So Alaska has it's own FF program? No affiliation?
 

Sounds like it is going to Delta or skyteam in the spring but it still lists American Airlines and others as partners which are one world.

There is no sticky to give a FAQ of Alaska's program, thus can someone briefly explain if they are affiliated etc. Thanks.

Well, the Mileage Plan section of the Alaska Airlines web site is a good place to start.

This page lists Alaska's airline partners (and yes, Alaska's partners include oneworld and SkyTeam members).

Well you are right that is where I started. Thus my question is still there:

Do they have an alliance affiliation or are they going to skyteam since they mention Delta domestic upgrades in their program?

There program is all over the map based on their website and it is a chore to figure out which airlines is part of which earning and redeeming portions. Thus the questions for those knowledable about Alaska.

Gracias for specifics.

No, Alaska Airlines is not a member of a global alliance. As you mention, Alaska is working on a closer partnership with Delta but that does not include membership in SkyTeam.

Think of Alaska as the Switzerland of airline partners.

Your question was answered the first time, friend, and I'll just add that the overall tone of your retort isn't the way we roll here on the AS forum. A little nice goes a long way.

AS has never been part of an alliance and seems to prefer it that way. Just because they have worked out a closer relationship with DL doesn't mean they intend to join SkyTeam in the near future. Reciprocal upgrades go above and beyond any of the three alliances requirements for membership anyway. If reciprocal upgrades were a standard benefit across alliances UA and US would have had them years ago. While they were in SkyTeam CO and DL never had reciprocal upgrades either. As a matter of fact prior to the announcement of the AS/DL agreement and later the CO/UA agreement after CO entered *A the only domestic airlines with reciprocal upgrade agreements were AS & NW and CO & NW and those were in place even before CO and NW were in SkyTeam.

I'm not quite sure why you find "it is a chore to figure out which airlines is part of which earning and redeeming portions." AS is no different than any other domestic US airline. Even those which are part of an alliance have non-alliance partners with whom they have mutually exclusive agreements. All one needs to do is check the published charts. Really about the only thing you need to concern yourself with is which AS partners earn EQMs and then only if you are interested in attaining status on AS. Airlines that earn AS EQMs are AF, AA, DL, KL, LA, and until their operating certificate is merged into DL's, NW. All others only earn RDMs and with the exception of Mokulele Airlines you can both earn and redeem miles for travel on any AS partner.

Thats one nicer way of putting it, I've heard a few more colorful analogies as well...

General Grouping and benefits (This isn't an all inclusive list of benefits). I'm sure there are mistakes, and I'll fix them, if people point them out to me. Not sure this is really what you are looking for, but here you go:


OneWorld:
Alaska participates in oneworld's Global Explorer ticket pass program

• American - Earn flight miles, bonuses for J and F class. Can earn qualifying miles on AA.
• British Airways - Earn 25% of actual miles flown, 100% on full fare tickets. 10% bonus on premium classes. No qualifying miles.
• Cathay Pacific - 50% per mile flown, for L,M,V classes. 100% per mile for G,S,N,O,P,Q,T,X,E,U,Z and R. 25% bonus business, 50% bonus first. No qualifying miles.
• LAN - 100% per mile flown, minimum of 500 miles. 50% bonus for F class. Can earn qualifying miles on LAN.
• Qantas - 100% miles earned, 10% bonus Premium econ, 25% business, 50% first. No mileage earned on E, P,U,X or Z class. No qualifying miles

SkyTeam:

• Air France - 100% per mile flown, 25% bonus for business, 50% first. Flight miles count towards status.
• Delta/NW - 100% miles flown, 25% bonus business, 50% bonus first. Flight miles count towards status.
• KLM - 100% per mile flwon, 25% business. No miles earned in N,D,G,V or W class. Flight miles count towards status.
• Korean Air - 70% miles flown in Q or V class. 100% in Z,W,Y,S,K,H,T,M,E,L,O, C, O, J, F, P, R. 25% bonus in C,O. 35% bonus J. 50% bonus F. 65% bonus P. 100% bonus R. Flight miles DO NOT count towards status.

Star Alliance:
(none) - Continental was a partner until their entrance to Star Alliance

Others

• Air Pacific - 500 min miles or 100% flight miles. 25% bonus in business class.
• Era Alaska - 100% miles flown, 500 minimum on ANC-ADQ, ANC-CDV. No other minimum miles. No qualifying miles.
• Mokulele (Only on Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft) - 500 minimum miles, no qualifying miles.
• PenAir - 100% miles flown, no minimum miles per segment. No qualifying miles.

Source: http://www.alaskaair.com/as/mileagep...rs_Airline.asp

nice summary, ryebob. Another thing under oneworld is that Alaska participates in oneworld's Global Explorer ticket pass program.

http://www.oneworld.com/ow/news/details?objectID=15645

Great synopsis. What about upgrades? Or others who may be able to decipher the options there and if there are free upgrades domestic and international.

No upgrades (complimentary or with miles) for any carriers besides AS*

*AS used to have them with NW for its own elites after NW elites had been processed, on a space available basis. This has been discontinued with NW's merger into DL... but is supposed to be reinstated with DL upgrades sometime in Spring 2010... These upgrades are domestic only and do not include travel to Hawaii

Upgrades are covered here.

Also, you'd see a riot here on the AS board if we were going over to SkyTeam/Delta and forced to do more SkyPiles intercontinental redemptions for our travel, and losing AA, BA, QF and CX. DL's availability at saver levels is MUCH worse than AA's (though DL J to Europe via AMS isn't so bad- we actually get it at 90K AS miles, less than DL's 100K SkyPile redemption rate).

Perhaps this has been debated before, but why don't we (AS Forum) have a few sticky's to include answers to our common questions?

I asked myself this question when I was debating the jump from DL. Most everything is on the Alaska website, not necessarily in the easiest format but it is there. I digested that over several readings and came here and threw some questions into the lounge thread, I now feel I have a pretty good handle on the plan. Having done it that way, I am hesitant to say there should be a FAQ. I learned much more by reading the majority of the AS site and am also of the belief that answers should not be presented on a silver platter. I know that is not necesssarily in agreement with the NOE hospitality on this board but reading the AS page is probably for the better in the long run.

My thoughts and probably the exact same as anyone else who finds himself in the Alaska forum for the first time as well.

It would be great to have the motivation and time to spend 30 minutes to an hour in finding out the basics that a FAQ could do in 5 minutes tops.

I think FAQ's serve the purpose of keeping those ignorant to that particular forum informed without bothering the "enlightened" for that particular forum. Everyone wins. No "basic" questions and as a result no evil PM's sent to new posters in the forum who ask for FAQ info.^

As COpltASgldPHX stated, you got your answers from jwright, but not spelled out word-for-word here on FT. Instead, jwright directed you to the Alaska Airlines homepage, which spells out the benefits of each partner with very little room for confusion, if you ask me.

...then again, I am a quick learner and even better at comprehension, so maybe that's why I don't see how someone could get confused reading it.

I think the reason why we don't have a FAQ here for AS is because the program is pretty black-and-white in the explanation on the website. I'd bet you cold hard cash that I could read it to my 5 year old neice and she'd be able to understand what's stated on the AS website in regards to the benefits to the Mileage Plan program.

There is this, but unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's been updated to reflect the DL/NW merger and the changes to the upgrade system that came with the merger.

As for evil PM's...I don't think there's a person in here who would deliberately send an evil PM to someone asking a basic question. When I first came to FT, my first post was probably the dumbest question in the history of FT...where to sit on a PDX-SEA flight...and no one send me evil PM's.

I respectfully disagree, should we simply get rid of all FAQ if this is the thinking. Simply give links to all websites. ^

Alaska doesn't have any alliance to fit into and thus one must piece together it's program and that takes more time than I think an FAQ could do it in. This program seems more complex than an airline in an alliance. I'm being honest as I have 14 years of college, 3 degrees, 4 different teacher certifications valid in 3 different states. I don't really care if the Alaska guru's make a FAQ or not as I don't fly Alaska but came here to help a friend decipher their FFP.

Referring people back to a weblink is warranted for forums with an FAQ or someone who obviously hadn't made any effort previous to the request. But this forum doesn't have it and to defend it's absence is easy for those who are already enlightened, but it doesn't welcome any newcomers. The figure it out yourself philosophy without an FAQ is discouraging.

In regards to the evil PM, I have only had 1 and coincidence it came from someone a couple days ago about this thread (definitely not any WSU cougars). I look forward to educating myself about Alaska and would happily contribute to an FAQ should anyone feel compelled to help out others. ^