May 14, 2013, 10:28 pm
Last edit by: beckoa
Welcome to the Newbie Lounge Thread!
Anyone is welcome to ask anything, even the most basic questions, in this thread without having to fear a snarky response. In this thread, there's no such thing as a dumb question--we were all new to Alaska Airlines, FlyerTalk, and even the whole idea of mileage programs once and needed some help navigating the ropes. We're here to help you do just that!
That said, if you want to do a little reading to see if your question has been previously discussed, links to some of the most common and extensive topics in this forum are listed in our FAQ thread--click here to check it out.
Special care will be given in this thread to trying to provide answers in a clear manner with minimal use of acronyms and jargon.
If you need to contact someone for help, here's a current list of our forum's team:
Ambassadors (Our Greeters--members who have specifically volunteered to welcome and mentor newbies and monitor this thread):
ANC RED-EYE
baliktad
beckoa
golfingboy
Moderators (Our Janitors--members who have volunteered to do housekeeping/keep the forum in order)
Cholula
jackal
You are welcome to send a private message to any of these individuals for assistance, but you'll generally get a faster response and broader palette of answers if you simply post your inquiry here in this thread.
Welcome, and we look forward to providing any assistance we can!
~the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan forum team~
Anyone is welcome to ask anything, even the most basic questions, in this thread without having to fear a snarky response. In this thread, there's no such thing as a dumb question--we were all new to Alaska Airlines, FlyerTalk, and even the whole idea of mileage programs once and needed some help navigating the ropes. We're here to help you do just that!
That said, if you want to do a little reading to see if your question has been previously discussed, links to some of the most common and extensive topics in this forum are listed in our FAQ thread--click here to check it out.
Special care will be given in this thread to trying to provide answers in a clear manner with minimal use of acronyms and jargon.
If you need to contact someone for help, here's a current list of our forum's team:
Ambassadors (Our Greeters--members who have specifically volunteered to welcome and mentor newbies and monitor this thread):
ANC RED-EYE
baliktad
beckoa
golfingboy
Moderators (Our Janitors--members who have volunteered to do housekeeping/keep the forum in order)
Cholula
jackal
You are welcome to send a private message to any of these individuals for assistance, but you'll generally get a faster response and broader palette of answers if you simply post your inquiry here in this thread.
Welcome, and we look forward to providing any assistance we can!
~the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan forum team~
[Alaska Airlines NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your Questions Here (flame free) (2010-2014)
Nov 1, 2010, 10:32 pm
#16
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Decent value IMO...
Nov 1, 2010, 11:12 pm
#17
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Nov 1, 2010, 11:13 pm
#18
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Nov 1, 2010, 11:50 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,813
For example:
11/14
DCA-OGG -- $701+
SEA-OGG -- $551+
Some other cities like MCO are more, usually ~$800++.
Nov 2, 2010, 4:45 am
#20
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Down Under
Programs: AA Plat, CO Plat, DL Plat, FB Plat, UA 1P, VA Plat, VS Silver, SPG Plat, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 144
Redeeming Mileage Plan
I'm kind of new to Mileage Plan, trying to figure out a couple things.
Firstly, are you allowed to mix and match as many partners as you want for an award?
From looking at the award chart its kind of confusing, each partner has their own required mileage...
Secondly, can I fly BA, North America-Australia using Mileage Plan? That would be the ultimate in value for miles...
Thanks for any tips.
Firstly, are you allowed to mix and match as many partners as you want for an award?
From looking at the award chart its kind of confusing, each partner has their own required mileage...
Secondly, can I fly BA, North America-Australia using Mileage Plan? That would be the ultimate in value for miles...
Thanks for any tips.
Nov 2, 2010, 8:11 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
You can't do a BA award to Australia either. I wish you could since i'm trying to get there from BOS. It would be so much quicker for me to fly through Europe. The Australia awards are US-Australia and US-Asia - australia. the only airlines allowed are, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Air Pacific, Delta & Korean Air (With Korean Air's blackout dates make it almost impossible)
Nov 2, 2010, 8:12 am
#22
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: AA Plat Pto, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,536
fs
As in flying North America-London-Australia? BA is not listed on Alaska's Australia pricing page. The partner desk may be able to book it for you as two awards with two fuel surcharges, that is a total shot in the dark though.
Nov 2, 2010, 10:13 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Nov 2, 2010, 10:19 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,813
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alask...ustralia+award
Nov 2, 2010, 10:22 am
#25
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: ANC, SAP
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Priority Pass
Posts: 1,863
I'm kind of new to Mileage Plan, trying to figure out a couple things.
Firstly, are you allowed to mix and match as many partners as you want for an award?
From looking at the award chart its kind of confusing, each partner has their own required mileage...
Secondly, can I fly BA, North America-Australia using Mileage Plan? That would be the ultimate in value for miles...
Thanks for any tips.
Firstly, are you allowed to mix and match as many partners as you want for an award?
From looking at the award chart its kind of confusing, each partner has their own required mileage...
Secondly, can I fly BA, North America-Australia using Mileage Plan? That would be the ultimate in value for miles...
Thanks for any tips.
As for your second question, I think that this used to be possible, but was removed as an option 2-3 years ago. I'm sure our moderator jackal will pipe in here, as I believe he did the BA award to AUS via London in the past. (Edit: looks like he beat me to the punch).
Nov 2, 2010, 10:38 am
#26
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Lastly, there is speculation that we may see one way award options with some partners in the future. I would guess maybe Delta and American, but likely not the international carriers. This might make it easier to find space via one way tickets to Europe or Latin America and essentially do a combined itinerary as separate one-ways...however, this remains to be seen.
Another tip to help find award space [especially in the premium cabin], is AS allows open-jaw itineraries as long as it is on the same airline and both cities are in the same zone...
I.E. I booked LAX-LHR on the outbound and FRA-LAX on the return on DL.
It is very common to find award space on the outbound, but the return is not available or the other way around. So, by using the multi-city option it makes it easier to find award space.
Last edited by golfingboy; Nov 2, 2010 at 10:44 am
Nov 2, 2010, 10:50 am
#27
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Southern California
Programs: DL: 3.8 MM, Marriott: Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 24,575
OK, folks, we've got a bunch of enthusiastic, eager Ambassadors and other helpful forum members cruising through this thread like piranhas looking for fresh meat.
Let's feed them some additional questions before they start gnawing on each other.
Let's feed them some additional questions before they start gnawing on each other.
Nov 2, 2010, 10:58 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Nov 2, 2010, 11:03 am
#29
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JNU
Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold
Posts: 2,893
OK, in the spirit of the recently-concluded World Series, I'll dish up a hanging curveball:
I've done what I consider my best to divine the meaning of most of the acronyms used here on FT. One, however, still has me befuddled and that would be the acronym FO. It apparently has something to do with elite status on Delta. However, when I went to the DL web site and looked up their elite statuses, I could find no reference to FO or anything in long form that would contract to such an abbreviation.
So, please advise what FO stands for.
I've started the clock. It's ticking.....
I've done what I consider my best to divine the meaning of most of the acronyms used here on FT. One, however, still has me befuddled and that would be the acronym FO. It apparently has something to do with elite status on Delta. However, when I went to the DL web site and looked up their elite statuses, I could find no reference to FO or anything in long form that would contract to such an abbreviation.
So, please advise what FO stands for.
I've started the clock. It's ticking.....
Nov 2, 2010, 11:10 am
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Wirelessly posted (beckoa\'s PWP wonderous poster: BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.304 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)
This is DL's internal code for Silver Medallion, their base elite tier. Back in the day it is rumored to originate from Flying Orchid, DL's first elite program of sorts. But well before my time
Originally Posted by dave1013
OK, in the spirit of the recently-concluded World Series, I'll dish up a hanging curveball:
I've done what I consider my best to divine the meaning of most of the acronyms used here on FT. One, however, still has me befuddled and that would be the acronym FO. It apparently has something to do with elite status on Delta. However, when I went to the DL web site and looked up their elite statuses, I could find no reference to FO or anything in long form that would contract to such an abbreviation.
So, please advise what FO stands for.
I've started the clock. It's ticking.....
I've done what I consider my best to divine the meaning of most of the acronyms used here on FT. One, however, still has me befuddled and that would be the acronym FO. It apparently has something to do with elite status on Delta. However, when I went to the DL web site and looked up their elite statuses, I could find no reference to FO or anything in long form that would contract to such an abbreviation.
So, please advise what FO stands for.
I've started the clock. It's ticking.....