Gold Guest Upgrades expiration date rules
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: PDX USA
Programs: AS MVPG, AA, BA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Platinum, IHG, Hertz 5*
Posts: 690
Gold Guest Upgrades expiration date rules
Did a search of the forum, and reviewed TC's online, and couldn't locate this answer, so am asking.
With the electronic gold certs, how is or should the expiration date be interpreted? I have some that will expire 12.31 of this year. Does that mean I have to book travel (subject to U space), then click to 'use' them by that date, or do my dates of travel have to be prior to 12.31?
In the past with the paper certs, since they had to be collected (ostensibly) by the agent at the airport, with the electronic ones, once you use them their gone. So if I'm looking at travel in early 2013, can I use the certs in my account today?
With the electronic gold certs, how is or should the expiration date be interpreted? I have some that will expire 12.31 of this year. Does that mean I have to book travel (subject to U space), then click to 'use' them by that date, or do my dates of travel have to be prior to 12.31?
In the past with the paper certs, since they had to be collected (ostensibly) by the agent at the airport, with the electronic ones, once you use them their gone. So if I'm looking at travel in early 2013, can I use the certs in my account today?
#2
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: 42,942
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+)
I think it is a 'use by' date but haven't tried to use in 2013. Good question though.
I think it is a 'use by' date but haven't tried to use in 2013. Good question though.
#3
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Between BLI & PAE.
Programs: Nada of note these days….
Posts: 1,287
A further inquiry regarding these certs: If your status drops to MVP from MVPG when you fly in 2013, having booked while an MVPG in the current year. Can you still use the certs?
#4
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: deep within the Eskimo lair
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 16,968
As they are meant for friend/family of the Gold, you don't have to have ANY status to use those certs.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: AS Million Miler since 2011, Lifetime MVPG
Posts: 853
I have some that will expire 12.31 of this year. Does that mean I have to book travel (subject to U space), then click to 'use' them by that date, or do my dates of travel have to be prior to 12.31?
In the past with the paper certs, since they had to be collected (ostensibly) by the agent at the airport, with the electronic ones, once you use them their gone. So if I'm looking at travel in early 2013, can I use the certs in my account today?
In the past with the paper certs, since they had to be collected (ostensibly) by the agent at the airport, with the electronic ones, once you use them their gone. So if I'm looking at travel in early 2013, can I use the certs in my account today?
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: PDX USA
Programs: AS MVPG, AA, BA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Platinum, IHG, Hertz 5*
Posts: 690
I called the Gold Desk twice, and got the same answer twice: Travel must be completed by 12.31.2012.
Unless Missy knows or can confirm otherwise, that is our answer. There is no reason or way to 'try this out', since you have to go through the entire booking process - including paying the fare - before you get to select the option of using the MVP Gold Guest Upgrade and whether it will all you to do so.
Missy - do you know differently?
Unless Missy knows or can confirm otherwise, that is our answer. There is no reason or way to 'try this out', since you have to go through the entire booking process - including paying the fare - before you get to select the option of using the MVP Gold Guest Upgrade and whether it will all you to do so.
Missy - do you know differently?
#7
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AS MVPG75k
Posts: 353
I called the Gold Desk twice, and got the same answer twice: Travel must be completed by 12.31.2012.
Unless Missy knows or can confirm otherwise, that is our answer. There is no reason or way to 'try this out', since you have to go through the entire booking process - including paying the fare - before you get to select the option of using the MVP Gold Guest Upgrade and whether it will all you to do so.
Missy - do you know differently?
Unless Missy knows or can confirm otherwise, that is our answer. There is no reason or way to 'try this out', since you have to go through the entire booking process - including paying the fare - before you get to select the option of using the MVP Gold Guest Upgrade and whether it will all you to do so.
Missy - do you know differently?
#8
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,235
It will be interesting to see how we handle them this year.
Last edited by BOB W; Aug 8, 2012 at 5:29 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,235
I believe that you would use the code (non-reusable) and would need to call and request a new code if you did this. Not sure it's worth the hassle.
#10
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Between BLI & PAE.
Programs: Nada of note these days….
Posts: 1,287
#11
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: AS MVPG, SPG Gold, ICH P Club Plat, Hertz#1 5Star, Marriott Gold
Posts: 227
I actually could use up to 6 of these, if anybody out there doesn't plan on using them by year end. Apologies if this should be on coupon connection, but not sure if the ecerts would mean much to folks who don't pay close attention to AS.
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: PDX USA
Programs: AS MVPG, AA, BA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Platinum, IHG, Hertz 5*
Posts: 690
After a discussion at home last night, we have since recalled a situation where we provided a family member with a paper F upgrade certificate. Her itinerary saddled the new year (outbound prior to 12/31 expiration, and return afterwards). When making the reservation online with the phone rep and after giving the code, she indicated it could not be used for the return portion. Thus, I'm not sure how you were able to do it, since you had to phone in. Every time I did so, the agent always asked me for the code (which contained the expiry date), and all but twice was I actually asked for the paper cert itself.
As such, I'm 98% resigned to the expiration date being a 'travel by' date, not a 'use by' date.
#13
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Exploralist, Marriot Silver
Posts: 2,065
Bumping as a request for an update. Note that the 2012 giveaway thread mentioned that the "expiration" date is really a "use by" instead of a "travel by" deadline. Has Alaska officially written anywhere that the same is true for 2013?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19850879-post25.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19850879-post25.html
#14
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,235
Bumping as a request for an update. Note that the 2012 giveaway thread mentioned that the "expiration" date is really a "use by" instead of a "travel by" deadline. Has Alaska officially written anywhere that the same is true for 2013?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19850879-post25.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19850879-post25.html