Alaska’s takeover of Virgin America closed last December, though for now the airlines are still operating separately. While both airlines were strong on the west coast prior to the merger, that’s where their similarities end — the airlines have different fleets, different onboard products, different frequent flyer programs, etc.
Continue reading: Virgin America Flights Will Get Alaska Flight Numbers As Of April 25, 2018
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Since Alaska elite members are currently eligible for complementary first-class upgrades on Alaska-operated flights but not on Virgin-operated flights, I try to select only Alaska-operated ones.
While it'll certainly be smoother operationally to combine the flight numbering, unless that upgrade policy changes, it'll make it more difficult to select the flights where you have a shot at an upgrade.
It's been semi known for a while. If you've been searching on VX's website for the past few months it has posted the message of how they're "finalizing their scheduling with AS" past April. The latest revelation was just an official confirmation instead of just inferred knowledge.
@Andy : depends on your routing too. Would you purposely pick LAS-SEA-JFK over the LAS-JFK nonstop just for a chance of upgrade ?
@henry LAX - Fair enough, there are certainly cases where other factors are more important than upgrade eligibility.
My point was only a heads-up that it's slightly more opaque to make that determination: previously the Alaska/Virgin logos displayed next to each flight in the search results; now you have to drill into the flight details to determine whether the aircraft is Boeing or Airbus.
Does it mean we could finally utilize Virgin America flights with Alaska MileagePlan Partner award?
Like LAX-JFK on VA then JFK-KEF on Iceland on the same award?
The vx website marks April 24 as the last day you can book directly with virinamerica.com. They direct you to AS website for travel beyond that.
My dream was to one day fly Virgin! Though I don't have much flexibility to fly transcontinental (I live In Orlando) in the next few years. Oh well, looks like I'll have to buy an expensive international ticket if I want to fly Virgin.
To me the biggest problem with AS is their award system. If you and someone else both want to fly in a premium cabin on AS or any of their partners, they only allow one premium award seat at the advertised award chart level. They immediately raise the award rate to 120K+ RT pp.
If you book one flight at the advertised at 50K (65 for AA) the second will cost 120K+, for a total of 170K points for two people RT. Minimum.
What a shame to lose the spacious first class space. Foot rests and mega-decline as well. Alaska buys an airline that is a gem - loved by its loyal flyers - and then dumbs it down. No seat-back entertainment? That's back to the dark ages. I hope they offer a better first class product for trans-continental flights. They won't be able to compete with the terrific seating and service on United and Delta (I don't fly American but I assume they have the same upgraded product on coast-to-coast.
So this is the last flight then? Or like, day of last flights? Or does a "final flight" only become official when the operating certificates are combined? I wanted to book the last Virgin flight but idk if this is it or if they'll hold a celebratory one that's going to be the legit last one . . .