Apologies for what feels like a topic that would be talked about extensively elsewhere. After finding the answer I’m still baffled and in disbelief…

I just flew an itinerary on Hawaiian metal, ticketed by Alaska. I originally had my Mileage Plan number in the reservation, but around the same time as the Atmos rollout I read in the literature (from Hawaiian) that they advised using the frequent flyer number of the *operating* carrier until full integration on October 1. I was already having trouble managing this reservation because it didn’t want to recognize my Alaska status or let me pick seats, etc., so I begrudgingly called to switch over to my Hawaiian Miles number, with the understanding it would all fold into my Atmos account on October 1. Now that the miles posted, they are redeemable miles only. Can this possibly be right? If I fly a paid itinerary, operated by Hawaiian, ticketed by their parent company, I do not earn elite qualifying Hawaiian miles?!? I feel like I was quite specific on this point to every single rep I spoke with from both airlines; getting elite credit for the trip was my one and only priority. And if this is correct, is it possible for me to write to Hawaiian and/or Alaska after the fact and request the trip be credited to Atmos, instead?

I don’t know about everyone else, but it has been like pulling teeth for me, all year, trying to get my elite miles (now points) to correctly post to my Alaska account. Over a third of my flights (on AS, AA, and HA) have either failed to post any miles or else shorted me on the elite miles, and every single time I have written for a correction, with ample documentation, they either credit miles but credit the wrong number or else claim (falsely) that the correct number already posted. At this rate I’m going to be a Gold next year when I should be pushing Titanium.