Jul 6, 2017, 11:31 am
Last edit by: stheller
AA and Alaska Airlines Reduce Partnership Perks Effective 1 Jan 2018
See article by Gary Leff on July 6, 2017 (link)
Effective January 1 2018:
- AA will only allow EQM-EQS-EQD (and presumably award miles) on American Airlines marketed ("codeshare") flights operated by Alaska Airlines (AS marketed flights will not accrue AA EQM-EQS-EQD)
- "American Airlines elite frequent flyers will no longer receive travel benefits — such as priority check-in, priority boarding, access to preferred seats, and free checked bags — on Alaska Airlines." (Gary Leff)
Some current partnership benefits will continue:
- AAdvantage awards using AS flights will still be allowed.
- Admirals Club members will continue to have Alaska Lounge (formerly Board Room) access with same day travel on an AA or AS marketed and operated flight.
AA and Alaska End Major Partnership Aspects 1 Jan 2018
Jul 6, 2017, 9:24 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Just bought an AS flight a couple of days ago with the intent to apply to AA (good EQD ratio). This is in May of next year. Pretty sure that they will *not* make an exception for flights purchased before the announcement, but certainly something worth pushing.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Jul 6, 2017, 9:35 am
#20
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Location: Bye Delta
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Bummer. No real good way to reach many places in Montana (MSO, FCA, HLN) now as an AA customer.
Jul 6, 2017, 9:38 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Providence RI
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Posts: 988
This might push me and Mrs. Smallest State to another alliance. The only way to look at this is a(nother) downgrade in offerings to the elite members of AA.
Bad news.
Bad news.
Jul 6, 2017, 9:45 am
#23
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
Jul 6, 2017, 9:47 am
#24
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 307
Yeah, living in Seattle with a split of domestic and international travel purchased in coach, the Alaska partnership has been the only thing thing making AA/Oneworld viable for me.
My first reaction is that this is likely to push me to DL/SkyTeam, but I'm not happy at the thought.
My first reaction is that this is likely to push me to DL/SkyTeam, but I'm not happy at the thought.
Jul 6, 2017, 9:48 am
#25
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: SJC
Programs: AA 2MM PLT, HH Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 612
Ah, for the days when AA bought Air Cal and then Reno Air to expand its presence up and down the Pacific coast!
Jul 6, 2017, 9:57 am
#26
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Gold (prev. Ex Plat for 10 years); DL Plat; UA Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,338
Or travel to the Pacific Northwest. AA has virtually no service to PDX/SEA/GEG from the Bay Area, unless you want to fly through PHX(!). Having AA benefits on AS flights was very nice when visiting relatives out of GEG.
Ah, for the days when AA bought Air Cal and then Reno Air to expand its presence up and down the Pacific coast!
Ah, for the days when AA bought Air Cal and then Reno Air to expand its presence up and down the Pacific coast!
This is a major
I briefly considered (and almost took the plunge) switching all of my mileage earning to AS this year due to some crazy international travels. My mix of international flights this year oddly matches almost identically what AS offers in Mileage Plan (I've a trip on Emirates, Air France, BA and possibly on JAL). But the bulk of my flying is domestic AA, so I balked. Glad I made that choice now.
Last edited by dll; Jul 6, 2017 at 10:03 am
Jul 6, 2017, 10:12 am
#27
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Posts: 1,792
yin
This is definitely bad for Bay Area flyers. Look at history. They put in a hub at SJC in the 90's, with wonderful route service. Then, pretty much de-hub it after 9/11. OK. But we lost the SFO-HNL flight, which hurt a lot. As long as AS was there, with great service to all the Hawaiian Islands from SJC, and even OAK and SFO---life was good.
This thing sucks by most dimensions, but for getting to Hawaii from the Bay Area they have flat out left us in the lurch. I started flying DL out of SFO several years ago when AA cut back on the options on the SFO-JFK route. DL swooped in big time with 7 - 9 non stops a day (it helped when UA gave up on JFK).
Sum up: bad news for AA flyers, especially on the West Coast. This one has my blood boiling.
This thing sucks by most dimensions, but for getting to Hawaii from the Bay Area they have flat out left us in the lurch. I started flying DL out of SFO several years ago when AA cut back on the options on the SFO-JFK route. DL swooped in big time with 7 - 9 non stops a day (it helped when UA gave up on JFK).
Sum up: bad news for AA flyers, especially on the West Coast. This one has my blood boiling.
Jul 6, 2017, 10:14 am
#28
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
True, but AA in general has a reduced presence in the Bay Area unless you want to fly nonstop to JFK or via PHX, LAX, ORD, DFW or MIA, etc.
This is a major
I briefly considered (and almost took the plunge) switching all of my mileage earning to AS this year due to some crazy international travels. My mix of international flights this year oddly matches almost identically what AS offers in Mileage Plan (I've a trip on Emirates, Air France, BA and possibly on JAL). But the bulk of my flying is domestic AA, so I balked. Glad I made that choice now.
This is a major
I briefly considered (and almost took the plunge) switching all of my mileage earning to AS this year due to some crazy international travels. My mix of international flights this year oddly matches almost identically what AS offers in Mileage Plan (I've a trip on Emirates, Air France, BA and possibly on JAL). But the bulk of my flying is domestic AA, so I balked. Glad I made that choice now.
Jul 6, 2017, 10:20 am
#29
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
I may be dreaming, but will a corollary of this announcement be expanded AA codeshares to places like EAT, STS, AK airports other than ANC/FAI, etc? It's currently easy to earn AA miles flying to those small AS destinations without AA codeshares but won't be possible anymore unless AA adds codeshares.
Jul 6, 2017, 10:31 am
#30
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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