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Answers (5)

Alaska miles actually are more expensive than Delta miles?

Alaska miles actually are more expensive than Delta miles?

  1. JZip New Member

    I have been a Delta DM for a few years now but given the constant change in their FF program I am seriously considering a change to Alaska. I requested and received 75K status so that is a start. But then I started to run some numbers on miles earned, the value on those FF miles and flight costs out of Seattle my home port.

    Unless my math is off, Delta is almost 50% cheaper when earning miles the old fashioned way actually paying for tickets.
    [ATTACH=full]60[/ATTACH]

    Can anyone find any flaws in this math. I travel domestically approx 40 weeks a year and Alaska has been consistently more expensive to boot! My first three trips this year have been booked on Delta due to fare price.

    Thoughts??

    Edit: Even considering AK award flights are typically 50% less than DL, the value still tilts towards DL

  2. David W Community Ambassador

    I dont think the 2788 butt in seat miles are earned as redeemable miles on Delta, theyre only MQMs, which aren’t the same as redeemable, but please correct me if I’m wrong.

    If the ticket on Delta is $382, based on myassumptions you’d earn $382×11, plus 382×2 if you paid using a Delta CC – meaning 4966 miles. Actually it might be less, if the $382 includes taxes. I believe Delta awards redeemable miles based on the base fare, before taxes.

    Furthermore, in terms of value of the miles, also consider what you could do with the miles. Being that Delta doesnt have an international first class product, their miles cannot be redeemed for first class awards on partners, only up to business class. Alaska has a variety of partners where you can redeem both business and first class awards, with stopovers. The only big restriction being that most of their awards must have travel that originates or terminates in North America.

    I think you really need to think about what you would like to do with your miles before finalizing a jump to a different FF program

  3. Gaurav Community Ambassador

    [USER=29]@David W[/USER] has the right mileage calculations for DL. I’m not sure your AS calculations are accurate either. AS awards 125% [U]bonus[/U] miles to 75k fliers so you will earn

    474.3 x 3 + 2944 x 2.25 = 8048 miles

  4. JZip New Member

    [QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 11416, member: 79″][USER=29]@David W[/USER] has the right mileage calculations for DL. I’m not sure your AS calculations are accurate either. AS awards 125% [U]bonus[/U] miles to 75k fliers so you will earn

    474.3 x 3 + 2944 x 2.25 = 8048 miles[/QUOTE]

    I did include the taxes in the calculation, but that was just laziness since it wouldn’t have much net effect.

    However, is that AS multiplier accurate?? The the 125% mileage bonus is actually:
    2944 X 2.25 = 6624
    NOT
    2944 x 1.25 = 3680

    If that is correct then that changes the calculus dramatically in AS favor.

  5. Gaurav Community Ambassador

    Correct. The latter is just a 25% bonus.

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