Most airline programs decide how you earn. Atmos lets you pick.

Fly long, cheap routes? Earn by distance. Book pricier tickets? Earn by what you spend. Hop between islands all year? Earn by the flight. Add award charts that still reward planning ahead and free stopovers on partner awards, and Atmos punches well above the size of the two airlines behind it.

You don't need to live in Seattle or Honolulu to get value from it, either. Here's how it works.

Atmos Rewards is the shared loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. It's free to join, and points you earn on either airline land in the same account.

Sign up on alaskaair.com or hawaiianairlines.com before your next flight. Members get free Starlink Wi-Fi on equipped Alaska and Hawaiian planes, and you'll need an Atmos number to earn points or transfer them in. You'll earn two kinds of points: Atmos points, which you spend on awards, and status points, which count toward elite status but can't be redeemed.

Atmos points don't expire. If your account sits untouched for two years, Alaska may lock it until you call to verify your identity, but your points stay put.

Atmos points typically land around 1.5 cents each, and partner business class can stretch them much further. Here's how to size up any redemption:

(Cash price − taxes and fees) ÷ points required = value per point

Picture a Seattle to San Diego flight that costs $200 or 12,500 points plus $5.60 in taxes. That's ($200 − $5.60) ÷ 12,500 = $0.0156, or about 1.6 cents per point.

Oneworld membership is a big part of Atmos's appeal. Alaska and Hawaiian both belong to the alliance, so your points work on airlines like American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Qantas, and Qatar Airways.

Atmos also partners with airlines outside oneworld, including Aer Lingus, Condor, Icelandair, Korean Air, and Starlux.

You can book most partner awards online. Expect a small booking fee per person on partner flights, and a higher fee if you book by phone.

You get to choose how your flights earn points:

On a 1,000-mile flight that costs $300, for example, you'd earn 1,000 points by distance, 1,500 by price, or 500 by segments. If you tend to grab cheap tickets on long routes, distance is usually your best bet. If you book pricier fares or sit up front, price will likely earn you more. And if most of your flights are quick hops under 500 miles, like island-hopping in Hawaii, segments come out ahead.

You can switch once per calendar year, and Atmos's "Help me choose" tool runs the numbers on your past flights to point you in the right direction. If you never pick, newer members earn by price by default. Just know that basic economy fares may earn little or nothing.

Distance and segments work the same way on partner flights. Price is the exception. If you book directly with a partner other than American, you'll earn a share of the miles flown instead.

Bilt Rewards is the main flexible points program that transfers to Atmos, at a 1:1 ratio. It's free to join, and you can earn points on dining, rides, and more, even without a credit card.

Since transfers can't be reversed, wait until you've found an award, and compare Atmos with other airline transfer partners first.

Marriott Bonvoy points also convert at 3:1, with a 5,000-point bonus for every 60,000 you move. It's best saved for topping off your balance before a specific award.

Alaska and Hawaiian's credit cards range from everyday options to premium cards. They also earn status points as you spend, which can help you reach elite status even in years you don't fly much.

For most people, we'd start with the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Card. Its best perk is the annual Companion Fare, which you unlock by spending a set amount on the card each year. It lets you bring someone along on an economy ticket within North America for $99 plus taxes and fees. When you pay for your flight with the card, you and up to six people on your reservation also get a free checked bag on Alaska and Hawaiian.

If you fly Alaska or Hawaiian often or travel abroad a lot, the more premium Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card can be the better fit. It earns 3 points per dollar on all foreign purchases, no matter the category, which is almost unheard of in the credit card world and great for digital nomads. It also comes with Alaska Lounge passes and a yearly Global Companion Award that cuts the points cost of a companion's award ticket, even on partner airlines.

Everyday partners can add to your balance, too:

You'll still earn your usual credit card rewards on top, so these partners are an easy way to double up. Buying points directly from Atmos is usually overpriced, so save it for when you're just short of an award.

Atmos also has free Communities, smaller groups inside the program with their own perks. You can join one at a time and switch once a year. Families on the Go, for example, gives 20% back on award flights for kids 12 and under, while Global Locals adds bonus status points on international trips. Two Communities are reserved for Alaska and Hawaii residents.

To book, search on alaskaair.com or hawaiianairlines.com and choose to pay with points. One-way awards on Alaska and Hawaiian start at 4,500 points for short flights, and prices rise with distance, demand, and cabin.

Partner flights use separate award charts based on distance and region, so prices are easier to predict. You'll only see seats partners release for awards, though, which can be limited.

Here's the fine print:

You can also use points on concerts, tours, and other experiences through Atmos Rewards Unlocked. It's fun, but flights usually stretch your points further.

Atmos points tend to go furthest on partner flights, where fixed charts keep prices in check.

You can book some of the world's best business class seats with Atmos points at chart prices. Japan Airlines business class starts at 60,000 points one-way from Seattle, Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong starts at 75,000, and Aer Lingus to Ireland starts at 45,000.

Seats can be scarce, especially to Japan, so search a wide range of dates before you transfer any points.

One-way partner awards can include a free stopover, so you can spend a few days in a connecting city before you continue. Flying Finnair to Europe, for example, you could stop in Helsinki on the way to Rome without paying for a second award.

Short flights are where Atmos quietly shines. American flights under 700 miles start at 4,500 points one-way, and flights from the West Coast to Hawaii start at 12,500 points in economy.

Elite status is based on status points. You earn them on paid and award flights, using the same method you picked for points, plus spending on Atmos credit cards. Here's how many you need in a calendar year:

Perks build with each tier, starting with free checked bags, upgrades, and bonus points on flights. You'll also get oneworld status, and Gold and above can use partner lounges on international trips. Platinum and Titanium members get oneworld Emerald, which opens first class lounges too. Titanium members can also get space-available upgrades to business class on eligible long-haul Alaska and Hawaiian flights.

Atmos status is especially handy if you also fly American. Elite members can get complimentary upgrades and extra-legroom Main Cabin Extra seats on eligible American flights, and American elites get similar perks on Alaska.

Milestone rewards start at 10,000 status points, so you'll get something back well before you hit Silver. Already have status with another airline? Atmos offers status matches you can lock in by flying within a set window.

If you fly Alaska or Hawaiian even once a year, sign up. It's free, your points don't expire, and membership gets you free Wi-Fi on equipped flights.

It’s worth your attention if you live on the West Coast, in Alaska, or in Hawaii, earn Bilt points, or want to use partner awards with free stopovers, especially when paired with the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Card or Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card. New to points? A short flight on Alaska or American makes an easy first redemption.

It's harder to get value from Atmos if you live far from Alaska and Hawaiian's routes and don't earn points that transfer to Atmos. In that case, a bigger airline's program like American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, or United MileagePlus may be a better fit.

Atmos works best when you know your own travel habits. Pick the earning method that matches how you fly, then save your points for a partner award with a free stopover, and one trip can turn into two.