What is your fare basis? For F class on DL, I believe F, P, and A are eligible for bonus EQM/RDM... I have flown in A [cheapest DL F fare] and gotten the bonus after talking with Mileage Plan Customer Service.

Newbie AS MVP Question!

I used the miles + money option to buy a one way flight for some holiday travel. I realize that I won't be eligible for MVP upgrades in advance, but am I still eligible for adding my name to the upgrade list at check-in?

I realize it is a long shot for MVP upgrades, but I should MVPG before the new year and I'm curious about miles and money for next year.

Thanks All!

Technically, no. There have been (if I recall correctly) some very rare reports of getting upgraded by a generous gate agent, but you cannot actually waitlist for travel on a Miles and Money (AS50 or, as it's better known around here, AS20, since you usually don't get more than about 20% of the fare covered by the discount ;)) award.

It's generally agreed upon that an AS20 is not the best use of miles. It's not horrible, and it certainly is helpful to allow you to travel when you're miles-rich and cash-poor, but there are generally far more valuable uses of miles available. If you don't need to earn EQMs, redeeming for a straight award is relatively not that many more miles, and redeeming for travel in F domestically or, even better, business or first internationally (especially on premium airlines like British, Cathay, and Qantas), represents about the best bang-for-your-mile possible.

In any case, you won't be able to waitlist for an upgrade either now or at check-in, but when you get to the gate, it can't hurt to ask (if F is not already full, of course).

And welcome to FlyerTalk!

First, I'd like to thank the mods and very helpful individuals in this thread.

Since moving to WA, we've become fans of Alaskan and made more trips to HI. Now I'm becoming a little obsessed with obtaining MVP (if not MVPG) status.

I'm still a little confused with how one obtains their complimentary upgrades. So let's assume I've made MVP.

So, if I book a full flex fare, if there is availability in first class at the time I'm doing my online booking, am I automatically upgraded to a first class seat the moment I buy my ticket? Or is it a waitlist?

Say, I book on any fare other than full flex, does that mean within 48hrs of flight departure, I can obtain open first class seats? Or again is it a waitlist that I'll find out when I'm at the airport?

When you say, you "call in and confirm your upgrades" - does that mean the only way to get your complimentary upgrades is to call in?

What does this link do:
https://www.alaskaair.com/booking/ss...d/viewpnr.aspx

Can you obtain your first class seat reservations with the above link?

Thanks for the replies. It will help me decide whether I want to try for MVP this remaining calendar year, cause it'll be quite a bit more expensive trying for it flying around Thanksgiving and X-mas (my only time off in the near future). I'd have to make another mileage run to HI and then another someplace else for 1K miles.

Thanks again for the clarification.

Also, after reading the posts in this thread, I clearly need to obtain an AS CC and start booking my flights in one-way segments.

There are two different fare buckets that First Class seats come out of:

F: Full fare First Class. This is generally equal to the number of unsold First Class seats in the cabin.
U: Upgradeable First Class. This is a subset of F and is either equal to or less than F.

If U is greater than zero and you (as an MVP) buy a Full Flex fare, then you should be upgraded instantly into an F seat.

If U is zero and you buy a Full Flex fare (as an MVP), then you will be automatically placed on a waitlist and, assuming you're high enough on the list, then as soon as more F seats are released into U, then you will be upgraded. This can happen any time from the moment you buy your ticket all the way until the boarding door is closed for departure. This is a completely separate waitlist from the normal 48-hour waitlist for MVPs. It's theoretically a higher-priority waitlist than the 48-hour one. Also, Alaska indicated at a recent event that they are working on a system that will "force" an upgrade if there are any unsold F seats within a few days of departure, even if U is zero (i.e. if F2 U0 but you're an MVP on a Full Flex fare, you'll still be upgraded). I am not sure if that is in process yet.

Note that the real First Class fare is often not much more expensive than Full Flex, and considering the benefits you get when booking a real First Class (F) fare--free Board Room access, 1.5x miles (both RDMs--redeemable miles--and EQMs--elite qualifying miles, which get you to MVP), and the best handling in the case of irregular operations--you might consider just booking true F tickets.

If you book anything less than Full Flex, then you are put on another waitlist (separate from the one mentioned above). This waitlist does not become active until 48 hours before flight. At that time, if there is any inventory open in the U fare bucket, the waitlist will be processed and the top x people on that waitlist (based on date/time the ticket was bought) will be upgraded. Note that this waitlist is lower priority than both the Full Fare waitlist mentioned above as well as the MVPG75K and MVPG waitlists, so those waitlists all have to be empty before the MVP waitlist kicks in. That said, MVPs can get upgrades easily on many routes; the transcons, Hawaii, and Alaska flights are much more difficult, though.

Nope. Calling in upgrades usually refers to applying the MVPG Upgrade Certs that MVPGs get (and can give away). These cannot be waitlisted (for now--they're supposed to become electronic and waitlistable perhaps next year), so many people here will set alerts online and watch for F seats to be released into U space and then call to claim the upgrade. If you're booking a Full Flex fare or just relying on the 48-hour complimentary upgrade, you're on the waitlist and everything should be handled automatically. (The operative word there is "should," though, and sometimes there is a delay between when seats are placed in the U bucket and when the waitlists are actually run. The more intrepid among us will often still set alerts and call in when space is opened to either try to jump the queue, in case they're not already #1, or just try to prevent someone else from jumping in front of them. (They'll call and ask the agent, "I see U space is open but my upgrade wasn't processed. Can you fix it?" The agent will usually say, "Gee, wow, I have no idea why that could possibly be the case! I'll go ahead and process your upgrade and move you up to First Class right now.")

That link will allow you to view your reservation online and modify your seats or make online changes to your itinerary. You cannot obtain any upgrades at that link.* When you book your ticket, you are automatically placed on the waitlist for First Class (either on the instant upgrade waitlist, if you book a Full Flex fare, or on the 48-hour-out waitlist, if not).

*One exception would be if you book an itinerary before you qualify for MVP but then subsequently qualify, you can place yourself on the waitlist at that link.

If you're that close to MVP (7,000-ish miles?), I'd see if you can make it work. The bonus miles you earn while flying and the occasional upgrade even on the lowest bargain-basement fare really do make it worth having.

Indeed! :D

jackal- thanks for the very informative reply - particularly the part about paying full F class and getting 1.5 EQM as well. I wonder if that wouldn't be a less expensive way to reach MVP rather than flying some other segment to earn that last 1K (given I fly to HI or MIA for that 6K run).

Here's another newbie question: How does one pre-board with MVP status when traveling with a spouse who is not MVP? Will they make the spouse wait till general boarding reaches their seat number? That would kinda suck.

Never had a GA challenge anyone traveling with me, but then again, we usually walk up together. If the GA does challenge your flying companion, just have them say they're with you.

AS GAs are not known for enforcing boarding order, anyway...

If you do go to HI, and you're flying out of SEA (as your location might indicate), then you could easily route through PDX in both directions and pick up that 1K.

For Delta, the fare code was KA14UP5R and QA14UPNY. On AA, YA0UPAMR and KAUPPMR.

I also noticed on some DL flights with 2 cabins flown domestic (i.e. SFO-ATL), the seat would show as "business", and other cases "first". I am not sure what drives the EQM credit at AS. Thanks!

Or you can get an additional 1K by routing through california (depending on your final destination).

I've been trying to research the Alaskan VISA cards online and can only find these details:

https://wwwa.applyonlinenow.com/us/a...6676557-421110

Alaskan Visa Signature
1) Get 3 miles for every qualifying $1 in Alaska/Horizon flights/vacations
2) 1 mile per other $1 purchases
3) 25K miles upon approval
4) $99 companion ticket
5) Receive 2 boardroom passes upon approval

Visa Platinum Plus
1) Get 2 miles for every qualifying $1 Alaskan/Horizon flights/vacations
2) $50 discount code annually
3) 5K miles upon approval
4) 1 mile per other $1 purchases

Alaskan Airlines Visa Preferred
- Lowest benefits but lowest annual fee

None of them seem to mention the 1k bonus for using to pay for bookings. Anybody know where I can find that in writing? I wonder if this is an old benefit only for grandfathered individuals.

Thanks for the tip. I updated my location to show GEG. I already get the 1K from GEG to SEA, but factoring that into the mileage, a GEG - SEA - HNL roundtrip nets me 6354. I'm still just under 1K shy.

Should be able to route GEG-SEA-PDX-HNL or GEG-PDX-SEA-HNL, and if on PDX-Hawaii, you get double redeemable miles. If HNL does not work, try KOA, its a later flight - but only 4x a week ex-PDX.

Should just add a bit to the taxes- use multicity as a OW flight to force your city pairs.

And here's a link to sign up for double miles to/from select PDX city pairs

http://www.alaskaair.com/www2/Promo/...g||&pid=AS1015

Here's a good summary from alaskaair.com
http://www.alaskaair.com/as/mileagep...t-Card-FAQ.asp

But specifically for the bonus miles... here's one place I found it outlined. http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/Pro...king-Bonus.asp


And if you don't have someone to refer you already- I'm sure there's several of us on the board who'd be glad to ;)

http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/Promo/BofA-Member.asp

Just send them a PM.

Much appreciate the timely colloquy between Jay K and Jackal. I'm about to take my first post-MVP qualification flight in a couple weeks, PDX<-->SEA<-->BOS, 12/3 out, 12/5 return. On KVS, outbound shows F7 U0. With all the occupied MVP/MVPG seats in coach, I'm figuring my chances for a T-48 upgrade are about 0. But maybe an aisle in 15 or 6 will pop up.

Follow up questions: is there any way on the Alaska website itself to check F/U availability on a given flight? Alternatives to KVS? Is there any way to look in advance at the 48 hr (and 72 hr) waiting lists?

Thx.

--mcz