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-   -   No 25K award seats on AS in First to ANC? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alaska-airlines-mileage-plan/1604293-no-25k-award-seats-first-anc.html)

enzian Aug 19, 2014 2:53 pm

No 25K award seats on AS in First to ANC?
 
We will be returning to Alaska for vacation next August (2015) and this time would like to fly in First, from SEA to ANC. Looking at availability right now, which extends only up to July 16, I see no lower-cost award seats (25K miles each way) on Alaska, only on Delta. Or if we want to make a stop in Juneau on the way ( we do not). The higher-cost seats are 60K miles each way, or 120K RT. That is twice as many as we needed to go from MEL to HKG to LAX on Cathay Pacific!!!

So if this is the norm, it means we would have to fly Delta if we want to travel in First. Can I expect this pattern to continue for August 2015 seats? Why is it so high for travel to ANC?

MonThruThurs Aug 19, 2014 3:06 pm


Originally Posted by enzian (Post 23390432)
We will be returning to Alaska for vacation next August (2015) and this time would like to fly in First, from SEA to ANC. Looking at availability right now, which extends only up to July 16, I see no lower-cost award seats (25K miles each way) on Alaska, only on Delta. Or if we want to make a stop in Juneau on the way ( we do not). The higher-cost seats are 60K miles each way, or 120K RT. That is twice as many as we needed to go from MEL to HKG to LAX on Cathay Pacific!!!

So if this is the norm, it means we would have to fly Delta if we want to travel in First. Can I expect this pattern to continue for August 2015 seats? Why is it so high for travel to ANC?

No one but AS rev mgmt knows when saver F seats are going to open up. But they probably will at some point, so just keep checking back on regular intervals.

Considering you can't even book Aug, '15 flights yet, I don't see any reason to start worrying yet.

CDKing Aug 19, 2014 3:09 pm

Alaska is a very popular summer tourist destination. F sells well in the summer so less saver awards. No point in giving them away now when they have a whole year to sell them.

missydarlin Aug 19, 2014 3:12 pm

How many is "we"?

July/August is right in the middle of tourist, cruise and fishing season. I don't know that those seats will be easy to come by.

dgreen12 Aug 19, 2014 4:31 pm

So use your AS miles to get the free F seats on their partner, Delta.

I'm not getting the problem. Sure, you'll slum a bit by flying Delta (perhaps) but a free F ticket is a free F ticket.

If AS can sell the F seats, the more power to them.

Apparently Delta's revenue department has concluded that for July 2015 they won't be able to sell all of their F seats and they're willing to let some go at low award levels.

What is the problem with Delta? You're still able to use your AS miles.

apodo77 Aug 19, 2014 5:18 pm


Originally Posted by dgreen12 (Post 23391071)
So use your AS miles to get the free F seats on their partner, Delta.

I'm not getting the problem. Sure, you'll slum a bit by flying Delta (perhaps) but a free F ticket is a free F ticket.

If AS can sell the F seats, the more power to them.

Apparently Delta's revenue department has concluded that for July 2015 they won't be able to sell all of their F seats and they're willing to let some go at low award levels.

What is the problem with Delta? You're still able to use your AS miles.

Is there any proof saver award are available on DL?

CDKing Aug 19, 2014 5:37 pm

Going through Juneau on DL sounds like an excellent plan. I mean the flights i've seen so far aren't nearly full which means it should be easier to find award space

enzian Aug 19, 2014 5:55 pm


Originally Posted by dgreen12 (Post 23391071)
So use your AS miles to get the free F seats on their partner, Delta.

I'm not getting the problem. Sure, you'll slum a bit by flying Delta (perhaps) but a free F ticket is a free F ticket.

If AS can sell the F seats, the more power to them.

Apparently Delta's revenue department has concluded that for July 2015 they won't be able to sell all of their F seats and they're willing to let some go at low award levels.

What is the problem with Delta? You're still able to use your AS miles.

The problem with Delta is that we would have to book RT to get the seats for 50K. Delta does not offer half price for one-way booking like AS does ( and most everyone else). Booking RT is much harder as one must wait for the return date to open up.

We have firm dates in August so no flexibility. I am looking now, at July, just to see if there is a pattern that is likely to continue. There are lots of award seats on AS in economy at the Saver level, but none in First. It just seems odd to me, compared to other routes I have looked at.

enzian Aug 19, 2014 6:03 pm


Originally Posted by CDKing (Post 23391381)
Going through Juneau on DL sounds like an excellent plan. I mean the flights i've seen so far aren't nearly full which means it should be easier to find award space

The flights through Juneau are actually on AS, not Delta. But I would rather just go in Y than make a stop in Juneau, which adds significant time and a bit of uncertainty to the flight ( chance of weather cancellations, which I have seen happen quite a bit).

jerry a. laska Aug 19, 2014 6:17 pm


Originally Posted by enzian (Post 23391499)
The flights through Juneau are actually on AS, not Delta. But I would rather just go in Y than make a stop in Juneau, which adds significant time and a bit of uncertainty to the flight ( chance of weather cancellations, which I have seen happen quite a bit).

Weather cancellations to Juneau don't happen like they used to before the arrival of RNP and then nextgen. I wouldn't be worried especially in a July-August timeframe.
http://www.faa.gov/nextgen/snapshots/stories/?slide=10

CDKing Aug 19, 2014 7:25 pm


Originally Posted by enzian (Post 23391499)
The flights through Juneau are actually on AS, not Delta. But I would rather just go in Y than make a stop in Juneau, which adds significant time and a bit of uncertainty to the flight ( chance of weather cancellations, which I have seen happen quite a bit).

I was thinking mixed metal DL+ AS I found saver AS metal JNU-ANC pretty easily this year. Of course that doesn't mean next year JNU-ANC will be so easy

PDXPremier Aug 19, 2014 8:15 pm


Originally Posted by enzian (Post 23391499)
The flights through Juneau are actually on AS, not Delta. But I would rather just go in Y than make a stop in Juneau, which adds significant time and a bit of uncertainty to the flight ( chance of weather cancellations, which I have seen happen quite a bit).

I would take the stop in Juneau...beautiful place to stop...even if you only have a few hours, you can rent a car and drive over to the glacier. Also, if you can confirm F, you'll actually get fed on the SEA-JNU and then again (although more like a snack) on JNU-ANC....that would seal the deal for a foodie like me :cool:

dgreen12 Aug 19, 2014 8:27 pm


Originally Posted by apodo77 (Post 23391283)
Is there any proof saver award are available on DL?

I searched and saw them available for July 2015.

Take a look on the AS website.

Be careful of the AS routing thru Juneau. It has the symbol for mixed classes of service.

enzian Aug 20, 2014 5:48 pm


Originally Posted by dgreen12 (Post 23392059)
I searched and saw them available for July 2015.

Take a look on the AS website.

Be careful of the AS routing thru Juneau. It has the symbol for mixed classes of service.

Thanks for the heads up on the mixed cabin on the Juneau flights. I had not noticed that. Turns out it is coach To Juneau, then First from there to ANC. Not at all what we are looking for.

jerry a. laska Aug 20, 2014 6:10 pm


Originally Posted by enzian (Post 23397493)
Thanks for the heads up on the mixed cabin on the Juneau flights. I had not noticed that. Turns out it is coach To Juneau, then First from there to ANC. Not at all what we are looking for.

It will depend upon which flights are selected. To get the mixed cabin you are probably getting the combi for the SEA-JNU flight which does not have F seats. There are some options that do not include the combi for a SEA-(JNU)-ANC, so F all the way.


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