Rock72

Hi Everyone,

I currently live in Southern California. I mostly fly AA (American) and for hotels stay at SPG properties. So for credit cards, I primarily use my SPG AMEX + Citibank AA (American).

However, I am moving to Seattle next month. I have never really traveled to Seattle much before and the few times I did travel up to Seattle, I just had them put my Alaska Airlines miles on my AA (American) account.

I don't travel much and probably will only travel from SEA to LAX or SF maybe 4-5 times/year. I don't think I will travel enough to qualify for MVP status, etc.

Should I continue to just fly Alaska but put my miles on American?

Or should I get an Alaska Airlines credit card and put all my Alaska flight miles into an actual Alaska Airlines mileage plan account? I am thinking of doing this also because of the annual companion pass and using that to fly out to Hawaii every year.

Anyone have any sage advice?

Tony10s

If you can't see yourself getting to MVP (20k)
Stick with AA ( American ) because at least you will get free bags on Alaska if you maintain your elite status with AA (American )

CC. its a great deal
So why not?
I believe those miles, using the Companion
Cert can still be credited to AA
( the cert is thru BofA )

Eastbay1K

If you charge your AS tickets to your AS Visa, you'll get 1000 bonus per ticket, and if you book them as one ways, that means 1000 bonus in each direction, which means 5x2x1000 = 10K bonus miles for 5 RTs. Note - if using the companion ticket, that won't work because you need to book the RT at once. (You can use the companion ticket for a OW fare, but that won't get you home!)

If you end up with low tier AS status, it will give you some perks on both DL and AA, as opposed to your AA status just giving you some perks on AS. However, you will lose your Oneworld Quartz status (or whatever not really valuable gem their lowest tier is called).

dave1013

I'm thinking feldspar. Or perhaps schist.

kenbo

If you're estimating only 4-5 flights a year, I'd say fly Alaska and put the miles on your AA account. You'd be starting from scratch with a new mileage plan.

jackal

Go wash your mouth out with soapstone! Faulty attempt to get around the FlyerTalk swear word censor. I'll be gneiss and not suspend you this time.

NewGirl

I'm in the same predicament, but with only 100k AA miles. Stay with AA or switch to AS?

Also, do you get MVP status for only flying 20k miles? What about if you earn the miles through the card?

dgreen12

20k AS-only miles or 25k AS+partner miles for MVP status.

Credit card miles don't count for status.