Programs: AAdvantage Gold 1MM, United Premier Executive
Posts: 65
Aadvantage or Alaska?
I fly a lot on Alaska, but last year I kept putting my Aadvantage number in. New year, new start, I've got my first set of flights tomorrow. So do I try for MVP or stick with Aadvantage? I don't see the benefits of MVP over AAdvantage, but I figure the folks in this forum would know.
Oh, and I was Aadvantage Gold last year, but didn't requalify for this year.
I fly a lot on Alaska, but last year I kept putting my Aadvantage number in. New year, new start, I've got my first set of flights tomorrow. So do I try for MVP or stick with Aadvantage? I don't see the benefits of MVP over AAdvantage, but I figure the folks in this forum would know.
Oh, and I was Aadvantage Gold last year, but didn't requalify for this year.
Thanks!
Advantages of AS over AA:
If you normally fly more than 25,000 miles a year, you get a 50% mileage bonus on AS for MVP vs. 25% on AA for Gold. Also, if you fly AS more than you fly AA, you'll be able to get upgraded to First... and as you probably know AA's upgrade policy for Golds is fairly weak.
You gain the ability to use NW/DL for EQMs and CO for RDMs. That means if you're a price-conscious traveler you have a few more options when you're looking to buy a ticket. The same goes for award tickets, you get additional options for redemption (including KLM/Air France, and Korean Air).
You can fly BA out of the US and still earn/use miles. If you're with AA you can only earn or use miles on BA through Canada or Mexico, which means there's greater award availability on BA via AS than AA.
A *great* credit card program, especially if you frequently fly with a companion. The $50 companion coupon is good for any type of fare, so for instance you could buy a first class ticket to Hawaii and add a companion for $50 plus tax. IMO it's a HUGE advantage over other FF programs.
Disadvantages:
With AS you can't use multiple partners for award tickets. For instance, if you're flying to Berlin, you can't fly Alaska to ORD, AA to LHR and BA to TXL. You'd either have to fly the entire trip on BA, or fly AS to somewhere that BA flies (SFO, YVR, SEA, etc) and then fly BA to LHR and then on to JFK. With AA you can use a different partner on each leg of your trip if you so choose, which can be handy when there is limited flight availability.
With AS you have to pay a fuel charge for BA award tickets, AA doesn't have to pass on the fuel charge. AA has enough muscle to prevent BA from passing its fuel surcharge to AA customers, AS was forced to do so by BA this fall. BA assesses this surcharge on its own customers, so this isn't a case of Alaska being greedy, just a case of AA being able to dictate terms to some degree. The surcharge can be pretty expensive, so if you regularly fly BA for award travel, it might be worth sticking with AA.
I made the switch from AA to AS and have been quite happy with my choice, however know more about your individual flying patterns will help people here be able to help you make your decision.
Programs: AS MVPG, SPG Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 684
Don't forget minimum mileage!
Don't forget that AA doesn't give 500 miles minimum. Flying out of FAT on AA will cost you since you have to fly to LAX to connect. Even if that doesn't apply to you as an AAdvantage Gold, it's still b.s and shouldn't be supported especially for short (expensive) flights.
Programs: AA Gold, AS MVP, Platinum SPG, Platinum Hyatt, Silver Marriott, Avis First
Posts: 78
Do you find an any restrictions in getting award fares using companion airlines?
I'm in a similar position as the OP. I'm AA Gold this year - but I will be almost exclusively flying AS metal for the next 6 months to and from SJC - SEA. I was thinking about switching to Alaska, but I liked that AA had many more routes. I don't know where I'll be after June, so I don't want to put all my apples in one basket. My logic was: "I'll get status with a bigger airline that'll give me better options for future travel, as well as award travel options."
What do you think? Better to stick with AA or jump ships to AS?
Hmm as AA gold dont you have to buy certain fares in order to be able to upgrade PLUS pay $30 per 500 miles or something like that? With AS MVP can be upgraded at 48 hours if seats are available for upgrade, on any fare at alaskaair.com from hot deals to full flex. There are a few exceptions like awards and the AS25
Hmm as AA gold dont you have to buy certain fares in order to be able to upgrade PLUS pay $30 per 500 miles or something like that? With AS MVP can be upgraded at 48 hours if seats are available for upgrade, on any fare at alaskaair.com from hot deals to full flex. There are a few exceptions like awards and the AS25
As an AA Gold you get 4x500 electronic upgrade coupons for every 10,000 miles you fly. If you fly from PDX-ORD you have to use 4 coupons to upgrade in one direction. If you fly less than 50,000 a year (which you would, if you were Gold), you get something like 2 round trip mid-con upgrades per year. As far as upgrades are concerned, much, much worse than what you get for MVP.
ederemer:
It depends on how frequently you'll be flying between SEA and SJC, if you're flying 4 times a month over the next 6 months, I'd imagine having a shot at sitting up front every flight would make the switch worthwhile. If you're only doing it once a month, maybe it's not worth it. Others can speak to how difficult it is to get access to partner awards, though in theory at least the inability to combine partners makes redemption a bit trickier.
Do you find an any restrictions in getting award fares using companion airlines?
I'm in a similar position as the OP. I'm AA Gold this year - but I will be almost exclusively flying AS metal for the next 6 months to and from SJC - SEA. I was thinking about switching to Alaska, but I liked that AA had many more routes. I don't know where I'll be after June, so I don't want to put all my apples in one basket. My logic was: "I'll get status with a bigger airline that'll give me better options for future travel, as well as award travel options."
What do you think? Better to stick with AA or jump ships to AS?
Thanks!
For what it's worth, I'm nearly 100% on upgrades on SEA-SJC and I'm on that route 5 or 6 roundtrips a year, some years more. That being said, I avoid peak travel times (early Monday and early evening Friday) to improve my chances for an upgrade. I was worried that the smaller aircraft (400s mostly) would reduce my chances, but it hasn't been a problem so far.
Programs: AA Gold, AS MVP, Platinum SPG, Platinum Hyatt, Silver Marriott, Avis First
Posts: 78
Quote:
Originally Posted by doog
ederemer:
It depends on how frequently you'll be flying between SEA and SJC, if you're flying 4 times a month over the next 6 months, I'd imagine having a shot at sitting up front every flight would make the switch worthwhile. If you're only doing it once a month, maybe it's not worth it. Others can speak to how difficult it is to get access to partner awards, though in theory at least the inability to combine partners makes redemption a bit trickier.
I'm flying everyweek back and forth.
I think a good compromise will be to try and get status matched to MVP from AA Gold. I think that may preclude me from re-qualifying for AA Gold next year (or making Plat this year)... which is a major downside in my opinion. But then again I will get a 50% miles bonus on AS instead of 25% on AA right? Gosh... decisions decisions! Thanks for the help!
Programs: AAdvantage Gold 1MM, United Premier Executive
Posts: 65
Thanks for the replies
I think the main thing I left out is that I frequently am on the FAT-SEA flight -- which is Alaska metal but has no first class seats. So the automatic Alaska upgrades aren't quite as valuable to me.
I end up going to the East Coast a few times a year, much more frequently to SEA or YVR.
I think overall for this pattern the Aadvantage program is better -- although the credit card program Alaska has seems pretty great. I have an Aadvantage Business card so I get bonus miles (2 miles per dollar) when I book through AA's website, but Alaska's site often is much discounted over the same flights on AA's site, so getting an Alaska credit card seems like a good idea.
I'm also about 25,000 miles short of the million mile mark on American, so I'm thinking I hit that first, get permanent Gold status, then switch.
I think a good compromise will be to try and get status matched to MVP from AA Gold. I think that may preclude me from re-qualifying for AA Gold next year (or making Plat this year)... which is a major downside in my opinion. But then again I will get a 50% miles bonus on AS instead of 25% on AA right? Gosh... decisions decisions! Thanks for the help!
I'd seriously consider switching to AS for flying if you're flying once a week for the next six months. SJC-SEA is 697 miles each way, if you fly a round trip once a week for 26 weeks you'll fly 36,244 miles, which means you'll be less than 4,000 miles away from MVPG (you only have to fly 40,000 miles if you fly them all on AS metal). You'll have a decent chance at getting upgraded to F (vs. no chance if you stick with AA) and you'll gain an additional 9,000 miles (based on MVPs getting a 50% mileage bonus vs. the 25% AA Golds get). If you pay for your own air travel, you could also get an extra 26,000 miles by picking up the AS credit card (you get 1,000 miles every time you book an AS flight on their website using the credit card).
In sum, it seems like you'd be MUCH happier over the next six months switching to AS, if I were you I'd make the switch.
If you pay for your own air travel, you could also get an extra 26,000 miles by picking up the AS credit card (you get 1,000 miles every time you book an AS flight on their website using the credit card).
And, if you want to double those bonuses, you can book each segment separately. You do risk doubling your fees, though, if you need to make changes to both legs of the itinerary.
