1st class from ORD-ANC
Jul 28, 2015, 6:09 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Champaign, IL
Programs: Total Rewards Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, Marriott Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 564
1st class from ORD-ANC
Hello. 1st time poster in this forum, this will also be my first award booking. I am very excited. I am planning a 1st class trip to AK. I will use UR points transferred to Korean Airlines to book my Alaska Airlines flights.
One of by hobbies is competitive eating and want to maximize the value of everything I can. It looks like it is possible to book at least one way of my flight as a non stop from ORD to ANC. I am curious what kind of food is offered at the lounge in Seattle. If the offerings are actual meals (not just shrimp and crackers), I may prefer to schedule a layover in Seattle, so I can maximize on the food that is offered. I also may leave the airport to go check out the city if there is sufficient public transportation to and from the airport (I see that many connections have long layovers).
Since I am booking through Korean Airlines, I am a little confused how the awards rules are applied. I don't use the Alaska rules, correct? I use the rules that Korean has?
Since Korean allows 1 stopover per one way flight I was thinking of going from ORD (maybe through Seattle) to ANC (Stopover) then maybe to Barrow. Then using Avios to fly somewhere else, stay there a couple days and return through Fairbanks (Stopover), to ANC, then back to ORD (maybe through Seattle).
I am looking for this vacation to happen in the 3rd quarter of 2016 so I have time to research the flights and all that.
I appreciate any replies,
Thanks!
One of by hobbies is competitive eating and want to maximize the value of everything I can. It looks like it is possible to book at least one way of my flight as a non stop from ORD to ANC. I am curious what kind of food is offered at the lounge in Seattle. If the offerings are actual meals (not just shrimp and crackers), I may prefer to schedule a layover in Seattle, so I can maximize on the food that is offered. I also may leave the airport to go check out the city if there is sufficient public transportation to and from the airport (I see that many connections have long layovers).
Since I am booking through Korean Airlines, I am a little confused how the awards rules are applied. I don't use the Alaska rules, correct? I use the rules that Korean has?
Since Korean allows 1 stopover per one way flight I was thinking of going from ORD (maybe through Seattle) to ANC (Stopover) then maybe to Barrow. Then using Avios to fly somewhere else, stay there a couple days and return through Fairbanks (Stopover), to ANC, then back to ORD (maybe through Seattle).
I am looking for this vacation to happen in the 3rd quarter of 2016 so I have time to research the flights and all that.
I appreciate any replies,
Thanks!
Jul 28, 2015, 6:58 am
#2
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
As far as public transportation goes, you can take the Light link rail service. Very convenient, inexpensive, a bit of a walk to the airport station but you'll be downtown in about 45 minutes.
You can store anything you don't want to carry with you on the train (or other mode) at Ken's.
Have a great trip and visit!
You can store anything you don't want to carry with you on the train (or other mode) at Ken's.
Have a great trip and visit!
Jul 28, 2015, 7:07 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Champaign, IL
Programs: Total Rewards Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, Marriott Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 564
As far as public transportation goes, you can take the Light link rail service. Very convenient, inexpensive, a bit of a walk to the airport station but you'll be downtown in about 45 minutes.
You can store anything you don't want to carry with you on the train (or other mode) at Ken's.
Have a great trip and visit!
You can store anything you don't want to carry with you on the train (or other mode) at Ken's.
Have a great trip and visit!
Jul 28, 2015, 7:29 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 117
I fear your expectations may be a couple orders of magnitude too high for what AS domestic F will be. Sorry, don't want to sound like a grouch, but I'd just hate to see someone spend their miles on what they are expecting to be like international F and be severely disappointed.
If you end up with a long layover in Seattle, absolutely take the light rail into downtown and explore. Tons of great food options in the city.
Jul 28, 2015, 7:34 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 917
Oh OP. Sweetheart.
I fear your expectations may be a couple orders of magnitude too high for what AS domestic F will be. Sorry, don't want to sound like a grouch, but I'd just hate to see someone spend their miles on what they are expecting to be like international F and be severely disappointed.
If you end up with a long layover in Seattle, absolutely take the light rail into downtown and explore. Tons of great food options in the city.
I fear your expectations may be a couple orders of magnitude too high for what AS domestic F will be. Sorry, don't want to sound like a grouch, but I'd just hate to see someone spend their miles on what they are expecting to be like international F and be severely disappointed.
If you end up with a long layover in Seattle, absolutely take the light rail into downtown and explore. Tons of great food options in the city.
Jul 28, 2015, 7:40 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Champaign, IL
Programs: Total Rewards Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, Marriott Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 564
Oh OP. Sweetheart.
I fear your expectations may be a couple orders of magnitude too high for what AS domestic F will be. Sorry, don't want to sound like a grouch, but I'd just hate to see someone spend their miles on what they are expecting to be like international F and be severely disappointed.
If you end up with a long layover in Seattle, absolutely take the light rail into downtown and explore. Tons of great food options in the city.
I fear your expectations may be a couple orders of magnitude too high for what AS domestic F will be. Sorry, don't want to sound like a grouch, but I'd just hate to see someone spend their miles on what they are expecting to be like international F and be severely disappointed.
If you end up with a long layover in Seattle, absolutely take the light rail into downtown and explore. Tons of great food options in the city.
I really don't have any expectations. I seriously have no idea what to expect. I have never flown in 1st class before. I have never even flown on a name brand airline. Mainly just Spirit. I have never even considered 1st class.
I spent a year repairing my credit, and now have some cool rewards credit cards. When I noticed that booking through Korean Airlines is only 40,000 miles for 1st on AS vs 25,000 for coach I figured I would up the ante. I am 6'2" so 6 1/2 hours in coach isn't all that great.
Anyways, it sounds like I definitely should have at least 1 layover in Seattle to check out the city. I take public transit in Chicago so it comes natural to me.
As far as the food goes, I can easily put down 4 LBS in one sitting. So if it is available I'll take advantage.
Jul 28, 2015, 8:17 am
#8
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
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Posts: 9,582
Jul 28, 2015, 9:16 am
#9
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Location: BOS/ORH
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Posts: 18,323
No shrimp cocktail or full meal in the lounge, Depending on the time of day the lounge will be soup and salad and crackers and cheese. Breakfast has the pancake machine, toast, bagels, English muffins that kind of stuff. Nothng fancy and cant piece together full meal for those with a hearty appetite. There will be some free booze options as well. Now ANC lounge has the best beer selection in the entire system (Alaskan Brewing)
Jul 28, 2015, 9:18 am
#10
Original Poster
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Location: Champaign, IL
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If I go to Seattle it won't just be for the food. I would go check out the city. Maybe sing in the rain if the opportunity presents itself.
Jul 28, 2015, 10:00 am
#12
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OP might get pancakes in the SEA lounge...
Jul 28, 2015, 10:16 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2009
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Yup, AK is Air Asia, AS is Alaska Airlines. If you are going to go into the city, I say do it - Seattle is great even if it's just for a day.
Jul 28, 2015, 12:07 pm
#14
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I could do a few dozen of those. Looks like on the inbound side (to ANC) the flight leaves at 6:00am and arrives at 8:30am so pancakes will do just fine. Maybe I should bring some sugar free syrup. (I'm not too fond of sugar).
Iirc they offer sugar free syrup in SEA.
It is fun when the pancake machine goes into the double digits.
Originally Posted by pwd847
OP might get pancakes in the SEA lounge...
It is fun when the pancake machine goes into the double digits.