Alaska Mileage Plan is one of the all around best frequent flyer programs there is for a variety of reasons: -- They still award miles based on distance flown rather than dollars spent -- They allow you to cancel your paid tickets for free, and add the entire ticket value to your "travel bank" towards…
Continue reading: Alaska Airlines Updates Their Companion Upgrade Policy
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I already thought that was the policy. My wife would have been rather upset if I had upgraded anyone cute in the gate area besides her.
Not terribly surprising that they're changing this, and it's not really an unfair change, all things considered. The changes to first class are interesting, though!
This actually hurts pretty bad for me. I used to book my mom on her own itinerary and immediately upgrade her to first class using a guest upgrade. Then my dad and I would be on our own itinerary and hope for upgrades to clear before the flight (MVP 75k). It sounds like I won't be able to do that anymore.
I was told you could have a max of two people on an itinerary to get on the upgrade list even if one was already booked into first class.
@Eric - as far as I can tell, you'd continue to do the same thing. This appears (per the Flyertalk thread, if I'm reading it right) to only affect *companion* upgrades - since you're using guest upgrades for the separate itinerary, you'd continue to do that.
Ben quick note,
Alaska is only eliminating a row of first class on their -800s, -900s will retain their 4 rows of first class.
Lucky, Isn't that you have to first pay$125 to cancel the flight and then apply credit into the "travel bank"?
@ Sean -- Nope, if you're MVP Gold or above you can deposit the ticket value into your travel bank at no cost.
Glad to see they're updating their poor hard product, but 41" pitch in domestic F is still a full *two feet* less than the VX F they're taking over. I suppose it will be "industry leading" when they retire VX's superior fleet.
Always worry a little when airlines announce changes. Not sure if the enhanced leg room first class will be a good thing or not, especially if they eliminate free upgrades. Will need to wait and see. Really, for me on a shorter flight say 4 hours or less, its not the legroom that matters, rather its the free meal, drinks and better access to a bathroom that makes the difference.
I was sure that you previously could only upgrade a companion on the same record locator, or at least as a MVP gold back in 2002, I remember being told that.
Last week, when boarding in Anchorage, I was told that, starting in 2017 my roll-aboard would not qualify as a carry-on on Alaska Airlines. Looking at the new dimensions, it seems they are reducing allowed volume by 33%. I'm not happy at all about this.
I don't believe that considering they have been adding space bins and on flights with them I see no carry on problems.
Not a big surprise re: change in policy. The increase in First Class pitch and the introduction of a premium economy section sounds like they're listening to and learning from Virgin America and their customers . . .