I am so confused.
I'm just lowly MVP, so no change fee waiver for me. But, when I search for my flight on matrix, and read the fare rules, I see (in part, emphasis mine)
C/ IN ALL CASES FOR CHANGES MADE THRU
ALASKAAIR.COM OR ALASKA RESERVATIONS OR TRAVEL
AGENCY
1/CHARGE APPLICABLE CHANGE FEE PLUS ANY
ADDITIONAL INCREASE IN FARE LEVEL.
EXCEPTION -
FARES MAY BE UPGRADED TO ANY F- TYPE FARE
WITHOUT COLLECTING THE CHANGE FEE. PASSENGER MUST
PAY ADDITIONAL COLLECTION BETWEEN ORIGINAL FARE
AND FIRST CLASS FARE.
And it seems that every AS fare has this language. So, unless I am misunderstanding this, I should be able to up-fare to F for just the fare difference. But when I try to do it through the website, it tries to charge me fare difference + a $125 change fee.
Eg: I have a $129 ticket. F is $329. It wants to charge me $325 ($200 fare difference + $125 change fee).
Note: I don't actually want to change this particular ticket. I just want to know what my options are, because, at the end of the year, if I'm a few thousand miles short of Gold, I may just upfare a ticket or two for the 75% bonus EQM rather than doing a mileage run, if the price is reasonable.
Is this just something where the website is broken but if you call in they will do it properly? Or am I misunderstanding the fare rules?