The most rewarding airline card you can pack with a passport

• Why the foreign purchases earning rate puts this card in a league of its own
• How the Atmos Summit compares with other premium airline cards’ international earning rates
• Other benefits of the card
• You don’t need to fly Alaska to get amazing value from Atmos Rewards points
• Bottom line

If the Atmos Rewards loyalty program isn’t on your radar yet, it’s time to buckle up and pay attention.

Born from the merger of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, this program has quietly become one of the most valuable in the industry, with an award chart full of sweet spots. And the premium Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card is the best way to rack up lots of those points quickly, especially if you travel internationally.

That’s because, in addition to a huge welcome bonus, the Summit card earns an impressive 3 Atmos Rewards points per dollar on every foreign purchase.

That’s not just dining or travel, but every purchase made in a foreign currency.

When you’re traveling abroad, the last thing you want is to have to figure out which card to use for each transaction. With the Summit card, it’s all you need. Here’s why this single earning rate makes the card the market leader for international travelers.

Related: Are we all (mostly) winners? My take on Alaska’s new unified Atmos Rewards program

Why the foreign purchases earning rate puts this card in a league of its own

At TPG’s February 2026 valuation of Atmos Rewards points, earning 3 points per dollar on foreign purchases translates to 4.5 cents of value per dollar spent abroad. That return exceeds what you’d earn on bonus categories with the most popular premium travel cards, airline or otherwise.

The beauty of the Summit card is its simplicity. There are no rotating categories to activate, no cap on bonus earnings and no confusion about merchant codes or time zones. Every foreign transaction earns the same generous rate, whether you’re paying for a hotel in Tokyo, a train ticket in Switzerland or groceries in Mexico.

TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt, who recently relocated to Spain, now uses the Summit card for all non-dining purchases. While the American Express® Gold Card still edges ahead in one single category (dining at 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, the 1 point per dollar thereafter), Amex acceptance outside the U.S. can be inconsistent, something Matt doesn’t face with the Summit’s worldwide Visa network.

How the Atmos Summit compares with other premium airline cards’ international earning rates

The Summit card earns:

• An unlimited 3 points per dollar spent on eligible worldwide dining, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases and all foreign transactions; as well as
• An unlimited 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases (such as supermarkets within the United States).

The card has an annual fee of $395.

Most premium airline cards with similar annual fees offer bonus points or miles in a limited number of select travel categories and 1 point or mile per dollar on everything else, but none match the Summit’s blanket 3 points per dollar on foreign purchases:

• The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® with a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees) earns 3 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases, but only 2 miles for dining and just 1 mile for other foreign purchases.
• The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card with a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees) earns a similar 3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, but only 2 miles for dining at restaurants worldwide and just 1 mile for other eligible purchases like supermarket shopping.
• The United Quest℠ Card with a $350 annual fee (see rates and fees) earns 3 miles per dollar on United purchases, but just 2 miles per dollar on dining, select streaming services and other travel. The card earns 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

None of these cards comprehensively reward the routine spending that makes up the bulk of what travelers actually charge abroad: groceries, transportation, shopping and incidental expenses. Meanwhile, the Summit card generously and innovatively rewards you for being an international traveler.

Other benefits of the card

The foreign-earnings rate is my favorite feature, but the Summit’s broader offering justifies its $395 annual fee for frequent travelers, whether they travel domestically or internationally.

The current limited-time welcome offer delivers serious value: earn 80,000 bonus Atmos Rewards points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. Based on our February 2026 valuations, the bonus points alone are worth $1,200.

The Global Companion Award offers a discount of up to 25,000 points (or 100,000 points after $60,000 in annual spending) on the second passenger’s ticket when you book two people traveling together with Atmos Rewards points. Uniquely, it is valid for travel on Alaska Airlines and all of its airline redemption partners, both in and outside of the Oneworld alliance, in any cabin — including Hawaiian Airlines, British Airways, Qantas, Iberia, Icelandair, Korean Air and others. Applicable fees and taxes still apply.

The card also offers a host of other travel benefits, including anniversary status points, a pathway to elite status, lounge and Wi-Fi passes, waived same-day confirmed flight change fee and free checked baggage on Alaska and Hawaiian flights.

You don’t need to fly Alaska to get amazing value from Atmos Rewards points

Even if you’ve never set foot on an Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines flight, Atmos Rewards points can deliver amazing value through partner redemptions. The program inherited Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan’s award chart, which has long been a favorite among points and miles enthusiasts for its outsize value on partner airlines.

The sweet spots span virtually every region of the globe. You can book an American Airlines flight of up to 700 miles in length for just 4,500 points, or fly Hawaiian Airlines economy from the West Coast to Hawaii for 10,000 points.

Looking to cross the Atlantic? Aer Lingus business class to Ireland starts at just 45,000 points. For aspirational redemptions, 75,000 points get you Japan Airlines business class from the West Coast to Tokyo, or Fiji Airways business class to Fiji on the same points.

TPG’s Matt Moffitt, for example, has been redeeming his Atmos Rewards points from his Summit card for Iberia flights around Europe and American Airlines flights back to the U.S.

Related: I’ve never flown Alaska Airlines before — here’s why I want their premium credit card

Bottom line

Earning 3 Atmos Rewards points per dollar on every transaction abroad — worth 4.5 cents per dollar at current valuations — is unmatched by any other airline card.

If you haven’t been paying attention to Atmos Rewards, consider this your wake-up call. Combined with a huge welcome offer, useful travel perks and one of the most generous partner redemption charts in the industry, the Atmos Rewards Summit card is an incredible companion to pack with your passport.

The current welcome offer of 80,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award is a limited-time offer, and we don’t yet know when it will end.

If international travel is part of your life, this card should be, too.

Apply here: Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card

Related reading:

For rates and fees of the Delta Platinum Amex, click here.