I’ve been flying AS a fair amount lately, so I thought I’d put together a few pointers. A couple of these are repetitions of things I’ve learned here, but most are things I learned by doing. If I’m in error, please correct me. If you’ve got additional tips and tricks please add them in.

If you live on the West Coast, particularly anywhere outside of the LAX area, chances are you’ll be flying Alaska Airlines in order to stay true to AAdvantage without changing planes in DFW.

Here’s the good news: AS is a good airline overall with mostly relatively new planes, good first class service and nice crews. You will get EQMs, EQPS, segments and Elite bonuses just as if you were flying on AA. Most (all?) AS flights have an AA codeshare number, and if you fly on an AA flight number the EQPs count towards challenges. Your elite status on AA will get you into nicer Y seats on AS.

Here’s the bad news: Your AA elite status isn’t going to give you any preferential treatment towards upgrades. Upgrades are going to be relatively more expensive than on AA. There are no powerports on AS planes. Your AAdmirals club membership is no help getting into AS lounges (Board Rooms).

Some specifics:

PNRs (Confirmation Numbers):
If you’ve booked a codeshare ticket (AA flight number) your PNR or Record Locator on AA is different from your AS ‘Confirmation Code’ which is all letters, no numbers. You will need your AS Confirmation Code in order to complete OLCI or change seats, so get it. The only way I know to get it is to call AS, give them your flight number and last name and they’ll give you your Confirmation Code.

Seat Assignments:
As an AA Elite, you’re entitled to sit in row 6 (front of Y) or the exit rows. If you book full Y you’re entitled to those locations whether or not you’re an AA Elite. If you book through AA.com, their systems will share the fact that you’re an AA Elite and you will usually be assigned directly into row 6. If you book through an outside agent, with an AA flight number, AS’s systems won’t recognize your Eliteness. Online you won’t have access to the good seats unless you paid full Y. If you call the AA Plat or EXP desks, they can see the good AS seat inventory and give it to you. Row 6 gets to board ahead of the rest of cattle class, but if they’re doing it right, AA Elites board at the same time.

Upgrades:
Any coach passenger can upgrade at the airport if FC seats are available. It costs $50 on short flights and $100 on mid-cons. I don’t know what the procedure of releasing the seats is (check the AS forum) but I’ve never had any luck before OLCI. I haven’t seen any evidence yet of a ‘list’. You ask, you can either buy an upgrade or you can’t. AS Elites get upgrades free. AA Elites are part of the great unwashed.

Check-in:
You can check in online 24 hours in advance. You’ll need the AS Confirmation Code. If you have an AS flight connecting to an AA flight the OLCI will check you in for both. I don’t know if this counts as OLCI AA for upgrade lists because the only time I did it my AA upgrade cleared prior to the switch to the airport list. There are check-in kiosks in most (all?) AS airports, some are airside (nice!). You cannot check in on these until the day of the flight. Although it is not clearly marked, AA Elites can use the AS first class check-in lines.

Security/boarding:
I have had good luck getting into the Elite security lines at SFO and SAN using my AA Plat card. This is significant because there are no AA gates behind the security used for AS at those airports and the signs don’t explicitly say AA Elites get to use the line. Boarding order on AS is: 1) Pre-boards, 2) First and AS 'MVP Golds', 3) Row 6, AS 'MVPs' and partner Elites (that’s you) 4) Row 15 and higher, 5) General boarding. They have a first class line and a teeming masses line. While it may not be official AS policy, my experience has been that AA Elites can use the First Class line at any point during the boarding process, YMMV.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MODERATOR'S NOTE

NOTE: As of October 26, 2011, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines have significantly expanded reciprocal privileges to AAdvantage and MVP elites flying on each other's airlines. Please see this thread for details; this thread is now obsolete due to the fact much of the information is now not in accordance with the new reciprocal privileges.

For consolidated information based on this thread, see also the FlyerGuide Wiki (in process of being updated):

Alaska Airlines Flights for the AA Flyer

dstan
AA Forum Co-Moderator