Bank of America Atmos Rewards Ascent
The Bank of America Atmos Rewards Ascent from Bank of America has a $95 annual fee. At $2,650 a month of typical household spending it pays about $439 a year after fees, $197 less than the Citi Double Cash, a flat 2% card.
Terms checked October 25, 2026. Net values use the spending mix of 1,229 U.S. households in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey. This is an estimate, not financial advice.
What does the Bank of America Atmos Rewards Ascent earn?
3x Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines purchases; 2x gas; 2x streaming; 2x transit; 1x on everything else.
Not counted in the numbers on this page:
- $99 Companion Fare (requires $6,000 yearly spend per standard terms, recalled)
- Annual bonus points
How much would it pay you a year?
This is the card's rewards minus its annual fee, at three spending levels, with spending split the way the survey households split theirs. Statement credits and sign-up bonuses are left out.
| Spending a month | Bank of America Atmos Rewards Ascent | Citi Double Cash (2%) |
|---|---|---|
| $1,500 | $207 | $360 |
| $2,650 (the survey median) | $439 | $636 |
| $5,000 | $912 | $1,200 |
The mix is 30% everything else, 25% groceries, 16% phone and utilities, 13% dining, and smaller shares elsewhere. Your own split decides the real answer: add your statements to work it out on what you actually spent.
How did it do for real households?
We ran each of the 1,229 households in the 2024 survey through every card, on 12 straight months of their own spending. It was never the best of the 53 cards for any household, and never paid more than the Citi Double Cash, a flat 2% card. For the median household it paid $193 a year less than the flat 2% card.
The survey records spending categories but not merchants, so merchant bonuses and statement credits never count there, which favors flat cards. How we ran the household test.
Fees and sign-up bonus
- Annual fee: $95.
- Foreign transaction fee: none.
- Sign-up bonus: 50,000 points ($775 at 1.55¢ a point) after $1,500 of spending in 3 months. Offers change and can differ by applicant, so check the issuer's page.
Other benefits
- Free checked bag: first checked bag free for cardholder and up to 6 guests on same reservation, Alaska/Hawaiian flights, when paying with the card
- Preferred boarding: Alaska and Hawaiian flights
- Annual $99 Companion Fare: plus taxes/fees from $23
- 20% back on inflight purchases: statement credit on Alaska/Hawaiian onboard purchases
- $100 off Alaska Lounge+ annual membership
Cards that pay about the same
At $2,650 a month, these pay closest to the Bank of America Atmos Rewards Ascent:
- Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards: $446 a year
- Amex Delta SkyMiles Blue: $431 a year
- Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite: $454 a year
- Bank of America Premium Rewards: $413 a year
See what it would have paid you
Add your statementsFree, in your browser. Your statements are never uploaded.
PointMaxx runs a year of your own card statements against 53 U.S. cards, after annual fees, caps and the credits you'd really use. No statements on hand? The quick estimate asks seven questions instead.
Sources
- alaskaair.com/atmosrewards/content/credit-cards
- thepointsguy.com/credit-cards/alaska-atmos-rewards-current-offers/
- bankofamerica.com/credit-cards/products/spirit-airlines-credit-card/
- thepointsguy.com/credit-cards/atmos-ascent-vs-atmos-summit/
- Household spending: BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys public-use microdata, 2024 Interview Survey.
See a wrong rate? Tell us. PointMaxx is not affiliated with or endorsed by Bank of America; the card's name is used only to say which card is meant.