$110 Companion Ticket Valid for COACH class only - Effective August 1st, 2012
Jul 8, 2012, 4:43 pm
#76
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SEA
Posts: 1,887
Right, so this doesn't seem as bad a change for elites as it will be for non-elites. High level elites can effectively book in first class assuming U space is available and save some coin, albeit lose some qualifying miles due to booking in economy.
Jul 8, 2012, 4:56 pm
#77
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
The bolded part above - that's the kicker. On the desirable routes, the instant-upgrade-post-purchase for elites is not always available.
Jul 8, 2012, 4:59 pm
#78
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SEA
Programs: DL Plat, AS MVPG, Bonvoy Plat/LT Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,266
...and that's the key. Based on my buying history, this renders it useless for transcons but still leaves Hawaii possible if you're flexible or willing to connect. So still worth a few hundred if you can make it work in F...or potentially even more if you're starting or ending in Alaska.
Jul 8, 2012, 5:58 pm
#79
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SEA
Posts: 1,887
I agree that requiring U space makes the companion ticket less useful for elites but wouldn't say it makes it useless. As far as transcons, my experience is transcon FC fares are usually too high to justify using companion tickets, so not much of a loss there. I'd burn 2x45K US miles to fly SEA-PHL in FC before I'd use a companion ticket which would require ~$1700 if booked in FC. Hawaii and Mexico are the more compelling options because the FC fares are less and the awards are more expensive.
Jul 8, 2012, 7:11 pm
#80
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,803
My wife has been urging me for years to cut this last remaining tether to the B of A, but I've repeatedly held out our annual FC trip to New York as the carrot. As for getting upgrade space on AS to the east coast, har de har har, as my dead old mother used to say. So another credit card bites the dust, selah.
ETA - has anyone phoned B of A and asked to have their certificate date accelerated to July (mine is in December) in order to grandfather in one last trip? Outcome? I plan to do so tomorrow, under threat of immediate cancellation. Not sure if B of A can even do it, but asking is free.
ETA - has anyone phoned B of A and asked to have their certificate date accelerated to July (mine is in December) in order to grandfather in one last trip? Outcome? I plan to do so tomorrow, under threat of immediate cancellation. Not sure if B of A can even do it, but asking is free.
Last edited by Gardyloo; Jul 8, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Jul 8, 2012, 7:17 pm
#81
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, Delta Platinum Medallion, Hilton Gold,Starwood Preferred, United, AA
Posts: 156
What a shame. Used the First class ticket option to Hawaii a number of times and enjoyed the service. It would have been better to offer something in between maybe a tier companion ticket option of $250 to $500 for the first class ticket companion.
Jul 8, 2012, 9:02 pm
#84
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, DL DM, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 29
Still a top notch card for cheap companion
I'm a flyer that splits my 200k miles between AS and DL. This card IMO is still a great card to fly to mid or transcon flights that tend to be $300+. It's still much better than the DL Gold AMEX as well because only the primary flier gets mileage credit. Secondly, reading all the posts and finding out how many people were using this for outright F seats has made me excited to have more space available in F as an upgraded 75k.
Also, any people looking to rid themselves of their companion pass?
Also, any people looking to rid themselves of their companion pass?
Jul 8, 2012, 9:44 pm
#85
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 wondrousdevice3.0: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9810; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.0.0.583 Mobile Safari/534.11+)
Yes this may increase upgrades for AS elites as its freeing up F space- however I doubt more F will be purchased as a result decreasing revenue for AS. I have been very close to booking F before and have helped other members book F too (convinced based on value etc) but no longer... And I'll probably keep my card for now but might not use it at all except for companion cert- (already switched non AS spending to SPG AMEX a year ago) but that's another thread.
Sad to see this devaluation- the slippery slope has turned into a waterslide
Originally Posted by Smeadcw
I'm a flyer that splits my 200k miles between AS and DL. This card IMO is still a great card to fly to mid or transcon flights that tend to be $300+. It's still much better than the DL Gold AMEX as well because only the primary flier gets mileage credit. Secondly, reading all the posts and finding out how many people were using this for outright F seats has made me excited to have more space available in F as an upgraded 75k.
Also, any people looking to rid themselves of their companion pass?
Also, any people looking to rid themselves of their companion pass?
Sad to see this devaluation- the slippery slope has turned into a waterslide
Jul 8, 2012, 9:56 pm
#86
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,195
This is strictly an Alaska Airlines decision and not BofA. I'm sure BofA is going to be "upset" at the number of cancelled cards they will be receiving. Alaska certainly hasn't thought this out. My wife and I are MVPs and fly at least 3-4 R/Ts from Hawaii each year. Even with the companion fare First Class option, we spend at least $6-8,000/year on Alaska Airlines. We switched our loyalty from Hawaiian Airlines to Alaska because of the companion fare and will most likely go back to Hawaiian. Hawaiians First Class experience is so much better than Alaska's . . . and, now that the price of a FC ticket on Hawaiian has come down to around Alaska's, it's a moot point.
If you would like to express your concerns to Alaska Airlines, you can email Caroline Boren, Managing Director, Loyalty Marketing and Cusomer Advocacy, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
[Moderator note: email address removed for spam prevention, but Alaska Airlines email addresses are in the format of [email protected]]
I suggested they keep the option, but raise the price of the First Class companion fare option to maybe $199 (or, even $299. It would still be a great deal). The more opposition and emails the she gets and her committee, the better chance we as "riders" have of them changing their minds. The power of many can be significant. Don't do nothing . . . email her today!
If you would like to express your concerns to Alaska Airlines, you can email Caroline Boren, Managing Director, Loyalty Marketing and Cusomer Advocacy, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
[Moderator note: email address removed for spam prevention, but Alaska Airlines email addresses are in the format of [email protected]]
I suggested they keep the option, but raise the price of the First Class companion fare option to maybe $199 (or, even $299. It would still be a great deal). The more opposition and emails the she gets and her committee, the better chance we as "riders" have of them changing their minds. The power of many can be significant. Don't do nothing . . . email her today!
Jul 8, 2012, 10:25 pm
#87
Join Date: Sep 2001
Programs: Alaska Tanzanite 100K
Posts: 3,858
Jul 8, 2012, 10:48 pm
#88
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 608
Again...I agree that the changes are negative.
My point is this - I don't know where your travel is based from or if you always buy first class...or really what your travel patterns are.
But...for ANYONE who will even once per year fly with anyone else on AS metal on an itinerary that costs, say $250+, they would come out ahead by keeping this card and using it even if only for that purchase.
My point is this - I don't know where your travel is based from or if you always buy first class...or really what your travel patterns are.
But...for ANYONE who will even once per year fly with anyone else on AS metal on an itinerary that costs, say $250+, they would come out ahead by keeping this card and using it even if only for that purchase.
An upcoming trip to LIH next winter will net me about $600. In that case, AS's fares are more competitive, meaning I'm really getting the full value since there isn't any cheaper competition.
I think they've done their homework and know that they're leaving enough on the table to keep the card a positive value for most consumers.
Jul 8, 2012, 11:56 pm
#89
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: AS MVPG, SPG Gold, ICH P Club Plat, Hertz#1 5Star, Marriott Gold
Posts: 227
You're exactly right and AS knows it, which is why I will not drop the card despite all the recent changes. Companion fares in coach are not just an excellent deal from Alaska...have you seen fares from PDX? I just used a companion fare PDX-PHL for coach, where the first ticket was $701, meaning the companion ticket saved me roughly $550. Of course, AS's fares were about $150 more than the competition, but that's still $250 ahead, less the $75 annual fee...no other card would get me that kind of value off of one single purchase.
An upcoming trip to LIH next winter will net me about $600. In that case, AS's fares are more competitive, meaning I'm really getting the full value since there isn't any cheaper competition.
I think they've done their homework and know that they're leaving enough on the table to keep the card a positive value for most consumers.
An upcoming trip to LIH next winter will net me about $600. In that case, AS's fares are more competitive, meaning I'm really getting the full value since there isn't any cheaper competition.
I think they've done their homework and know that they're leaving enough on the table to keep the card a positive value for most consumers.
Jul 9, 2012, 12:03 am
#90
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 227