Jul 6, 2017, 8:16 am
Last edit by: rustykettel
Link to Official AS Blog Post
Major points from this thread and from missydarlin:
Link to share your feedback with Alaska Airlines:
https://www.alaskaair.com/feedback
Discussion in the American Airlines forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...an-2018-a.html
Major points from this thread and from missydarlin:
- Effective Jan 1, 2018, domestic AA-marketed flights will not earn any Mileage Plan miles. AS-marketed, AA-operated codeshares will continue to earn AS miles at the AS earning rate (ie a minimum of one mile earned per mile flown). Domestic flights marketed by other partners (eg BA) and operated by AA will no longer earn AS miles. Post-Jan 1 flights booked prior to Jul 6, 2017 may be submitted for mileage credit.
- International AA flights (including US-Canada and US-Mexico) will continue to earn AS miles. Domestic AA flights which connect to international flights will not earn miles. It will remain impossible to book international AA-operated flights through Alaska to get an AS codeshare or an AS-operated domestic feeder flight.
- Reciprocal elite status benefits (waived checked bag fees, preferred/MCE seat assignments, priority boarding) between AA and AS go away Jan 1, 2018. Seat assignments made prior to Jan 1 for post-Jan 1 flights will remain.
- The reciprocal lounge access arrangment between AA and AS will not change.
- AA will remain a mileage redemption partner of AS with only relatively minor tweaks to the award chart (some increases, some decreases).
Link to share your feedback with Alaska Airlines:
https://www.alaskaair.com/feedback
Discussion in the American Airlines forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...an-2018-a.html
AS and AA Partnership Changes (Effective 1 January 2018)
Jul 6, 2017, 8:35 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,578
DL is a fine airline operationally but their FF program leaves a lot to be desired.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:39 am
#17
Moderator, Delta Skymiles and Mileage Run
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Seat 2A
Programs: DL Diamond/MM, Hyatt Diamond, former AS MVPG 75K, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,940
That is the biggest challenge I have as well with the FF program. But anymore, I need to get from A-B in a timely manner. I typically pay for business/first class fares, so DL by far has the best value in the premium cabin compared to AA/UA. This only cements my decision that moving back to DL diamond was the right choice.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:40 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,578
Wasn't the problem with the AS program for those not based in AS strongholds that you would need too many carriers on an award ticket when the domestic connecting segments were counted?
It's surprising as many people expected AS and AA to get closed after the divorce of DL and AS (and later DL's refusal to interline with AA). However, with AS breaking up with DL and now AA, could it be that the problem wasn't so much that DL doesn't play well with others but perhaps that AS has problems maintaining relationships with bigger and stronger airlines?
It's surprising as many people expected AS and AA to get closed after the divorce of DL and AS (and later DL's refusal to interline with AA). However, with AS breaking up with DL and now AA, could it be that the problem wasn't so much that DL doesn't play well with others but perhaps that AS has problems maintaining relationships with bigger and stronger airlines?
On the surface I tend to think it is the larger airlines who are doing this to supress a smaller airlines growth. Again no evidence of this either.
Last edited by apodo77; Jul 6, 2017 at 8:59 am
Jul 6, 2017, 8:41 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,039
Though disappointing, I don't really find this surprising at all. The trend in US airlines is pretty well established at this point and that trend ain't up...
Regards
Jul 6, 2017, 8:43 am
#20
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Upper Left Corner of the Map
Programs: AS MVPG & Board Room, Marriott Silver, Global Entry
Posts: 2,203
It's surprising as many people expected AS and AA to get closed after the divorce of DL and AS (and later DL's refusal to interline with AA). However, with AS breaking up with DL and now AA, could it be that the problem wasn't so much that DL doesn't play well with others but perhaps that AS has problems maintaining relationships with bigger and stronger airlines?
Jul 6, 2017, 8:47 am
#21
Join Date: Sep 2001
Programs: Alaska Tanzanite 100K
Posts: 3,858
ouch. this is going to seriously hurt me.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:52 am
#22
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SIN
Posts: 1,098
The new redemption rates do suck, but the increments seem to be in the spirit of bringing it more in line with AA's own redemption charts.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:53 am
#23
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,030
I have some real mixed feelings on this. On one hand I hate losing options, yet being based in the PNW I almost never fly AA. On the positive side this may really thin the ranks of elites who don't fly AS much or simply use AS as a mileage bank.
For anyone in or who connects through an AS hub, is west coast based, or who already flies AS/VX I don't see this having a huge impact.
For anyone in or who connects through an AS hub, is west coast based, or who already flies AS/VX I don't see this having a huge impact.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:54 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,633
I was going to let my AS credit card renew one more time this year, but not anymore. I will cancel it as soon as I spend my current companion fare, and then apply for the DL reserve card.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:56 am
#25
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, AC SE
Posts: 346
Is there a current list of codeshare flights somewhere?
Although, without any hard data, it often seems like the price for the AS codeshare is higher than the AA coded price.
Although, without any hard data, it often seems like the price for the AS codeshare is higher than the AA coded price.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:58 am
#26
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,578
+1, though i would say that folks in San Diego, PDX, and ANC are still on the up and up as well. Still, this is an enormous blow to the competitiveness of the AS program. Unfortunately, it's going to result in further swelling of the DL elite ranks, which are already hyper-bloated.
I was going to let my AS credit card renew one more time this year, but not anymore. I will cancel it as soon as I spend my current companion fare, and then apply for the DL reserve card.
I was going to let my AS credit card renew one more time this year, but not anymore. I will cancel it as soon as I spend my current companion fare, and then apply for the DL reserve card.
As a PLAT based in PBI and connecting via ATL I am about 6 complimentary upgrades in 68 segments.
It's brutal and not sure it will improve much as a Diamond based on where I travel to.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:58 am
#27
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,396
Hey AS refugees, please don't come over to DL. We already have too many elites and too many with lounge access. Move to AA instead; I'm told that people really like EXP.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:59 am
#28
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,950
Ouch. This makes Mileage Plan no longer viable as a primary program for those of us based outside the west coast. I guess that's probably the idea: AA would rather have me, as a PHL-based flyer, credit to AA and only use AS when I'm going to places I can't get on AA alone, and the way the partnership will now be structured, I'll be able to do that. Instead, I've been doing the reverse: crediting everything to AS and using AS whenever possible (which is a fair fraction of my trips) and using AA only when I'm not flying to the Northwest/west coast. That's worked very well for me for a few years now. AS probably sees it the same way: they'd rather have AA loyalists based in the Northwest use AS as their primary program. The flip side is that this change is as likely to drive SEA-based AA loyalists (if there are any) to DL as to AS.
Fortunately, I personally will be moving to the Northwest before the end of the year, so I won't be forced to go back to AAdvantage.
Fortunately, I personally will be moving to the Northwest before the end of the year, so I won't be forced to go back to AAdvantage.
Jul 6, 2017, 9:07 am
#29
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: PBI
Programs: AS MVP 75K, DL PM
Posts: 248
In the same boat, however I still try to credit any flight to Alaska whenever possible as their award miles are infinitely more valuable than any of the big 3 FF programs.
Jul 6, 2017, 9:09 am
#30
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,251
Based in AK and as a 75K and 1MM on AS, this still has an impact. There will be cases where I choose to fly different carriers based on price. AS has been great for me, but I will be shopping more and (probably) using other carriers. I suspect this will be more the case for people with low or no status. Price will beat everything else and AS is quite often much higher priced than others.
AA & DL fly places I have to go to and back of the bus middle seat is not an attractive option.......They both fly from ANC with some frequency that I can use and I will pay a bit more to fly them in a comfortable seat, closer to the front of the plane.
And the AC & BR tie in staying in place does nothing for me. It may be good for others.
AA & DL fly places I have to go to and back of the bus middle seat is not an attractive option.......They both fly from ANC with some frequency that I can use and I will pay a bit more to fly them in a comfortable seat, closer to the front of the plane.
And the AC & BR tie in staying in place does nothing for me. It may be good for others.