Originally Posted by
jackal
It is indeed expensive to get out there. Data point: I've lived in ANC for 15 years and have never been out there. Whether by plane or ferry, it's a minimum of $600rt to get there from here.
Actually, it's almost easier and more economical for people from outside of Alaska to visit the Aleutians than those of us here--at least if you're booking with miles, since you can usually fly to ADK or DUT with a stopover in ANC for the same number of miles as just a trip to ANC.
This is quite apropos for the OP. For example, right now (through the next few days) AS is having a 30% bonus offer on purchased miles. For $550 (say GBP365) one can buy 26,000 miles from AS, good for a routing of, e.g., SEA/SFO/LAX//MIA/EWR/ORD... - ANC-DUT-xANC-SEA/MIA/EWR... etc. (in Y, which of course is all that's offered out the chain.) AS permits a stopover in SEA or ANC (or both? Don't remember) on any award redeemed to Alaska from any point in the lower 48. This is one of the rare occasions where buying miles is cost-effective.
AS' mileage plan is used widely as a "second" FFP for many people who principally use AA, BA or DL FFPs, since AS allows earn/burn on a wide variety of partners including the aforementioned AA, BA and DL, but also AF, KL, QF, LA, FJ and others.