DL gives you spend credit for some partners. They use a proxy for the spend by the multiplying the fare class by a multiplier. For example, a J ticket on AF gets you 60% MQD (e.g., a RT SEA-CDG would net $6,017 MQD, regardless of what you paid for it).

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...ir-france.html



This is a problem for an airline which is highly dependent on partner relationships like AS; you can't put a SEA-LHR BA flight or LAX-HKG CX flight on an AS ticket (unless it's an award). Feel free to plug SEA-LHR into alaskaair.com and see what the message the site gives you...

Going to a revenue model would seriously impact AS's ability to accept partners as equals...



I agree it's a problem for an airline like AS -- it would be very heavily dependent on proxies like DL uses, or do like AA is planning and not have a dollar component for qualification.

The real problem for a partner-centric airline like AS is that if it diminishes partner earnings too much, then the airline becomes less attractive for many because the AS reach is simply not broad enough. Or if they do like DL or UA and diminish the earnings and redemptions too much, they risk people disengaging from the program.

If that happens, that's not good for AS, especially with a competitor in SEA with broader reach who wants to eat them for lunch.