Originally Posted by
FlyingBear
Sorry, but this comparison has a hole in it. An Anytime Fare is Refundable. The AS P fare is subject to a $125 change fee for non-elites. More importantly, it goes to the travel bank regardless of status. Anytime fares are refunded to the original payment. In your example, you should compare WN's Anytime Fare ($340) to AS's Refundable Fare in Main ($420).
Also, I would suggest doing SF Bay Area vs. picking SFO or OAK alone. It's a bit misleading saying there are no non-stops on WN from the Bay Area to PDX in the morning by only looking at SFO.
However, overall, you have valid points and I am changing my short haul to WN. You're right that it won't get me international travel, but at legs earning 750 RDM at most each go, I think I can get just as much value out of RR. I don't actually care about the front or premium seat as much for short haul (esp-intra CA), so everything else being equal to me WN's generous change policy is the decider for me and is easily worth a $10-20 premium.
I chose SFO only because it was a reply to @
sfozhrfco so I anticipated he was somewhere between San Francisco, Zurich and Rome.
I am not familiar with the WN network and while your point is valid on refundable fares it is the AS Elites, a lot of which have a change fee waiver, that have their hands up in the air so that is most likely less relevant to this thread.
The P fares are less expensive than eligible fares for instant upgrades sans GGUs. Those are still cheaper but the differential makes for a very poor use of them. Those are available to everyone. I certainly would just buy the P fare in that case and enjoy the 75% COS Bonus.
Comments like having to pay more for their promised benefits is just ridiculousness. Benefits are never promised, never guaranteed and can be changed at anytime with or without notice. Just because they have had their cake and eaten it too since the roll-out of BE on the Big 3 it shouldn't be a shock that the cake is pretty much gone.
I have been saying all along that if WN works better then move along and fly WN. If your travel is hybrid using the best of both airlines even better. I just don't see the need to stick around and whine over the changes like broken records.
At some point you need to assess what is working and not working for your particular situation independent of everyone else. For me, AS is still working wonderfully. I continue to assess as changes occur and if at some point it is no longer a value proposition for me I will say so and look for other opportunities.
James