Apr 5, 2014, 3:23 pm
Last edit by: eponymous_coward
Emirates award guide using Alaska Airlines miles
Routing Rules:
All trips must start or end in North America.
One open jaw and one stopover allowed on each one-way award.
No fees for changes/cancellations prior to 60 days from departure.
North American Gateway Cities:
West Coast
Seattle
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Central
Chicago
Dallas
Houston
East Coast
Boston
New York (JFK)
Orlando (Effective September 1, 2015)
Washington DC (IAD)
Canada
Toronto
Award Chart Links*:
Middle East & Africa
Asia
Europe
*If region is not listed on chart its not available.
Perks
Chauffeur Drive NOT Available
Car service is not available for all Business Class and First Class passengers on Alaska Airlines ticketed award tickets on Emirates flights (as of Jan 2015). The chauffeur will not confirm if you use the EK website for this, though the website makes it look you can make a reservation.
Lounges
Access is available for all passengers traveling in Business and First Class. Not all cities have lounges and many may be operated by a Partner. There have been some reports of people having an issue accessing the Dubai lounges as the tickets may appear in their system as non-revenue employee travel. This is not as much of a problem as it used to be but in case it comes up please advise the lounge attendant that you are on an Alaska Airlines award.
Dubai Connect
AS Awards on EK do not qualify for Dubai Connect, which is the service that offers the free hotel.
Tricks to find Transoceanic availability
Instead of performing a blanket, i.e. SEA-DXB search, perform: SEA-MED.
Madinah is a destination that is only served by EK. Consequently, if there is availability, only EK will show up in the calendar results.
Routing Rules:
All trips must start or end in North America.
One open jaw and one stopover allowed on each one-way award.
No fees for changes/cancellations prior to 60 days from departure.
North American Gateway Cities:
West Coast
Seattle
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Central
Chicago
Dallas
Houston
East Coast
Boston
New York (JFK)
Orlando (Effective September 1, 2015)
Washington DC (IAD)
Canada
Toronto
Award Chart Links*:
Middle East & Africa
Asia
Europe
*If region is not listed on chart its not available.
Perks
Chauffeur Drive NOT Available
Car service is not available for all Business Class and First Class passengers on Alaska Airlines ticketed award tickets on Emirates flights (as of Jan 2015). The chauffeur will not confirm if you use the EK website for this, though the website makes it look you can make a reservation.
Lounges
Access is available for all passengers traveling in Business and First Class. Not all cities have lounges and many may be operated by a Partner. There have been some reports of people having an issue accessing the Dubai lounges as the tickets may appear in their system as non-revenue employee travel. This is not as much of a problem as it used to be but in case it comes up please advise the lounge attendant that you are on an Alaska Airlines award.
Dubai Connect
AS Awards on EK do not qualify for Dubai Connect, which is the service that offers the free hotel.
Tricks to find Transoceanic availability
Instead of performing a blanket, i.e. SEA-DXB search, perform: SEA-MED.
Madinah is a destination that is only served by EK. Consequently, if there is availability, only EK will show up in the calendar results.
Consolidated Emirates (EK) awards availability/booking/routing thread
Apr 3, 2015, 10:07 am
#1801
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,841
...and here come all the newbies who just read the blogs again...
Apr 3, 2015, 10:08 am
#1802
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
Apr 3, 2015, 10:51 am
#1803
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YVR to SEA
Posts: 2,535
But it will be charged as if it had been routed through Dubai.
If someone wants to redeem that route, I would probably suggest JAL instead as they are distance based
Apr 3, 2015, 11:17 am
#1805
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Yep, just like every regionally based award chart, the number of miles needed is by origin and destination, not the distance (or routing). Obviously some programs are better than others depending on where you want to go and how you want to get there.
Apr 3, 2015, 11:29 am
#1806
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MS
Programs: HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 25
Thanks for the replies, and yes, it was the direct JFK to Milan flight I was referencing. They are fixing to start flying the A380 on that route so thought it would be a good anniversary present for the wife.
Apr 3, 2015, 12:58 pm
#1807
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
Apr 3, 2015, 2:15 pm
#1809
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,841
I apologize for the snarkiness. Some of us are long-time, loyal Alaska flyers who have given AS a lot of money over the years. We've "earned" our precious miles the hard way, and perhaps it rubs us the wrong way when the blogs promote buying miles to redeem some of the best awards Mileage Plan has to offer. I'm also concerned that too much demand may cause inflation.
No offense meant, and in the end AS is willing to take the money.
Apr 3, 2015, 2:45 pm
#1810
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
I apologize for the snarkiness. Some of us are long-time, loyal Alaska flyers who have given AS a lot of money over the years. We've "earned" our precious miles the hard way, and perhaps it rubs us the wrong way when the blogs promote buying miles to redeem some of the best awards Mileage Plan has to offer. I'm also concerned that too much demand may cause inflation.
No offense meant, and in the end AS is willing to take the money.
No offense meant, and in the end AS is willing to take the money.
Apr 3, 2015, 8:17 pm
#1811
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,991
I get that (especially the part I bolded). If I were a long time, loyal AS customer I'd have antipathy towards someone like me who will probably never fly AS (though I credit my AA and KLM flights to AS) but will get a disproportionate benefit from the AS program. My "local" is Aeroplan and it used to be one of the most generous award charts around (low amount of miles, no surcharges). Program devaluation (more than once) was probably accelerated by Amex/SPG transfers by people who would never fly Air Canada. I guess that's how the system is set up so...I guess take solace that we aren't Avianca FFers?
So you know when I fly I book either "auto upgrade FC" or full fare FC.
Apr 3, 2015, 8:42 pm
#1812
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
I apologize for the snarkiness. Some of us are long-time, loyal Alaska flyers who have given AS a lot of money over the years. We've "earned" our precious miles the hard way, and perhaps it rubs us the wrong way when the blogs promote buying miles to redeem some of the best awards Mileage Plan has to offer. I'm also concerned that too much demand may cause inflation.
No offense meant, and in the end AS is willing to take the money.
No offense meant, and in the end AS is willing to take the money.
Apr 4, 2015, 2:50 am
#1813
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,989
Apr 4, 2015, 7:05 am
#1814
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: ANC
Programs: AS; Hyatt; Bonvoy
Posts: 1,718
... Some of us are long-time, loyal Alaska flyers who have given AS a lot of money over the years. We've "earned" our precious miles the hard way, and perhaps it rubs us the wrong way when the blogs promote buying miles to redeem some of the best awards Mileage Plan has to offer. I'm also concerned that too much demand may cause inflation.
"flytoeat" has expressed at least for me my sentiments on this. Those of us that are loyal AS FF as I am have a certain "ownership" rather than an 'entitlement" view of the world when it comes to benefits and miles. And I appreciate the opportunity that those AS miles afford my wife and I and SHE deserves them !!!! And we flew EK FC last year and we will as well early next year, Thank you AS
So you know when I fly I book either "auto upgrade FC" or full fare FC.
So you know when I fly I book either "auto upgrade FC" or full fare FC.
Thank you, flytoeat and edgewood49.
As a resident of Alaska who has been a loyal customer with AS for decades, I heartily share your sentiments.
While other (often low-cost) airlines have come into the market and then disappeared over the years, Alaska has been the reliable constant in our travel world. They've earned my loyalty and trust, and in turn, I appreciate the mileage plan and other benefits that I receive as an elite flyer with Alaska.
IMO it stinks that people who have never flown even a single mile on Alaska metal can push their way into the mileage plan and potentially devalue it for those of us who fly 75K - and often more - miles with AS every year.
Sorry if I've offended anyone, but the opinions expressed are my own.
Apr 4, 2015, 8:29 am
#1815
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323