As long as you fly Alaska Airlines at least once per year, there are lots of reasons to get the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card, including a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to six companions, access to the annual Companion Fare, and a low minimum spending requirement.

Here are just a few of the reasons to consider applying for the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card.

You fly at least annually on Alaska Airlines

This is really the top reason to get any airline credit card. Look back at your last two years of travel. Were any of these flights on Alaska Airlines? If not, think carefully about why you’d want this card.

While you can redeem Alaska miles for flights on other airlines, you can’t take advantage of the Companion Fare and free checked bags when you're flying solely on partner airlines.

You check luggage on Alaska Airlines

One of the perks of most airline credit cards is a free checked bag on the airline. With the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card, you get a first checked bag free for yourself and up to six people on the same reservation. The best part? You don’t have to book the flights with your Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card to qualify for this benefit.

Normally, the first checked bag has a $30 fee. You could save $180 on one flight in checked bag fees for a total of six people. If you are planning on traveling to Alaska, this perk can be especially valuable. You’re going to want to bring sweaters and bulkier items. Thus, you may need to check luggage. A family of four flying round-trip could save $240 with this perk.

You like the bonus miles offers

You can get 3 miles per $1 spent on Alaska Airlines purchase with the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card. All other purchases earn 1 mile per $1 spent. You don’t earn bonus miles for categories such as dining or groceries, unfortunately.

A $300 Alaska flight charged to this card would earn 900 miles That’s just for booking the ticket on your Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card. You’ll earn additional miles through the Alaska MileagePlan program based on distance flown and cabin class. You can get a lot more value out of this card if you purchase flights on Alaska Airlines.

You'll also earn 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit, including ride share purchases.

You generally travel with a companion

One of the biggest reasons to get the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card is the annual Companion Fare. If you frequently travel as a twosome and spend at least $6,000 per year on the card, you'll receive a Companion Fare, allowing you to book your companion’s ticket starting at $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22).