MBNA Alaska Airlines Mastercards Set to Be Discontinued (Apply Now!)

We’ve just caught wind that the MBNA Alaska Airlines Mastercards are set to be discontinued tomorrow, November 7, 2022.

The news comes as a surprise, and a sad one for that matter, with no official announcement from MBNA. Let’s unpack what’s going on.

MBNA Alaska Airlines Mastercards Set to Be Discontinued

According to a conversation with an MBNA representative via their online chat, the MBNA Alaska Airlines Mastercards will no longer be available to new applicants as of tomorrow, November 7, 2022.

This includes both the MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard as well as the MBNA Alaska Airlines Platinum Plus Mastercard. The two cards have nearly identical features, with slight differences in their welcome bonuses, annual fees, and insurance packages.

We also have a data point from Philippe B., a member of the Prince of Travel Elites Facebook group, with confirmation from the MBNA call centre.

Existing cardholders will be able to continue using their Alaska Airlines cards. As long as you currently have an Alaska card, you have nothing to worry about in terms of earning Alaska miles on everyday spending.

If you’re scrambling to make sure you’re a cardholder before the deadline, I have some good news: some people are still getting approved today, before the application form is removed tomorrow.

I found myself in-between Alaska cards this morning, so I applied immediately and I was fortunate to receive instant approval!

Remember, you’re most likely to get instant approval with MBNA if you have fewer than five TransUnion inquiries in the past six months.

Otherwise, your application may go to pending, where a human team will review it sometime in the next two weeks. At that point, there’s no telling if you’ll be able to be approved for a pending application for a product that is now closed to new applicants.

Even so, as long as you don’t currently have either of the Alaska cards, there’s no harm in trying. The primary reason to manage your TransUnion inquiries is to stay in MBNA’s good books, and the issuer as a whole will lose a ton of its unique appeal with the end of the Alaska cards.

What’s Next for Canadians and Alaska Mileage Plan?

MBNA’s Alaska cards have been popular for a few reasons.

Alaska Mileage Plan is one of the most compelling frequent flyer programs available to Canadians. It offers redemptions on a wide range of aspirational Oneworld…