Alaska Airlines continues to dominate the news closing out 2016. In mid-December, the Seattle-based airline finalized its $2.6 billion acquisition of Virgin America, making it the fifth-largest US airline. On December 19, Alaska announced it is terminating its frequent flier and codeshare partnerships with Delta, effective May 1. While sudden, the news is not shocking as the airlines have become more competitive over the years. Delta has continued to expand operations into Seattle, while Alaska continued to see a drop in revenue from codeshare flights. The two airlines will continue their agreement to provide ticketing and baggage connectivity.

Alaska also announced a number of changes to its Mileage Plan program. Effective immediately, the airline lowered the mileage redemption threshold for one-way tickets from 7,500 miles to 5,000. Alaska is one of the few airlines that still rewards miles based on distance flown, as opposed to dollars spent. Travelers can also begin earning miles on Virgin America flights. Frequent fliers are also eligible for complimentary upgrades on reward travel and have the ability to earn up to 80% more miles when flying on Alaska’s global partner flights.