diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 732fa4c2..7d75e1d9 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 * Adding `transform`, `height` and `width` attributes (outside init) for `SpatialMixin` class
 * Moved `_dst_geom_in_tms_crs` from Reader to `SpatialMixin` class **breaking change**
 * Removed use of rasterio's `is_tiled` method
+* Enable **Alternate** asset's HREF for STAC by using `RIO_TILER_STAC_ALTERNATE_KEY` environment variable
 
 # 6.7.0 (2024-09-05)
 
diff --git a/rio_tiler/io/stac.py b/rio_tiler/io/stac.py
index 6887efff..415d3e1e 100644
--- a/rio_tiler/io/stac.py
+++ b/rio_tiler/io/stac.py
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@
     "application/x-hdf",
 }
 
+STAC_ALTERNATE_KEY = os.environ.get("RIO_TILER_STAC_ALTERNATE_KEY", None)
+
 
 def aws_get_object(
     bucket: str,
@@ -313,6 +315,11 @@ def _get_asset_info(self, asset: str) -> AssetInfo:
             url=asset_info.get_absolute_href() or asset_info.href,
             metadata=extras,
         )
+
+        if STAC_ALTERNATE_KEY and extras.get("alternate"):
+            if alternate := extras["alternate"].get(STAC_ALTERNATE_KEY):
+                info["url"] = alternate["href"]
+
         if asset_info.media_type:
             info["media_type"] = asset_info.media_type
 
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/stac_alternate.json b/tests/fixtures/stac_alternate.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0bd8f999
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/stac_alternate.json
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+{
+  "stac_version": "0.9.0",
+  "stac_extensions": [
+    "https://stac-extensions.github.io/file/v2.1.0/schema.json",
+    "https://stac-extensions.github.io/alternate-assets/v1.2.0/schema.json"
+  ],
+  "type": "Feature",
+  "id": "JQT-123456789",
+  "bbox": [-81.3085227080129, 32.10817938759764, -78.81735409341113, 34.22870275071835],
+  "geometry": {
+    "type": "Polygon",
+    "coordinates": [
+        [
+            [
+                -81.3085227080129,
+                32.10817938759764
+            ],
+            [
+                -78.81735409341113,
+                32.10817938759764
+            ],
+            [
+                -78.81735409341113,
+                34.22870275071835
+            ],
+            [
+                -81.3085227080129,
+                34.22870275071835
+            ],
+            [
+                -81.3085227080129,
+                32.10817938759764
+            ]
+        ]
+    ]
+  },
+  "properties": {
+    "datetime": "2016-05-03T13:21:30.040Z",
+    "collection": "JQT"
+  },
+  "links": [
+    {
+      "rel": "self",
+      "href": "http://cool-sat.com/catalog/JQT/a-fake-item.json"
+    },
+    {
+      "rel": "collection",
+      "href": "http://cool-sat.com/catalog.json"
+    }
+  ],
+  "assets": {
+    "red": {
+      "href": "http://somewhere-over-the-rainbow.io/red.tif",
+      "title": "red",
+      "file:header_size": 16384,
+      "alternate:name": "HTTPS",
+      "alternate": {
+        "s3": {
+          "href": "s3://somewhere-over-the-rainbow.io/red.tif",
+          "alternate:name": "S3"
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "green": {
+        "href": "http://somewhere-over-the-rainbow.io/green.tif",
+        "title": "green",
+        "file:header_size": 30000
+    },
+    "blue": {
+        "href": "http://somewhere-over-the-rainbow.io/blue.tif",
+        "title": "blue",
+        "file:header_size": 20000
+    },
+    "lowres": {
+        "href": "http://somewhere-over-the-rainbow.io/lowres.tif",
+        "title": "lowres"
+    },
+    "thumbnail": {
+      "href": "http://cool-sat.com/catalog/a-fake-item/thumbnail.png",
+      "title": "Thumbnail",
+      "type": "image/png",
+      "roles": [ "thumbnail" ]
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/test_io_stac.py b/tests/test_io_stac.py
index 5fc646de..97ed00d0 100644
--- a/tests/test_io_stac.py
+++ b/tests/test_io_stac.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 STAC_GDAL_PATH = os.path.join(PREFIX, "stac_headers.json")
 STAC_RASTER_PATH = os.path.join(PREFIX, "stac_raster.json")
 STAC_WRONGSTATS_PATH = os.path.join(PREFIX, "stac_wrong_stats.json")
+STAC_ALTERNATE_PATH = os.path.join(PREFIX, "stac_alternate.json")
 
 with open(STAC_PATH) as f:
     item = json.loads(f.read())
@@ -1014,3 +1015,12 @@ def _get_reader(self, asset_info: AssetInfo) -> Tuple[Type[BaseReader], Dict]:
         info = stac._get_asset_info("red")
         assert info["media_type"] == "image/tiff; application=geotiff"
         assert stac._get_reader(info) == (Reader, {})
+
+
+@patch("rio_tiler.io.stac.STAC_ALTERNATE_KEY", "s3")
+def test_alternate_assets():
+    """Should return the alternate key"""
+    with STACReader(STAC_ALTERNATE_PATH) as stac:
+        assert stac._get_asset_info("red")["url"].startswith("s3://")
+        # fall back to href when alternate doesn't exist
+        assert stac._get_asset_info("blue")["url"].startswith("http://")