rdlmitedu

Is there any good way to do a segment status run to get the most segments per reward point redeemed (or dollar spent)? Next time there's a sale, doing SEA-SFO-LAX-somewhere-somewhere and back? Any optimal routes? Ideally starting from SEA or SFO.

(I've moved from SF to Seattle so I'll probably switch to AS and status-match to MVP something, but I've also started a new company and will be traveling enough to Asia, Europe, and within the US to maintain status on multiple programs. I still like VX, and gold+premium card has been pretty awesome.)

SFGuy37

It's highly likely your Elevate Gold status will convert into Alaska MVP before the year's end, so I'd sit tight for now.

eponymous_coward

It's very unlikely the programs will be merged before year's end, because the merger won't even get approved until Q4 (after September 30 this year), and there won't be a single operating certificate before 2018.

http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....ut-the-merger/

I'd expect cross-matching in 2017.

I've never seen VX allow SEA-SFO-LAX-XXX as a routing in recent years. You'd be buying extra tickets for that. Generally SEA is not a competitively priced market for VX save for SFO/LAX; I've never seen SEA-LAS priced less on VX than the carriers like AS/WN/DL nonstop (unlike, say UA or even DL), for instance. You're going to pay a significant premium to fly VX out of SEA transcon/midcon (as well as a time premium). This is why I generally have avoided them in recent years, even though I like their product; their pricing sucks out of SEA and connecting in SFO has issues because of flow control. Mood lighting and IFE isn't worth a hundred bucks and a three hour ground hold to me.

sfozrhfco

Don't forget free flights also count as segments. You can also add in LAX-LAS-LAX--especially during the week it is very cheap. It is 1270 points each way for the lowest price or $41 each way--though it has gone down to the $30s.

nomorecoach

Do you think Elevate points will be multiplied by a factor of some number once it's merged with Alaska's Mileage Plan?

eponymous_coward

No freakin' clue. If you are actually making decisions on VX point acquisition based on pure unfounded speculation about a favorable AS exchange rate, you are a braver person than I am.