Jan 10, 2017, 12:11 am
Last edit by: ryandc99
~Moderator note:~
We're lucky to have missydarlin as a long-standing member of our community. For those who don't know, Missy works for Alaska and has been gracious enough to serve as an unofficial liaison between us and her employer. (She's also an all-around sweetheart.) She's kindly offered to help clear up any confusion and answer any questions that we have in regards to the December 19th announcements from Alaska and associated changes to Mileage Plan.
In order to help her manage finding and answering your questions and keeping things readable around here, let's refrain from engaging in discussion in this thread. Please post only your questions and any directly-related follow up for Missy. If you have other commentary or responses to things posted here, let's keep those for other threads. (This one's a good one to post your comments in.)
We will be deleting any off topic discussion as we see it, so please only post questions to this thread.
Thanks,
jackal and ryandc99
Co-Moderators, Alaska Airlines forum
~End Moderator Note~
We're lucky to have missydarlin as a long-standing member of our community. For those who don't know, Missy works for Alaska and has been gracious enough to serve as an unofficial liaison between us and her employer. (She's also an all-around sweetheart.) She's kindly offered to help clear up any confusion and answer any questions that we have in regards to the December 19th announcements from Alaska and associated changes to Mileage Plan.
In order to help her manage finding and answering your questions and keeping things readable around here, let's refrain from engaging in discussion in this thread. Please post only your questions and any directly-related follow up for Missy. If you have other commentary or responses to things posted here, let's keep those for other threads. (This one's a good one to post your comments in.)
We will be deleting any off topic discussion as we see it, so please only post questions to this thread.
Thanks,
jackal and ryandc99
Co-Moderators, Alaska Airlines forum
~End Moderator Note~
Consolidated questions for Missy
Dec 19, 2016, 7:50 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
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"Customers may continue to book awards on DL through April 30, 2017."
Does this mean that award bookings using AS miles can only be made for travel before 4/30/17, or that all ticketing must be completed by 4/30/17 but dates beyond that can still be ticketed with AS miles?
Secondly, if we already have DL travel booked for post-4/30/17, but do not have our AS numbers affiliated with the bookings...will those earn as if the FF# was added at the time of booking?
Does this mean that award bookings using AS miles can only be made for travel before 4/30/17, or that all ticketing must be completed by 4/30/17 but dates beyond that can still be ticketed with AS miles?
Secondly, if we already have DL travel booked for post-4/30/17, but do not have our AS numbers affiliated with the bookings...will those earn as if the FF# was added at the time of booking?
Last edited by PV_Premier; Dec 19, 2016 at 11:07 am
Dec 19, 2016, 7:53 am
#17
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
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My gut was incorrect. Yes, they are.
Last edited by missydarlin; Dec 19, 2016 at 10:56 am
Dec 19, 2016, 7:56 am
#18
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For the modifications to the redemption award chart, are AS metal awards now leg-based (like Avois) or do they remain origin/destination based?
Specific cases, just as mathematical examples, all assuming low availability:
How many miles for a trip like LAX-SEA-EAT (954+99 miles, or 933 miles direct LAX-EAT)? Is it the new 7500 mile tier (for 701-1400 miles trips) or 12500 miles one way?
What about EAT-SEA-RDM (99+228 miles, or 222 miles direct)? Is that 5000, 10000, or 12500 miles?
What about ORD-SEA-LAX (1721+954 miles, or 1744 miles direct)? Is that 12500 (what it would be in the old system) or 15000 (ie two separate 7500 mile awards)?
I'm excited about the value possibilities with the reduced-mileage awards based on distance rather than just intra-state, but this is a potential concern.
Specific cases, just as mathematical examples, all assuming low availability:
How many miles for a trip like LAX-SEA-EAT (954+99 miles, or 933 miles direct LAX-EAT)? Is it the new 7500 mile tier (for 701-1400 miles trips) or 12500 miles one way?
What about EAT-SEA-RDM (99+228 miles, or 222 miles direct)? Is that 5000, 10000, or 12500 miles?
What about ORD-SEA-LAX (1721+954 miles, or 1744 miles direct)? Is that 12500 (what it would be in the old system) or 15000 (ie two separate 7500 mile awards)?
I'm excited about the value possibilities with the reduced-mileage awards based on distance rather than just intra-state, but this is a potential concern.
If there are no stopovers, it should price as a direct flight, prodivded there is availability.
Dec 19, 2016, 7:57 am
#19
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
That seems very unlikely, since BA doesn't allow upgrades on award tickets for any other partners, including their own frequent flyer program or their joint venture partner AA.
Dec 19, 2016, 7:58 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, DL PM, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,305
Missy: So basically status quo on status match to VX? Also, could you clarify how many RDMs we will earn on VX as a 75K?
Dec 19, 2016, 7:58 am
#21
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Marriott: Platinum/LT Silver, AS: MVP
Posts: 67
There will be an email going out later today, but the conversion is 1.3 VX to 1 AS
https://www.virginamerica.com/cms/el...laska-airlines
https://www.virginamerica.com/cms/el...laska-airlines
"you'll receive more detail on how you can convert your Elevate points to Alaska Mileage Plan miles at a rate of 1.3 Mileage Plan miles per Elevate point."
Is it 1.3 VX to 1 AS or 1 VX to 1.3 AS?
Dec 19, 2016, 8:04 am
#22
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
Although I appreciate it when rules like this are spelled out, not figured out by trial and error.Indeed, LAX-SEA-EAT is 7500, so it seems that the award is not by leg. ^
There is one oddity: one of the LAX-SEA-EAT options on the random date I chose (1/17/2017, flights AS 435/2158) came to 10000 miles + $12. That one has an overnight in SEA. I don't see how one gets 10000 miles out of the award chart, and with $12 in cash, it's clearly not money+miles. There are a few other itineraries that come to the same 10k price.
Even stopovers don't really explain this: LAX-SEA should be 7500 miles, not 5000, so LAX-SEA, SEA-EAT should be 5000+7500=12500.
Dec 19, 2016, 8:05 am
#23
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
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Dec 19, 2016, 8:07 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Snohomish, WA
Programs: AS MVP Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,793
Dec 19, 2016, 8:11 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,194
Not completely clear to me (after reading the email, the blog post, and the FAQ) is: What happens to award travel booked on Delta after May 1, 2017?
There is a general statement on the announcement page that "All currently booked award travel on Delta Air Lines will be honored, but changes will not be allowed for travel on or after May 1, 2017."
And from the FAQ on the blog: "However, it is important to note that for travel after April 30, 2017, travelers will need to work directly with the operating carrier to address and accommodate any customer-initiated changes."
A link that promises specific detail currently leads, at least right now, to a 404 page. ("For specific details on how this may impact your future travel with Delta Air Lines, please visit alaskaair.com/Delta.")
Reading the above statements strictly, I'd assume that if I want to cancel or change a Delta award ticket booked with AS miles for any date after May 1, 2017, I'd be SOL. In other words, would that award be locked in stone, perhaps subject to Delta's rules for award travel.
For example, I currently have a pair of first class award tickets to Hawaii using AS miles on DL for September, 2017. My options perhaps are:
- Dec 19 through Apr 30: Change or cancel per current AS Mileage Plan rules. (That is, a Gold can re-deposit or re-book without penalty.)
- May 1 through date of travel: Deal directly with Delta? No changes or cancellation? Something else?
Can Missy fill in the blanks or confirm what happens with award travel already booked, but for a date after May 1?
There is a general statement on the announcement page that "All currently booked award travel on Delta Air Lines will be honored, but changes will not be allowed for travel on or after May 1, 2017."
And from the FAQ on the blog: "However, it is important to note that for travel after April 30, 2017, travelers will need to work directly with the operating carrier to address and accommodate any customer-initiated changes."
A link that promises specific detail currently leads, at least right now, to a 404 page. ("For specific details on how this may impact your future travel with Delta Air Lines, please visit alaskaair.com/Delta.")
Reading the above statements strictly, I'd assume that if I want to cancel or change a Delta award ticket booked with AS miles for any date after May 1, 2017, I'd be SOL. In other words, would that award be locked in stone, perhaps subject to Delta's rules for award travel.
For example, I currently have a pair of first class award tickets to Hawaii using AS miles on DL for September, 2017. My options perhaps are:
- Dec 19 through Apr 30: Change or cancel per current AS Mileage Plan rules. (That is, a Gold can re-deposit or re-book without penalty.)
- May 1 through date of travel: Deal directly with Delta? No changes or cancellation? Something else?
Can Missy fill in the blanks or confirm what happens with award travel already booked, but for a date after May 1?
Dec 19, 2016, 8:11 am
#26
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
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Earning for VX is the same as any other earning, except that we count it in the same bucket as AS only flights, rather than credit it as a partner.
Dec 19, 2016, 8:11 am
#27
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,838
I don't recall previous award nomenclature using the term "non-refundable", although maybe it did. Any change to our ability to reinstate any awards, either 60 days out for everyone, or anytime for MVPG/75K redemptions?
Dec 19, 2016, 8:19 am
#28
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
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Join Date: Apr 2001
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Not clear to me (after reading the email, the blog post, and the FAQ) is: What happens to award travel booked on Delta after May 1, 2017?
There is a general statement on the announcement page that "All currently booked award travel on Delta Air Lines will be honored, but changes will not be allowed for travel on or after May 1, 2017."
And from the FAQ on the blog: "However, it is important to note that for travel after April 30, 2017, travelers will need to work directly with the operating carrier to address and accommodate any customer-initiated changes."
A link that promises specific detail currently leads, at least right now, to a 404 page. ("For specific details on how this may impact your future travel with Delta Air Lines, please visit alaskaair.com/Delta.")
Reading the above statements strictly, I'd assume that if I want to cancel or change a Delta award ticket booked with AS miles for any date after May 1, 2017, I'd be SOL. In other words, would that award be locked in stone, perhaps subject to Delta's rules for award travel.
For example, I currently have a pair of first class award tickets to Hawaii using AS miles on DL for September, 2017. My options perhaps are:
- Dec 19 through Apr 30: Change or cancel per current AS Mileage Plan rules. (That is, a Gold can re-deposit or re-book without penalty.)
- May 1 through date of travel: Deal directly with Delta? No changes or cancellation? Something else?
Can Missy (or someone with AS) fill in the blanks or confirm what happens with award travel already booked, but for a date after May 1?
There is a general statement on the announcement page that "All currently booked award travel on Delta Air Lines will be honored, but changes will not be allowed for travel on or after May 1, 2017."
And from the FAQ on the blog: "However, it is important to note that for travel after April 30, 2017, travelers will need to work directly with the operating carrier to address and accommodate any customer-initiated changes."
A link that promises specific detail currently leads, at least right now, to a 404 page. ("For specific details on how this may impact your future travel with Delta Air Lines, please visit alaskaair.com/Delta.")
Reading the above statements strictly, I'd assume that if I want to cancel or change a Delta award ticket booked with AS miles for any date after May 1, 2017, I'd be SOL. In other words, would that award be locked in stone, perhaps subject to Delta's rules for award travel.
For example, I currently have a pair of first class award tickets to Hawaii using AS miles on DL for September, 2017. My options perhaps are:
- Dec 19 through Apr 30: Change or cancel per current AS Mileage Plan rules. (That is, a Gold can re-deposit or re-book without penalty.)
- May 1 through date of travel: Deal directly with Delta? No changes or cancellation? Something else?
Can Missy (or someone with AS) fill in the blanks or confirm what happens with award travel already booked, but for a date after May 1?
www.alaskaair.com.delta goes to the DL partner page. But you have to type the www.
You can make changes to award travel on DL, regardless of date of travel, up to April 30, 2017. After that, you can cancel it, but not make voluntary changes (as opposed to schedule misconnect kind of changes)
Dec 19, 2016, 8:19 am
#29
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Dec 19, 2016, 8:23 am
#30
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
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