Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - Strategy for award ticket

I am in the initial planning phase of an two week award trip to Europe next May. I want to go to Rome, but can get their from any european city. I am shooting to leave the 12th, but can be somewhat flexible. I attempted to book this trip last year, but booked too late and was limited by a busy schedule. Do anyone have advice for booking? Last year, when working with the partner desk, I gave them a range of dates and said just get me anywhere in europe, but I had limited Success. I assume I cannot start looking until 330 days from the end of my trip. Any advice helps!

Know the stops that you might have to hit to get availability. If the partner doesn't have a lot of flights out of SEA, you may have to hop to another airport (like LAX/ORD/JFK) to have more options.

Then make sure you know the AS flight numbers from your starting point to that hop, then the partner flight numbers from that location to either your destination or their hub in Europe, then from there to your final destination.

Look in the travel tools forum here for ways you can check the availability yourself. I believe that if you can't find award space when searching via that carrier's site, then it won't be available to Alaska either.

Which partner do you want to fly on?

Hi Lake_Hood:

Your strategy to look for availability early is sound. When I booked my award tickets to Europe, I first subscribed to Experflyer to look for award seat availability 330 days prior to the outbound leg. Since airlines often open up space right when their schedules are published, you want to be one of the first ones in line to snatch open seats.

For Rome, you have a good choice of partners to use: Air France, KLM, Delta, American. For the last two, you should be able to leave out of SEA and connect at the respective hub on your way across the pond. For Air France and KLM, the nice thing is that Alaska will fly you to the respective US gateway free of charge. For instance, AS will book your SEA-LAX leg at no additional cost for onward travel LAX-CDG-FCO. AS will allow you book your outbound leg first and then come back later to book your return since often, the return is more than 330 days from when you book the outbound. I would avoid BA because of the high fuel surcharges.

When you look for availability on Expertflyer (there are ways to search using free methods as well) for AF and KL, simply look for open seats from each airline's US gateway cities to the respective European hub. For instance, AF flies out LAX, SFO, IAH, ATL, etc. Focus your energies on the US city that is easy to get to due to high AS frequency (LAX, SFO) and look for the domestic leg availability after you've secured the transatlantic portions. Essentially, I worked in a piece meal fashion from the longest segments to the shorter ones.

Sounds like you're being proactive in booking your trip by posting here, so I'm confident you'll find something that works. Keep in mind there are plenty of combinations that work so iterate until you find that itinerary that meets your travel needs.

Hope this helps.
Koopas

I just booked an award ticket to AMS for next April. The incredibly helpful agent at the partner desk was able to find tickets coming and going on Wednesdays (I wanted Friday and Thursday). I don't need 2 more days in AMS, so I decided to do a 2 day stopover in Paris on the extra two days at the beginning of my trip. I thought I would then just take the train to AMS, but apparently one stopover is allowed, so that flight segment is included in my ticket.

I'm routed through SFO in both directions; AF going and KLM returning. Nothing was available through SEA. (But the flights from FAI to SFO and back are included in my ticket.)

I was not able to call when tickets were first available for the outbound, but I think it was the first day that tickets were available for the return.

Choices are limited, but if you can find flights that work, it's a great deal.

The earlier in May, the better so that you are ahead of school/univ. finishing dates and generally higher loads/fewer redemption seats. Often getting a seat out of Anchorage is a bigger problem than getting across to Europe. Avoid BA if you can due to the high extra fees but KLM and AF are both fine. Delta seems to have really low redemption availability. AA is usually pretty easy. Are you looking for Y or F seats?

I really don't care what airline I use (other than BA). While it would be convient to get a ticket all the way to Rome, as long as I get myself and girlfriend into Europe, I will be able to get us to Rome. Unfortunately, I can't go any earlier than the 9th of May. I will preferably be in Y (I don't really want to spend the extra miles on a nicer seat).

I guess I will start researching possible flights. I will focus try to focus on larger hubs. I will be flying out of GEG, but could drive to SEA if need be. If I did my math correctly I will be able to book it on June 30th (330 days from the theoretical end of my trip). I know redemption on Delta is difficult, but what about their flight from PDX-AMS? I feel like that would have less demand then from a larger city.

I have been poking around expertflyer, how easy is the interface to use? Will I be able to search for award seat availability as an alaska airlines account holder?

Thanks for all the advice!

I guess I will start researching possible flights. I will focus try to focus on larger hubs. I will be flying out of GEG, but could drive to SEA if need be. If I did my math correctly I will be able to book it on June 30th (330 days from the theoretical end of my trip). I know redemption on Delta is difficult, but what about their flight from PDX-AMS? I feel like that would have less demand then from a larger city.

No need to wait until June 30. Book your outbound as soon as that becomes available (330 days from your outbound flight). As an MVPG, you can make unlimited changes to a ticket for free, so book the outbound first and then add on the return on June 30. They'll charge you the full mileage when you book your outbound flight, but there will then be no additional cost to add on the return segments (except maybe a small amount in taxes).

I have been poking around expertflyer, how easy is the interface to use? Will I be able to search for award seat availability as an alaska airlines account holder?

EF is pretty intuitive, although it's not for complete novices. I took a peek and it looks like award inventory on DL is not available, but it is for AF/KL and of course AS. You can check the GEG-SEA and GEG-PDX flights for W space, and if W space is available on your dates, you can fly from GEG. In fact, if W space is not available from GEG, you can book the flights from SEA or PDX and then set an alert for W space on the requisite AS flight(s). If you get an email about W space opening up, then you can call in and change your itinerary (no charge for MVPG) to leave out of GEG, saving you the drive.

I decided to subscribe to expertflyer, 10 bucks for the month is worth it. As an MVPG I won't have a rebooking fee when booking an award ticket on another airline? That is excellent news. So I just book one-way (no return) and book the return as it becomes available?

I decided to subscribe to expertflyer, 10 bucks for the month is worth it. As an MVPG I won't have a rebooking fee when booking an award ticket on another airline? That is excellent news. So I just book one-way (no return) and book the return as it becomes available?

That is correct.

I decided to subscribe to expertflyer, 10 bucks for the month is worth it.

As a premium subscriber you can set up flight alerts to be notified of opened award space. Set up a bunch not just for AS out of GEG but also for useful AA and AF/KL-operated TATL flights from their North American gateways (and don't forget YVR).

EF supports Delta flights for upgrades but not for award inventory.

Don't forget the AS 'single partner' rule, and that AF/KL count as one.

AS will allow you book your outbound leg first and then come back later to book your return since often, the return is more than 330 days from when you book the outbound. I would avoid BA because of the high fuel surcharges.

Aren't there still change fees when you add the return segments?

Aren't there still change fees when you add the return segments?

If you're not MVPG, technically there should be, but I've heard that AS often waives them in this exact situation (simply adding on return segments, not changing anything else). Ask about this when you are first booking your outbound, and if the agent says that you won't be charged a change fee for booking the return, have the agent annotate your record to state you were told this.

Aren't there still change fees when you add the return segments?

No. I had no status at the time and was not charged change fees. This was explicitly stated by the agent when I booked the outbound.

In addition, if your class of service is not available and you have to book a lower class, you can call later and upgrade to the next class of service (if available, of course) with no change fee levied as well.

Koopas

Most of the international partner airlines actually load their award seats 350-360 days out and it use to be that AS could book them that far out. It was a little secret that helped secure the flights you wanted instead of having to wait until 330 days before and compete with everyone else.

Then about a year or so ago that changed and even though you could see the award availability on EF 350/360 days out, AS could not book them until the 330 day mark. I always found myself on pins and needles those 20 or 30 days waiting to see if someone else could grab " my seats".

When using Alaska miles to go to Europe, my approach is a bit different. We live in Phoenix, and are willing to accept the high added fees of British Airways - for a few reasons. First with long haul flights at our age (60+) we REALLY want business class and the sleeper seats on British Airways seem better than the ones on the US airlines. Also the outbound flight is timed nicely for sleeping (evening departure / noon arrival).

Second, because of those high added fees, getting award flights is quite a bit easier than Delta or American during our preferred travel season.

Third, and for us very important, living in Phoenix, and going to Europe (or Israel) we don't get the double pop of first port of entry on the east coast or midwest from Europe -- BA flies London/Phoenix.

We've used this option several times in the past (including when America West was matched with BA).

One additional comment, I've always found the Alaska Airlines customer service folks to be very responsive to requests (last year we had a bit of a scramble when our round trip to Athens with British Airways and round trips from Athens to Tel Aviv with El As got complicated when El Al changed the timing of the return flight to Athens). We were able to change our BA return from Athens to Tel Aviv (added miles) without additional 'pain and suffering'. Quite frankly, I really doubt other airlines customer service folks would have been so responsive.

It is 330 days out from the first day I am available to travel so I called the award desk today. The woman helping me said that AF/KLM, Delta, and American had not opened their award tickets yet and I should try back in a couple weeks (she said this because she looked back a couple of weeks and that is how far she had to go to see any available flights). I assume that I should keep trying back everyday. Any thoughts?

I assume that I should keep trying back everyday. Any thoughts?

Just this.

Just this.

That and flexibility is key...

I am very flexible after the 9th, I just can't leave before then.

I was searching Americans website and I found availability on their lowest award level, but the agent at Alaska said she did not see it available. Does it take a while for Alaska to get those low level tickets or does American not get every low level ticket to Alaska?

FYI in case you didn't know it. you can log into Alaska website and search around for award partner reservations for international travel. Works for Delta and I believe American.
But as I understand your ? you are just 330 days from outbound so being your return is not bookable online the AS website may not be of much help. However if both out and back are inside the 330 window it's another tool to use. Plus be prepared to try differnet city departures.
I got 2 RT tickets F/C::B/E to Germany in Dec on Delta using Alaska website online reservations. Spent alot of time doing different city/date combo's but finally had success. Booked in May which was 7 months out from flights. Wish you luck.

I was able to book the outbound flight! It is not the most favorable ticket as I start at 5 am and don't get to Rome until 11 PM the next day, but at least I got there. I will be trying back everyday to try to get a more favorable itinerary.

An interesting note. When not able to book the return, Alaska just reserves the itinerary. The miles will be charged to my account in 30 days. I will pay any taxes/fees then. I was given a confirmation code and am able to look up the outbound info.

Now I just have to cross my fingers on a return flight. Thanks to everyone for all the advice!

I was searching Americans website and I found availability on their lowest award level, but the agent at Alaska said she did not see it available.

I think something is up as well. I found low-level award availability on both AF ex-SFO and KL ex-YVR, on airfrance.us using a Flying Blue account, and those seats were not available to the AS partner desk.

I think something is up as well. I found low-level award availability on both AF ex-SFO and KL ex-YVR, on airfrance.us using a Flying Blue account, and those seats were not available to the AS partner desk.

I ended up getting something booked, but I noticed this was an issue. What I was most surprised, after researching on here, was the difficulty in finding intra europe flights. It was much more difficult than finding my transatlantic flight. I was even able to change my transatlantic flight on two occasions, but could not find any intra-europe flights to any italian city (I was flexible w/ dates). I checked everyday for a couple months. I ended up just booking something on my own. Rather frustrating. Even many employees with reservation desk were surprised with the difficulty in finding intra Europe flights.

What are the average fees on a LAX-LHR British Airways award ticket?

ITA's fare/free breakdown is typically a good approximation of fees & taxes on award travel. The BA fuel surcharge is significant, as is UK Air Passenger Duty (payable for departures from any UK airport but higher for premium cabins and loosely distance-based).

BA Business LAX-LHR-LHR

Tickets cannot be purchased directly from ITA Software.
Provide this information to a travel agent to help them match the fares found.
Make sure to provide the exact booking and fare codes shown.
Fare 1: Carrier BA I4NAJB LAX to LON (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code I
Covers LAX-LHR (Business)
$2,123.50
Fare 2: Carrier BA I3NAJB LON to LAX (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code I
Covers LHR-LAX (Business)
$2,371.00
BA YQ surcharge (YQ) $904.00
US International Departure Tax (US) $17.20
US September 11th Security Fee (AY) $2.50
US Passenger Facility Charge (XF) $4.50
USDA APHIS Fee (XA) $5.00
US Immigration Fee (XY) $7.00
US Customs Fee (YC) $5.50
United Kingdom Air Passengers Duty (GB) $209.50
United Kingdom Passenger Service Charge (UB) $55.60
US International Arrival Tax (US) $17.20

Subtotal per passenger $5,723.00
Number of passengers x1

TOTAL AIRFARE & TAXES $5,723.00