Originally Posted by
Kacee
I can't imagine why anyone would purchase airline coverage rather than use a credit card that provides equivalent coverage. Especially if traveling on business, where presumably any IRROPS-related costs will be reimbursable.
It is an entirely separate product from the ticket and is not refundable. Your money goes to the insurer, not Alaska, which just receives a commission on the sale.
Credit cards that provide good travel insurance tend to have high annual fees. For people who only travel once every year or two, I could see this being a reasonable purchase. It's not worth getting a travel credit card, and if you have to cancel you may not be able to use a travel credit before it expires.
Also a lot of people simply don't have the credit score to qualify for a good credit card. I'm sure that a lot of people are using debit cards, or credit cards with limited benefits, to buy tickets, because that's all that they can get.