Alaska Airlines First Passenger to Reach 3 Million Miles: Stephen Routh

The Anchorage resident – Stephen Routh, became Alaska Airlines' first passenger to reach the three-million-mile mark status in the airline's 92-year history. Unlocking the lifetime MVP Gold 100K status and a limited-edition luggage tag, Stephen Routh has made the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program quite distinguished.

The Ceremony

On his return flight from Orlando to Seattle after spending time with his ailing sister, who is in much better health now, he received a warm gesture of a ceremonial boarding ahead of everyone else with a clown hat, balloons, a handy limited edition Golden Nugget Service luggage tag crafted from a vintage Convair CV-240 aircraft, a special boarding pass signed by the crew, and cake for all passengers to celebrate this remarkable feat. He reached his mega-milestone after over 35 years as an Alaska Mileage Plan member, often flying two to three days a week to support his title insurance company’s growth throughout the West and in Hawaii.

A Good Deed Never Goes Wrong

Stephen Routh is well known for connecting with people through his kindness and generosity. During all these years of flying, he has communicated with Alaska Airlines inflight crew members efficiently and politely, often addressing them by calling out their names. He often leaves feedback for them regarding their hospitality and makes sure the management knows. Aware of his milestone flight, Routh was ready with a thank you by getting Amazon gift cards for the crew. He said the two flight attendants recognized him from his decades of flying. They gave him a good send-off, and he gave them a gift for their gesture toward him all these years.

Making good use of his incessant Alaska Airlines miles for the past 15 years, he has brought veterans recovering from trauma to his homes in Alaska and Oklahoma for what he likes to call Warrior Weekends — restorative getaways where his guests can fish, hunt, and feel cared for. He has hosted about 1,200 veterans so far, using thousands of his accumulated miles to fly them across the country to thank them for their service. “It has been a blessing for me to help them,” he mentioned.

Unmatched Loyalty

There is nothing more attractive than loyalty. In a world where options are readily available and a guest can be swayed easily, Stephen is the epitome of community building and staying loyal to a brand for more than three decades. A pilot himself who owns a small jet, but yet prefers to fly Alaska Airlines for most of his travels because he thinks it is better for the climate, and likes staying connected to the airlines having a nice time sipping on his beer while at the lounge or flying. His love for the brand is unstoppable as he already accumulated more than 182,000 miles this year.

When he comes across travelers who have never flown Alaska Airlines, he says, ‘Give them a test drive’ and join the mileage plan right away. It is the best mileage club in the world.