award space can change between a search and checkout.

Table: Ways To Share Alaska Miles And What Each Costs

Use this table to pick the method that matches your situation. It also shows where cash fees show up, so you don’t get surprised at checkout.

Method	When It Fits	Cash Cost And Trade-Off
Transfer miles to another member	You want miles in their account for a later booking	Per-1,000 fee plus a processing fee; miles leave your control
Book an award ticket in their name	You just want them to fly	No transfer fee; you handle booking and changes unless you share the record locator
Buy miles for them	They’re short on miles and you’d rather pay cash than move your balance	Purchase pricing can be high; sales vary
Gift miles to them	You want a one-time miles gift with your card	Similar pricing mechanics to buying; gift is permanent
Donate miles	You’re giving miles to an eligible partner charity	No personal travel value back; donation rules apply
Add them as a traveler and book with your miles	You’re planning a group trip and want one person to fly on miles	Still no transfer fee; you keep the miles account ownership
Wait and earn miles into their account	Trip is far out and they can earn the miles naturally	No transfer fee; takes time and planning
Pay cash and keep miles	Ticket is cheap or award pricing is poor	You save miles for a better redemption later

Booking A Flight For Someone Else With Your Miles

If you want the other person to fly soon, booking an award ticket from your account is often the smooth path. You search for an award, pick the flight, then enter the traveler’s details at checkout. Miles get deducted from your account, and the ticket is issued in their name.

Details that trip people up

• Name match: Use the traveler’s legal name as it appears on their ID. A nickname can cause trouble at the airport.
• Email and phone: Put the traveler’s contact details in the passenger section when you can, so they get flight updates.
• Who can change the ticket: If plans shift, the person who booked may need to handle changes online. Share the confirmation code, yet keep your account password private.

This approach also avoids a common waste: paying cash to move miles, then paying more cash again for taxes and fees on the award ticket.

Fees, Taxes, And Small Charges That Still Apply On Award Tickets

Even when miles cover the base fare, most award tickets still carry taxes and airport fees that you pay with a card. That’s normal across U.S. airlines. Alaska may also charge fees tied to changes, cancellations, or partner awards depending on the ticket type and timing.

If you’re weighing “transfer miles” versus “book the award yourself,” include these cash charges in your math. The transfer fee is on top of any ticket fees.

Table: What A Transfer Costs At Common Mile Amounts

This table uses Alaska’s published transfer pricing: $10 per 1,000 miles plus a $25 processing fee per transfer.

Miles Sent	Per-1,000 Fees	Total Transfer Cost
1,000	$10	$35
5,000	$50	$75
10,000	$100	$125
15,000	$150	$175
20,000	$200	$225
25,000	$250	$275
30,000	$300	$325

Safety Checks Before You Share Miles

Miles behave a lot like money. Once they’re moved or redeemed, reversing it can be hard. A few habits keep you from getting burned.

Confirm you’re sending miles to the right person

Only send miles to someone you trust, and confirm their Mileage Plan number through a channel you trust. Typos happen. So do scams.

Keep your login private

Don’t share your password to “let them book.” If you want them to choose flights, have them send you the flight numbers and dates, then you book from your account.

Save proof of the transaction

Keep the confirmation page, the email receipt, and a note of the date and mile amount. If something posts wrong, those details speed up fixing it.

Better Than A Transfer: Other Alaska “Share” Tools

Alaska also lets members buy, gift, and donate miles. These are different from a transfer because they create miles through a purchase flow rather than moving your existing balance.

The official Alaska page for these options is here: buy, share, or donate Mileage Plan miles. Pricing can change with promotions, so treat the checkout screen as the final number.

Buying miles for them

This can work when you want to keep your miles untouched and you’re fine paying cash. It can also work when you’re trying to top off their account and the transfer caps would force multiple processing fees.

Gifting miles

Gifting is similar to buying, with the miles directed to another member. It’s simple for birthdays and graduations. It can still be pricey per mile, so compare it to the cash price of the ticket you’re trying to cover.

Donating miles

If your miles are sitting unused and you won’t travel soon, donating can feel better than letting them expire. Donation partners and minimums vary, so read the rules on the donation page before you click through.

How To Decide Fast: A Simple Value Check

If you don’t want to run a full miles valuation exercise, use this fast screen:

• If transferring miles costs close to the cash price of the ticket, paying cash and keeping miles often wins.
• If booking the award from your account gets them the flight with only the normal taxes, skip the transfer.
• If the recipient needs miles in their account for a specific partner award, a transfer may be the cleanest route, even with the fee.

Put another way: pay cash for the thing you’re actually buying. A transfer buys flexibility for the other person. If they don’t need that flexibility, don’t pay for it.

Common Snags And How To Avoid Them

“They don’t have a Mileage Plan account yet”

They’ll need an account to receive a transfer or gift. Opening an account is usually quick online. Once they have a Mileage Plan number, you can send miles or book for them.

“I sent miles and they haven’t posted”

Give it some time, then check that the recipient number you entered matches their profile. If it’s correct, use your transaction receipt details when you reach Alaska by phone or chat.

“I transferred miles, then the award space disappeared”

This is why booking first can be safer. If you must transfer, have the recipient search award space and be ready to book as soon as the miles arrive.

“We’re traveling together and want to split the miles”

One person can book multiple passengers on a single award reservation. That often solves the “split miles” problem without moving miles around.

What You Can Do Right Now

If you want the simplest path and the lowest cash outlay, book the award ticket for the other person from your account and keep your miles where they are. If the other person needs miles in their own account, use Alaska’s paid transfer tool, double-check the recipient number, and keep the receipt.