I just read/skimmed this whole thread; I wish I had done so earlier for a few reasons.
After checking every week or two on Alaska's website, I found the status match live, the morning of 12/24, apparently 3 days after it launched based on the first posts in this thread.
I live on Kauai and have been MVP Gold or MVP Gold 75K for most of the last 11 years. There are some routes that make a lot more sense for us to fly HA instead of AS, and this will likely increase as AS seems to be pulling their metal from Bay Area flights, where we travel frequently. I already have a couple Hawaii-Mainland itineraries booked on HA metal, and I'm quickly learning how this works. Back in November, I booked a one-way HNL-SLC flight on HA and used 25,000 miles transferred from AS to upgrade to first class.
I have an upcoming itinerary with my wife and son LIH-SMF on HA, although we also have LIH-HNL-SJC booked on AS metal as backup. It's very frustrating that we can't choose Extra Comfort seats prior to 24 hours out. Being able to nearly always sit in coach seats with more legroom is one of the primary reasons that I maintain elite status.
Here are a few thoughts on earlier posts in this thread.
Originally Posted by
PDXPremier
So if you book HA flights via AS website using your AS MP number, do you still receive HA elite benefits on HA flights?
The answer to this question is definitely no. I've spoken to multiple HA agents about this. I doubt this will change until they've fully integrated the mileage plans.
Originally Posted by
windjunkie
Ugh, this is a mess... I was able to get my status matched with linking accounts, but apparently that is only part of the story. For the status to apply, you have to have your Hawaiian FF# on Hawaiian operated legs. And to do that - you *have to* buy Hawaiian legs on Hawaiian site.
I had a reservation made a month earlier on Alaska site, with one leg on Hawaiian, one leg on Alaska. Called Alaska reservations, they offered to change the the frequent flyer number, but they said they could only apply one number to the entire reservation....
So - what if I cancel the Hawaiian leg, and rebook as a separate reservation? It happens the fare was slightly lower, so I did that. But I still did this on the Alaska site, so I could use up the credit from the freshly canceled reservation. Then it turned out that when you book on Alaska - you cannot provide a Hawaiian FF# on the reservation (though you can put in numbers many other airlines). I tried to change my FF# on Hawaiian site - can't do it. Called back to reservations - and it turns out they can't do it either... Despite telling me in the earlier call they could... The agent tried hard, calling Hawaiian, speaking to their lead, but after 30 min total turned out it can't be done... I ended up canceling this new ticket, and buying a new one on the Hawaiian site.
I can confirm that you are partially incorrect here. You are correct that it is only possible to have one FF number in a reservation. So if you have a reservation booked at alaskaair.com that is partially on AS metal and partially on HA metal, you can't access both your HA elite benefits and your AS elite benefits. But if you book a flight on alaskaair.com that only has flights on HA metal, you can call HA and have the FF number switched from AS to HA. I just did it tonight for or LIH-SMF flights, and the itinerary shows our HA FF numbers for all three passengers.
Originally Posted by
PDXPremier
So in the hopefully unlikely case that status matched AS do not get the upgrade certificates, it may be better to quickly apply for a traditional status match just to get the upgrade certificates since we know for a fact that those elites are getting the upgrade certificates.
Unfortunately, it turns out that this comment may have been prescient. See below.
Originally Posted by
diver858
No mention if Gold + (
Pualani Platinum) will receive Upgrade certificates Pualani Platinum upgrade certificates. T&Cs state that combined program miles will not qualify for MP 75k and 100k threshold bonuses, so I am not optimistic.
Originally Posted by
olouie
My account shows 2 as plat.
I called and spoke to two different HA agents tonight, they confirmed that although our accounts are showing up as Pualani Platinum, we do not have any upgrade certificates in our account. The HA website says that it is necessary to call in to find out how many certificates are in your account:
Pualani Platinum upgrade certificates.
Can you elaborate on where you see the certificates?
Can anyone besides
olouie confirm that they have received the upgrade certificates?