Alaska Mileage Plan has just launched a unique promotion, offering elite status if you fly to Auckland or Sydney. This is a pretty smart way for Alaska to leverage its loyalty program to increase business for newly acquired Hawaiian.
In this post:
Alaska Mileage Plan incentivizing AKL & SYD flights
The Alaska Mileage Plan program is offering MVP elite status if you fly between the continental United States (including Alaska) and Sydney or Auckland. As you’d expect, there are some terms to be aware of:
- You must travel by December 31, 2025
- Status will be awarded as soon as a member completes a flight, and status is valid through December 31, 2026
- You must fly Hawaiian Airlines on the long haul sector, on the carrier’s routes between Honolulu (HNL) and Auckland (AKL) or Sydney (SYD); your flight between the continental US and Honolulu can be on Alaska or Hawaiian (but not on another airline)
- Those who already have MVP status won’t receive higher status if they complete this offer
Hawaiian flies to Sydney five times weekly year-round, and to Auckland three times weekly seasonally (through April 30, and starting again on November 16). Hawaiian operates these flights with Airbus A330s, featuring Starlink Wi-Fi.
This is why Alaska took over Hawaiian, sort of
No, Alaska didn’t specifically take over Hawaiian in order to offer elite status to those flying the carrier to Auckland or Sydney. However, for years, Hawaiian was losing money, and it seems the airline didn’t really tap into how the appeal of Hawaii could bolster its own loyalty program.
What’s interesting is that when Alaska acquired Hawaiian, the airline expected better financial results for the carrier almost immediately, and that partly comes down to Alaska leveraging the popularity of Hawaii with its loyalty program, plus leveraging Hawaiian’s long haul network for one-stop service.
We’re seeing Alaska Air Group start to shift the long haul network from Honolulu to Seattle, as the airline hopes to launch 12 long haul routes from Seattle by 2030. In the meantime, it seems smart for Alaska to increasingly incentivize long haul travel on Hawaiian.
It’s not like there’s all that much cost to giving out MVP status, and for that matter, it’ll make a customer more loyal, if anything.
Bottom line
Alaska Mileage Plan is offering elite status to members who fly to Auckland or Sydney on Hawaiian, connecting from the continental United States. This is a creative promotion that’s clearly intended to leverage the loyalty program to improve Hawaiian’s yields. I’m not sure how much incremental business this will generate, but it seems like a logical promotion.
Are you taking advantage of this Alaska Mileage Plan promotion?
Lousy Deal.....
1. HA airfares are ridiculously expensive to Australia and New Zealand.
2. AS cut back more than 80% of flights to Hawaii operated by AS metal.
3. Hawaiian Airlines upgrade program totally sucks for AS elite members (You cannot get premium economy at time of booking, Upgrades are only to premium economy, System wide upgrades (only 2/yr) are released only 72 hours before departure.... You cannot get upgraded J class...
Lousy Deal.....
1. HA airfares are ridiculously expensive to Australia and New Zealand.
2. AS cut back more than 80% of flights to Hawaii operated by AS metal.
3. Hawaiian Airlines upgrade program totally sucks for AS elite members (You cannot get premium economy at time of booking, Upgrades are only to premium economy, System wide upgrades (only 2/yr) are released only 72 hours before departure.... You cannot get upgraded J class if on a paid economy ticket.....
The inconvenience and cost structure of fares through Hawaii just does NOT make sense.
Until there is a more favorable reciprocal arrangement for AS Elites, they are not going to significantly increase traffic on HA operated flights to/from Mainland USA and to South Pacific
They need to stimulate demand somehow. Most Australians (except for red neck fascists in states such as Queensland) have zero intention of visiting Trumpland anytime soon, unless forced to for work.
Give me MVP Gold for a trip in J and maybe I'll consider it.
Does a OW fare qualify?
I can’t find any fares using AS or HA between SFO and AKL using Alaskaair.com or google flights.
First, I'll never opt for their a330 with 2-2-2 J setup. Second, I would need to fly home-???-HNL-AKL/SYD. In most all cases ??? offers a n/s to AKL and SYD, with SEA being the exception. Why do that extra leg? Third, I assume I'd lose a day in HNL. I value a day in AKL or SYD much more than a day in HNL, particularly a transit day.
And, in addition to the status offer, makes clear they are more than just “Most West Coast” and reaching Australia & New Zealand and more and more Asia. It’s an attention grabber where attention is needed. Imagining Asia will be next. Most going West from the West Coast.
Could this be combined with the getaways promotion? And does it apply to award flights
Read the link in the article to the T&Cs. Not valid with saver fares or award tickets.
This makes sense. The loads on these flights were super light for AKL and SYD.
Alaska seems to be making some very smart moves to better optimize Hawaiian.
I flew HA from HNL-AKL this past Christmas and the flights were pretty full both ways. :) I imagine not as full outside of those 2-3 weeks, though.
People need to stop using anecdotal evidence to say flights are full or not. You're flying at most a few times on this route, when there are hundreds of flights in a year. You are getting a random sample that reflects less than a single percent of the total volume.
The data is out there and the loads are very poor. The loads are averaging 50 to 60%. The whole reason they are doing this promo is to stimulate demand because it's currently low.