Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - I need XXX miles for MVP/G in 2009/2010 Thread

I still have to think about concluding 2010 ... travel dropped off a bit (didnt go on two expected international trips), so now i am having to come up with creative routings to even hit gold at this point :/

You've come to the right place! I propose we use this thread folks like yourself who are close, or just really want MVP or MVPG status on AS in 2009, for the 2010 year... to consolidate these postings so we can better help all AS FT'ers :cool:

Borrowing some details from the comprehensive FT thread on this: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-discussion/731626-need-help-w-end-year-mr-click-here.html


From those seeking advise, FTers will need to know:

1. No. of miles/segments that you have at present.
2. How many more miles/segments will it take to reach your goal.
3. Where are you are based.
4. Whether or not there is some place specific that you would really like to go.
5. Dates you are available to travel are must a must - in both directions, please!

(Please do not post a request unless you provide us with these dates - cause it's what FTers need to help you the most!).

6. Also, it would help if you mentioned the budget, please!


How many miles are you looking at maokh?

I'm 39,500 short of MVPG... ;)

That may be changing--if the job I'm applying for is high enough up (and I'm a qualified enough candidate) that they'll reimburse travel expenses for the interview. Stay tuned for details...

well i've got 3259 to mvp and 954 booked, so really it's 2305. still have to book another 954 sea-lax so it's going to be 1351. i can't figure any other trips that i have to do... and with sea-sfo MR each way being 678 (right???) that'll put me at 25,005 miles on AS/partners for the year and not a single DEQM mile.

if only my other trips could have been on AS/partner :(

well i've got 3259 to mvp and 954 booked, so really it's 2305. still have to book another 954 sea-lax so it's going to be 1351. i can't figure any other trips that i have to do... and with sea-sfo MR each way being 678 (right???) that'll put me at 25,005 miles on AS/partners for the year and not a single DEQM mile.

if only my other trips could have been on AS/partner :(

I've seen SEA-SFO at 672 or maybe that was OAK? That's cutting it close.

I've seen SEA-SFO at 672 or maybe that was OAK? That's cutting it close.

my sea-sfo flights in july were 678... and the 954 for sea-lax were pulled from a sept flight posting, so i think i should be safe... and it's close to an award winning skin of the teeth elite qualification :)

I'm planning ahead for the significant other to get to MVP. He's got two upcoming flights (one today, one in December), that I've never flown so I can't predict what the miles will be. Does anybody know the mileage for:

SEA-SJC (webflyer is saying 696 o/w miles), and
SEA-BUR (webflyer is saying 937 o/w miles)?

If Webflyer is right, he'll be 997 miles short of MVP, which I can fix with an easy run from GEG to either SEA, PDX or BOI, whichever is least costly.

Thoughts?

I'm planning ahead for the significant other to get to MVP. He's got two upcoming flights (one today, one in December), that I've never flown so I can't predict what the miles will be. Does anybody know the mileage for:

SEA-SJC (webflyer is saying 696 o/w miles), and
SEA-BUR (webflyer is saying 937 o/w miles)?

If Webflyer is right, he'll be 997 miles short of MVP, which I can fix with an easy run from GEG to either SEA, PDX or BOI, whichever is least costly.

Thoughts?

Webflyer is spot on for SEA-BUR, I flew BUR-SEA last Aug for a golfing trip in Spokane:

08/08/2009 ALASKA AIRLINES
BUR SEA 525 937 469 1,406

I guess a MR is in order, if your friend wants to keep his flying time and costs to a minimum then probably SEA-BLI or GEG [both cities are $59 ow] will do the trick.

If he does not care too much about flying time, then probably the cheapest destination will be OAK/SFO (flights are selling for $40 ow for most of the first 3 weeks in Nov). That will cost your friend a whopping $101.20 r/t and he will accrue more than enough miles to pass the MVP threshold.

i guess i should start thinking about when to do my sfo MR...

anyone going to be in the SFO BR midday coming up in the next month and a half? would make the MR more palatable to be able to hang there :)

my guess is that i'll be doing nov 12 or 13, though that's hardly set in stone.

I'm 39,500 short of MVPG... ;)

That may be changing--if the job I'm applying for is high enough up (and I'm a qualified enough candidate) that they'll reimburse travel expenses for the interview. Stay tuned for details...

Last year I made MVP starting november, and made gold by mid december .. anything is possible.

i guess i should start thinking about when to do my sfo MR...

anyone going to be in the SFO BR midday coming up in the next month and a half? would make the MR more palatable to be able to hang there :)

my guess is that i'll be doing nov 12 or 13, though that's hardly set in stone.

That... or its only $30 for a pass ;)

I am amazed at how low the SEA-SFO is running... :eek: still... wish I was in SEA to check it out- I love SFO's Chinatown... ^

well i've got 3259 to mvp and 954 booked, so really it's 2305. still have to book another 954 sea-lax so it's going to be 1351. i can't figure any other trips that i have to do... and with sea-sfo MR each way being 678 (right???) that'll put me at 25,005 miles on AS/partners for the year and not a single DEQM mile.

if only my other trips could have been on AS/partner :(

If the mileage all works out... good timing ^ :cool:

Based in SEA

Current:

Partner miles to gold: 19559
AS Metal miles to gold: 27948
Segments to gold: 31

Booked:

AS: SEA-PHX-SEA (2214)
DL: SEA-ATL-PIT-JFK-SEA (5629)

Remaining partner until gold: 11716 (25 segs remaining)

I will at least have 1 more SEA/PIT flight (2 if i am lucky). So i'll be short anywhere from 3000-7000 miles. My available weekends are (which could also include part of a fri or mon):

11/21-22
12/5-6
12/12-13
12/19-20
12/31-ish

I'll likely bring my wife (perhaps kids?) and make a short vacation out of it. I dont mind funny routing, but im not about to do 30 SEA-PDX's in a row :p

Budget: don't care, but of course the cheapest

I'm planning ahead for the significant other to get to MVP. He's got two upcoming flights (one today, one in December), that I've never flown so I can't predict what the miles will be. Does anybody know the mileage for:

SEA-SJC (webflyer is saying 696 o/w miles), and
SEA-BUR (webflyer is saying 937 o/w miles)?

If Webflyer is right, he'll be 997 miles short of MVP, which I can fix with an easy run from GEG to either SEA, PDX or BOI, whichever is least costly.

Thoughts?

I haven't flown into either airport :(, but I do find the great circle (http://gc.kls2.com/) to be rather accurate myself...

Last year (or was it two years ago) AS purged the system reevaluating distances - it used to be all coterminal cities got the same mileage based on furthest one... now I guess its more accurate... so anything flown in the last year should be the true number...

Hmm, things have changed. SEA-SFO is no longer <100 round trip.

I am currently booked on a lax-sea on 11/30 that could be changed to lax-las-sea which is 500+865 miles (until midnight tonight), and a cheaper ticket at 173 vs. 233 (plus 15 dollar bag fee thankyou AA)... and the credit could go towards at sea-geg MR, and that would give me more than I need... but that's a pain.

I will need 1351 miles if I don't change the flight... and I want to spend the bare minimum to get em.. thoughts?

Change the flight as described to connect in LAS and nab those $27 SEA-GEG fares, because as you saw with SEA-SFO, the discount fares have a short shelf life.

Change the flight as described to connect in LAS and nab those $27 SEA-GEG fares, because as you saw with SEA-SFO, the discount fares have a short shelf life.

Haven't had time to call yet but on trying to do it online it says because fare is non-refundable the difference in cost between that and a lower fare ticket will not be refunded - can it be credited though, and have the credit applied to my proposed sea-geg run? I would presume that would require a phone reservation and ticketing fee too?

Hmm, I'm guessing probably not. Usually price differences in your favor get EATED when you change the reservation to a different time/routing (nom nom nom).

Maybe you could do LAX-LAS-PDX-SEA? That gives you an extra 500 mile leg.

Haven't had time to call yet but on trying to do it online it says because fare is non-refundable the difference in cost between that and a lower fare ticket will not be refunded - can it be credited though, and have the credit applied to my proposed sea-geg run? I would presume that would require a phone reservation and ticketing fee too?

Possibly if you did a multi city SEA-LAS, LAS-GEG and GEG-SEA (not sure how that would price out)

Change the flight as described to connect in LAS and nab those $27 SEA-GEG fares, because as you saw with SEA-SFO, the discount fares have a short shelf life.

Wow... finally looked at that fare... :eek: Nice n' low... add it to a 737 with an upgrade :cool: - why can't we have fares like that ANC-FAI? [rhetorical question]

But for someone wanting/needing segments- good opportunity- and looks like its good until the 2nd week of Feb... but routing thru PDX is a no-go...

Wow... finally looked at that fare... :eek: Nice n' low... add it to a 737 with an upgrade :cool: - why can't we have fares like that ANC-FAI? [rhetorical question]

But for someone wanting/needing segments- good opportunity- and looks like its good until the 2nd week of Feb... but routing thru PDX is a no-go...

I'm thinking about booking it for the heck of it (Long, long layover in SEA (award ticket.))

I'm thinking about booking it for the heck of it (Long, long layover in SEA (award ticket.))

Do it :D

Wish I had one in SEA to take advantage of it... :(

shnikes..

$31 each way this fri and sat SEA-LAX for a few flights. Wish I could make it work but currently it's not something I can swing. I think i'm going to hope for another similar deal to get my final miles...

shnikes..

$31 each way this fri and sat SEA-LAX for a few flights. Wish I could make it work but currently it's not something I can swing. I think i'm going to hope for another similar deal to get my final miles...

great deal...Im in for a couple rt's

I just booked a SEA-SFO day trip cause the $31 fares and because of the 72 hour window with U available I got my upgrade and a companion upgrade. (Yes I know LAX was a better deal, I could change for more miles...but BART is so much easier for public transportation :))

Shouldn't the thread title be "for MVP/G in 2010"???

May I also suggest that it be made a sticky until the end of the year.

I just booked a SEA-SFO day trip cause the $31 fares and because of the 72 hour window with U available I got my upgrade and a companion upgrade. (Yes I know LAX was a better deal, I could change for more miles...but BART is so much easier for public transportation :))

hmm, you're right, 31 to sfo as well. which flights are you on? i'm looking at the 10.30 out and 3pm return on friday and that'll close me out for the year. res on hold pending how today goes and if i can swing the day away tomorrow... am not expecting any upgrades at this late hour :(

Shouldn't the thread title be "for MVP/G in 2010"???

May I also suggest that it be made a sticky until the end of the year.

Just picked 2009 since that's the year we are requalifying (dang boardroom butter is getting on keyboard :o)- as for a sticky- might be a good idea- do the RBP to a mod to let them know your thoughts ;)

Just picked 2009 since that's the year we are requalifying (dang boardroom butter is getting on keyboard :o)- as for a sticky- might be a good idea- do the RBP to a mod to let them know your thoughts ;)

i would put a yes vote on making this a sticky as the random last minute $31 flight type of things are more likely to be discussed in here because of that...

...and couldn't swing the day away today.. going to have to find another way to get my 1361 miles in the next two months :) :(

I have done the calculation with my remaining trips this year and I will be 180 miles short of MVP for 2010. I really don't have time for any further travel besides the 3 upcoming trips before 12/31/09 and I cant move the departure or arrival city. I am in Los Angeles.

I have been an MVP since 2004 and would really miss not being a member of the program in 2010. Any suggestions? Do you think the mileage department will round up if I inquire or do you think they will ask me to complete a mileage challenge in 2010? Or am I missing something like buying a first class seat for one of the legs to qualify.

well if you cant book any short round trip or one way runs or anything for the rest of the year then the fastest most efficient way albeit not the cheapest is to pay F for one of your segments. Another alternative(although I dont know your routing for your remaining years trips) is to add a segment stop somehow onto your remaining bookings. Might I suggest posting what your 3 remaining trips are and Im sure somebody will have good advice on where and when to add a segment

If you buy an F segment, you are done. (Some may not be all that much more depending on what fare class you are already in, you should check). You should, however, call, given your longevity with the program at a status level. I can predict the outcome of the call, but don't really want to describe what I think is going to happen in this public forum. What I will say is that the (expected) outcome is going to leave you not knowing with certainty.

pepboy1, welcome to FlyerTalk!

We have merged your thread into the master thread dealing with this issue.

Hope to see you around the forums often.

____________________

Cholula
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Co-Moderator

If you buy an F segment, you are done. (Some may not be all that much more depending on what fare class you are already in, you should check).Especially if there is a segment that is in the full flex catergory, then its pretty much a no brainer

I have done the calculation with my remaining trips this year and I will be 180 miles short of MVP for 2010. I really don't have time for any further travel besides the 3 upcoming trips before 12/31/09 and I cant move the departure or arrival city. I am in Los Angeles.

I have been an MVP since 2004 and would really miss not being a member of the program in 2010. Any suggestions? Do you think the mileage department will round up if I inquire or do you think they will ask me to complete a mileage challenge in 2010? Or am I missing something like buying a first class seat for one of the legs to qualify.

If flying LAX to SEA/PDX then connecting in PDX/SEA instead of flying direct may be a cheaper option (and will get you an extra ~400eqm) than flying a segment in F - so long as you haven't already booked.

I have done the calculation with my remaining trips this year and I will be 180 miles short of MVP for 2010. I really don't have time for any further travel besides the 3 upcoming trips before 12/31/09 and I cant move the departure or arrival city. I am in Los Angeles.

I have been an MVP since 2004 and would really miss not being a member of the program in 2010. Any suggestions? Do you think the mileage department will round up if I inquire or do you think they will ask me to complete a mileage challenge in 2010? Or am I missing something like buying a first class seat for one of the legs to qualify.

AS will not round up.

While I strongly, strongly suggest you follow the above suggestions (either upfare to F or reroute through an extra connecting city), if you don't, there are no guarantees, but AS usually offers a "challenge" of sorts at the beginning of the year.

Again, there are no guarantees they'll do it again, but if they do, you'll typically need to fly four segments in the first three months of next year, after which you'll requalify for MVP.

Note that you'll lose your status on January 1 and won't have status until you've completed the challenge, so you won't get upgrades or earn bonus miles during the challenge.

AS usually announces it in mid-January by email to those who qualify for the challenge, though it's often announced a few days earlier here on FT. And again, I wouldn't rely on this challenge--it's entirely possible they won't run it again. If you can at all refare an existing flight to F, reroute through a connecting city (i.e. LAX-PDX-SEA instead of LAX-SEA), or take a quick day trip on some of the (pretty dang cheap!) sale fares currently on offer, you'll be much safer.

Found myself in a similar situation. Thats why I made such a fuss and a thread on not being able to buy F when it was wide open on a flight for 12/24

Im at 37,224
A November ANC-FAI will put me at 38,224 add my ANC-SEA 39672. Obviously at that point the best way to get those miles and the cheapest way to to pay F on the ANC-SEA segment. So I did and now look like I will finish the year with 40,396 and 55 segments. Had I put all my NW flights on AS MP I'd still be reaching gold on the same day with 61 segments

Found myself in a similar situation. Thats why I made such a fuss and a thread on not being able to buy F when it was wide open on a flight for 12/24

Im at 37,224
A November ANC-FAI will put me at 38,224 add my ANC-SEA 39672. Obviously at that point the best way to get those miles and the cheapest way to to pay F on the ANC-SEA segment. So I did and now look like I will finish the year with 40,396 and 55 segments. Had I put all my NW flights on AS MP I'd still be reaching gold on the same day with 61 segments

Just curious, you don't have NW status... (or at least not indicated) so why not credit to AS and get the double RDM's as an MVPG? Otherwise, glad you'll hit MVPG again :cool:

Thanks for all your suggestions. I will look into
F fares. All my trips are LAX to ZLO- manzanillo Mexico
and they are non-stop. The one way mileage is
1336 per leg. So how many more miles will F give me one way?

EQMS LAX-ZLO is 2004 EQMS in Paid F one way

The one way mileage is
1336 per leg. So how many more miles will F give me one way?50% bonus or 1.5 x 1336 ^