It is awesome that AS did a change on the same day for no add/collect. ;) As long as we all understand that it wasn't a SDC, expectations won't be inappropriately set.

James

I'm looking at a connecting F award ticket (20k). PSP-SJC-BOI. As a 100k could I SDC to a later flight via SEA (PSP-SEA-BOI) and be booked into F, as long as an F seat is available? or does a certain fare bucket need to be open? (like U class to U class)

I would assume the F tickets are treated the same way as Y tickets. For example if I book a cheap award main fare ticket and do a SDC there only needs to be a Y class seat available.

You can certainly call AS and ask if they will change your connection and not refare it. They may accommodate, they likely will not. What you are asking for is not a Same Day Change. If they treat it as a change, as they likely would, you would only be able to do so if there is award inventory available for First or downgrade to Y with availability there. A fare difference in miles would be collected. Saver award inventory for last minutes changes won't likely be available so you would be paying for higher award fares, possibly refundable.

A same day change is applicable to the same origin, same destination, same connection & you cannot change from a connection to a non-stop and vise versa. Anything outside that is an itinerary change and is subject to fare differential.

While many have been accommodated on their requests to change their itinerary within 24 hours of departure and no fare difference has been collected, it is important to note that those requests are not same day changes.

James

99% sure you will have no difficulty (and quite likely will be able to do it online using the “Change to a later flight” option at OLCI)

FfF is — as usual — providing a very literal reading of written AS policy/rules … and also obliquely agrees with something I’ve mentioned numerous times with respect to such … policy isn’t what’s written; policy is what’s practiced

OP, call in, jrl767 says you are good to go! Enjoy your SDC. You will have to call in because online is bound by policy and won't allow your SDC.

jrl767
And experience! Moreso recently, the practice has swung more towards what is written. The OP is asking questions that don't relate to Same Day changes because it isn't a Same Day Change.

It is certainly nice that you have access to data that suggests a 99% success rate. Bravo! Too bad so many of your "off the cuff," statements lack in fact. Do they not require the same standards that you ask of others? I will leave it at that and follow the proper channels.

James

My favorite trick was always buying a ticket to a cheap destination and then SDCing to an expensive co-terminal. SFO-LAX for $49; SDC to SFO-SNA which was selling for $149 or $199. The rules say that this is no longer allowed (nor should it be; it's an abuse of the system) but is it still allowed in practice?

Vegas,
I don't think of it as an abuse of the system. It's just a benefit of being elite customers who gets change fees waived. The common folk would have to pay the change fee so not much benefit in doing that. Elites spend thousands of dollars to obtain status so working the system within its rules is fair game. In fact, AS is giving its blessing to such behavior because it has the power to change the rules if it wanted to, so take advantage of the policies, it's there for our benefit.

It's definitely an abuse (fee waived or not). Even if you had to pay the fee (I believe it was $25 for flights within the state of CA?) it's still way too cheap.

I believe that they did change the rules. The website says no co-terminals. Whether it's properly enforced is another question.

Vegas,

Yes Alaska did include a Co-terminal exception but it also included an exception for elites to the the standard SDC rules.

And AS in its terms of contract it doesn't have to refund if it decides to cancel your flight and fly you to a co-terminal that is miles away. If you booked a flight to SNA and AS cancel that flight, it could send you to SAN with no refund.

FYI I have bought a cheap ticket SEA to LAS and then called to change to PAE to LAS with no problem. Also have changed LAS to SEA to LAS to PAE with no problems. AS suffers no loss since the seat would be empty if I didn't fill it. Hence why they allow these types of co terminal changes for elites.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I've never been offered a SDC option on the app or online that included different connection cities than what I had originally booked. AS in the past has been pretty gracious in allowing it, but it does need to be done by an agent via chat or over the phone and we all know that trying to speak to an actual human being about virtually anything is a time-consuming endeavor. It's getting to the point where I feel like I need to make a list of all the flight issues I need to take care of and then block out a few hours (or more) to have one agent deal with them all at once--not sure if that would be appreciated or not by the agents but it seems like a more efficient use of time at least on my part.

So I can buy a (much cheaper) SFO-LAX Main or First fare and SDC it to SFO-SNA assuming availability (and of course no guarantee of upgrades)?

Yes.

It's no different from all who buy early flight because cheaper and then sdc to later flight.

I used to do this often. The savings are significant.

Of course there are no guarantees but I never got burned by it. Even when there was a cancelled flight and everything was zeroed out as they were scrambling to rebook everyone I managed to grab a seat that opened on the flight that I wanted. An EF subscription was critical that time (for the alerts)

AS charges for SDC
 

I'm a 75K and did a doemstic SDC. I was told I was being charged $8, but on my credit card statement, they charged me $10. No co-terminals permitted (LAX/BUR/SNA/ONT)