Alaska Airlines will be joining the oneworld alliance as of March 31, 2021. Ahead of that, the airline has announced adjustments to mileage earning and fare classes.
Continue reading: Alaska Airlines Adjusts Mileage Earning & Fare Classes
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I presume that the domestic leg on AS in an international business class award can now be in AS first class. That'd be a significant improvement.
Has everyone received this year’s status credit for Jan-Apr 2020 flights credited to Mileage plan as promised? I see some entries but only for 2 sectors instead of 5. Anyone has similar issues?
"For example, a one-way Seattle to Los Angeles Alaska Airlines first class award will go from costing 30,000 Avios, to costing 15,000 Avios."
I think you are using the old British Airways award chart, which changed around May 2019. I think the numbers should be 33,000 to 16,500. Still great news.
@peter ......yes I got my credits from last year jan to March or April I forget .....yes they did post ......not sure if there going by elite status 1st as I’m 75 mvp
Will these changes apply to already purchased tickets? I’ve purchased some I class tickets for the fall. Doesn’t seem right to change my earnings after I’ve purchased the tickets.
@Tony When I use AS miles for International business class award, I always gets AS domestic First class as long as there is AS first class award seat (U Class) available.
@ buschoi says:
"@Tony When I use AS miles for International business class award, I always gets AS domestic First class as long as there is AS first class award seat (U Class) available."
U class (when available) is used for AS upgrades, either by purchasing an eligible fare for your status or attaching a Gold Guest Upgrade Certificate (immediate, at time of booking) or complimentary upgrades (all fares except Saver) when the window opens for your status. EQM earnings are always based on the underlying fare purchased.
For awards, there needs to be Saver A (First class award availability at the Saver level) to combine with a Partner F/J redemption to fly in F on the AS segment(s). They are also not limited to domestic. You could, for example, fly AS in F to YVR to connect to KE, JL, CX, QF, BA, etc.
James
"I am in the same boat having booked SEA/Heathrow/SEA."
These changes are for earning EQM/RDM on Alaska Medal Flights. Your itinerary, likely BA, will not be affected by these changes and will still earn EQM/RDM according to the Partner chart.
James
I'm not as optimistic for cheap economy tickets. I expect they will align more with AA, otherwise AA may find even more folks moving to Alaska loyalty program. (Esp. since elite flyers will have similar benefits on both sides.)
Not to be a negative Nellie, but why do I get the feeling this maybe the beginning of the end. The fact that first class tickets will now be cheaper when using Avios brings me no joy. That just reduces the chances of an upgrade for me as a lowly Alaska Gold. Will there be a corresponding savings on British Airways first class seats when I am using Alaska Miles? Doubtful.
My chances of scoring what used to be a pretty sure bet upgrade seem to be getting slimmer and slimmer as Alaska's partnership with America moves forward and the One World integration begins. Time to rethink Alaska status?
It's always time to rethink status. With airlines bleeding the way they are and needing your business, do what's best for you, including not chasing status at all. Even before COVID, I stopped chasing loyalty at all for airlines or hotels, I just bought the best fare that fit my schedule, and kept a couple of credit cards open that gave me free bags. When I wanted to fly up front, I bought that. For me (someone doing in the range of low-mid tier status qualification if I do it all on one airline), I think I came out ahead financially.
At this point, most miles aren't earned by flying, so if it's the redemption side you're worried about, those signup bonuses are still looking ok. And if it's elite benefits, is any program particularly special?
FWIW, even with my approach, being SFO based I mostly ended up flying Alaska and Delta, with I think an American and United segment or two sprinkled in.
Honestly, I'm really (pleasantly!) surprised that they didn't gut Saver fares to 25% earning.
It's probably coming eventually, but at least not now...
I think this is all in preparation for an eventual AA-AS merger down the road. Joining OW, the fare class adjustments, introducing a higher elite tier, etc. I’m guessing AA will be the surviving name, but it’ll be interesting to see which will be the dominating culture. What does everyone else think?
Any idea whether these changes will finally enable you to book Alaska flights using British Airways Avios on the BA website instead of being on the forever-phone-hold?