Alaska Airlines is offering a cute promotion this summer. Without looking a gift horse in the mouth, dare I say that it almost feels a bit cheap to me?
In this post:
Alaska’s “upgrade unlocked” promotion
With Alaska’s “upgrade unlocked” promotion, the airline will be offering surprise and delight upgrades over the coming months. Between June 1 and September 2, 2024, Alaska will be upgrading one passenger per day to Premium Class on a complimentary basis.
Each day, the airline will notify one passenger (and their travel companion, if they have one) through the Alaska mobile app or by email, indicating that they’ve been randomly selected to be upgraded to Premium Class.
Premium Class is Alaska’s extra legroom economy section, located at the front of the cabin. This features four extra inches of legroom, complimentary alcoholic drinks, and early boarding. This can ordinarily be purchased at an extra, or Alaska Mileage Plan elite members can select these seats on a complimentary basis, with limitations based on the tier of status they have.
Here’s how Eric Edge, Alaska’s Managing Director of Marketing and Advertising, describes this:
“upgrade unlocked is one way we’re showing guests our appreciation for choosing to fly with us to their favorite destinations this summer. Premium Class is just one of the main premium products and services we offer to our guests, including our best-in-class lounges, the freshest West Coast food and beverage line-up and our award-winning Mileage Plan program with the fastest path to elite status. Whether it’s their first time or they’ve experienced Premium Class before — we can’t wait to hear from our guests who receive this surprise upgrade!”
This is a cute concept, but…
I like the idea behind this promotion — it’s a nice way to pleasantly surprise passengers during their summer travels, and also to build awareness for Alaska’s extra legroom economy section. With fewer business travelers in summer, there’s also probably a bit more space in the Premium Class cabin.
However, I can’t help but feel like the execution of this promotion feels a little cheap. We’re talking about fewer than 100 passengers being upgraded to Premium Class (not including companions) over the course of three months. Alaska carried over 12 million passenger last summer, so the percent of passengers who will benefit from this is tiny.
Keep in mind that Alaska probably upgrades dozens (if not hundreds) of passengers per day to Premium Class at no cost even beyond elite status, since the airline often needs to seat people there for situations where the non-extra legroom section is full.
I think this would be a bit more exciting if 100 people per day were upgraded to Premium Class, as currently the odds are like winning the lottery, and the prize isn’t exactly huge. Presumably Alaska could still do that without even really cannibalizing any revenue.
Bottom line
Alaska Airlines has a cute promotion this summer, whereby one passenger will be upgraded to Premium Class per day, as a free surprise. I like the idea behind this, to get excited about summer travel and to promote the carrier’s premium seating options. However, the execution feels a bit cheap to me, given the size of Alaska’s network.
What do you make of Alaska’s “upgrade unlocked” promotion?
I thought if you are a high status member you would get an upgrade anyway
Alaska is my favorite airline and go-to frequent flyer program ... but this is a sad joke. One a day - systemwide - and not even to first class. What are they smoking in Seattle?
I'm in Seattle and I feel like we've got some pretty good shit, but I too want to know what they're smoking. And where they got it.
I think I've booked saver tickets that gave me a seat in premium class once
Not one per flight? One per day, across all flights?
And not to first class? An "upgrade" to extra legroom economy?
It's sad.
Read headline.
Thought “It must mean one per plane”
It didn’t mean one per plane.
One „upgrade“ per day is pretty cheap. One upgrade per plane would still be cheap, but not as cheap.
honestly, being changed from a window seat in economy to a middle seat in premium class is a downgrade to me.
Instead of fixing their broken IT and delivering on its promise of fully crediting new partners booked on their site such as PD, AS spins this random bull, wasting everyone's time.
Cheapest airline promo ever lmao
Hmm. Like getting a beverage upgrade at Mickey D's when they're out of small cups.
Stupid. Also their marketing spin is ridiculous. MileagePlan is a shell of its former self. Switching to DL.
Don't switch to DL.
If you think their marketing is ridiculous, they didn't even hire Tom Brady.
Got upgraded to Premium Class on Tuesday after being rebooked due to misconnecting. There was a mother and toddler sitting next me, Mom definately wasn't a buissiness traveler, she remarked how much she missed flying alone and how it was the first time her kid had flown with just her and not also Daddy. So I assume they were also given a free upgrade.
I hand't flown Alaska before (except in the 90s when I...
Got upgraded to Premium Class on Tuesday after being rebooked due to misconnecting. There was a mother and toddler sitting next me, Mom definately wasn't a buissiness traveler, she remarked how much she missed flying alone and how it was the first time her kid had flown with just her and not also Daddy. So I assume they were also given a free upgrade.
I hand't flown Alaska before (except in the 90s when I five). Buying basic economy tickets has gotten me my fare share of Economy Plus, Comfort+, Main Cabin Extra seats over the years. I will say that I think Alaska's regular economy has more legroom than all other US airlines, which along with Mileage Plan being so valuable would make be book them over other airlines.
Too much stereotype?
You know who else flies coach, business traveler.
You know who else flies premium, anyone with money.
So the if husband doesn't fly she don't belong? That's sexist.
What a joke. These airlines continue to think we’re stupid or something.