Jan 4, 2017, 7:30 pm
Last edit by: Calchas
Welcome to the Alaska Airlines Flame-Free Q&A Thread for 2017!
Anyone is welcome to ask anything, even the most basic questions, in this thread without having to fear a snarky response. In this thread, there's no such thing as a dumb question--we were all new to Alaska Airlines, FlyerTalk, and even the whole idea of mileage programs once and needed some help navigating the ropes. We're here to help you do just that!
That said, if you want to do a little reading to see if your question has been previously discussed, links to some of the most common and extensive topics in this forum are listed in our FAQ thread -- click here to check it out.
Special care will be given in this thread to trying to provide answers in a clear manner with minimal use of acronyms and jargon.
If you need to contact someone for help, here's a current list of our forum's team:
Ambassadors (Our Greeters--members who have specifically volunteered to welcome and mentor newbies and monitor this thread):
ANC RED-EYE
baliktad
beckoa
golfingboy
Moderators (Our Janitors--members who have volunteered to do housekeeping/keep the forum in order)
ryandc99
jackal
You are welcome to send a private message to any of these individuals for assistance, but you'll generally get a faster response and broader palette of answers if you simply post your inquiry here in this thread.
Note to FlyerTalk members who enjoy the ability to take advantage of loopholes--if someone posts something that exposes information you'd rather not be public, please remember this is a Flame-Free thread, and harsh or snarky posts are not permitted. Although FlyerTalk itself does not censor posts that share information, members are free to edit their own posts to remove information. If you wish to request any poster to remove information they have shared publicly, please do so politely and respectfully.
Welcome, and we look forward to providing any assistance we can!
~the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan forum team~
For the 2016 version of this thread, please click here
Anyone is welcome to ask anything, even the most basic questions, in this thread without having to fear a snarky response. In this thread, there's no such thing as a dumb question--we were all new to Alaska Airlines, FlyerTalk, and even the whole idea of mileage programs once and needed some help navigating the ropes. We're here to help you do just that!
That said, if you want to do a little reading to see if your question has been previously discussed, links to some of the most common and extensive topics in this forum are listed in our FAQ thread -- click here to check it out.
Special care will be given in this thread to trying to provide answers in a clear manner with minimal use of acronyms and jargon.
If you need to contact someone for help, here's a current list of our forum's team:
Ambassadors (Our Greeters--members who have specifically volunteered to welcome and mentor newbies and monitor this thread):
ANC RED-EYE
baliktad
beckoa
golfingboy
Moderators (Our Janitors--members who have volunteered to do housekeeping/keep the forum in order)
ryandc99
jackal
You are welcome to send a private message to any of these individuals for assistance, but you'll generally get a faster response and broader palette of answers if you simply post your inquiry here in this thread.
Note to FlyerTalk members who enjoy the ability to take advantage of loopholes--if someone posts something that exposes information you'd rather not be public, please remember this is a Flame-Free thread, and harsh or snarky posts are not permitted. Although FlyerTalk itself does not censor posts that share information, members are free to edit their own posts to remove information. If you wish to request any poster to remove information they have shared publicly, please do so politely and respectfully.
Welcome, and we look forward to providing any assistance we can!
~the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan forum team~
For the 2016 version of this thread, please click here
2017 Alaska Airlines *FLAME-FREE* Q&A thread: all welcome, new and old!
Apr 14, 2017, 12:07 am
#631
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
I dont know if DL has self-print bag tags at JFK. If they do, the status shown on your reservation shouldn't impact one way or another if it works.
Indeed DL reservations w/ MVPG/75K FF# attached to them do show gold medallion/ST Elite +, but the benefits don't convey for the most part. One loophole I have seen them convey on is SDC, but this isn't a stated benefit and it's possible I have just gotten lucky a few times.
Good luck on the upgrade, I'd say your chances are good if they don't sell them all for $129.
Indeed DL reservations w/ MVPG/75K FF# attached to them do show gold medallion/ST Elite +, but the benefits don't convey for the most part. One loophole I have seen them convey on is SDC, but this isn't a stated benefit and it's possible I have just gotten lucky a few times.
Good luck on the upgrade, I'd say your chances are good if they don't sell them all for $129.
Apr 15, 2017, 6:04 pm
#633
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Central Maryland
Posts: 205
I was just exploring AS MP redemptions between LAS and YYC.
According to gcmap, LAS-SEA-YYC is 1319 miles, so that should go into the award tier of 7.5k miles. However, when I try to price this out on the website, I only see at lowest 10k miles for this route. I checked different dates, including summer and January 2018 and found the same behavior.
Anyone know what's going on?
According to gcmap, LAS-SEA-YYC is 1319 miles, so that should go into the award tier of 7.5k miles. However, when I try to price this out on the website, I only see at lowest 10k miles for this route. I checked different dates, including summer and January 2018 and found the same behavior.
Anyone know what's going on?
Last edited by ENOTTY; Apr 15, 2017 at 6:15 pm
Apr 15, 2017, 6:27 pm
#634
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
I was just exploring AS MP redemptions between LAS and YYC.
According to gcmap, LAS-SEA-YYC is 1319 miles, so that should go into the award tier of 7.5k miles. However, when I try to price this out on the website, I only see at lowest 10k miles for this route. I checked different dates, including summer and January 2018 and found the same behavior.
Anyone know what's going on?
According to gcmap, LAS-SEA-YYC is 1319 miles, so that should go into the award tier of 7.5k miles. However, when I try to price this out on the website, I only see at lowest 10k miles for this route. I checked different dates, including summer and January 2018 and found the same behavior.
Anyone know what's going on?
Apr 15, 2017, 10:45 pm
#635
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Central Maryland
Posts: 205
Thats right, When AS added the 5/7.5/10K level awards it made them limited. No only does saver space need to be available but the lower revenue fare buckets must also be available. Since R space isn't available it bumped up to the next level up. If there wasnt G/T space it would go higher to 12.5K
I gotta say that's kind of confusing. I'm sort of used to UA and AA that have just two levels: saver at 12.5k and anytime at 25k. But i suppose as confusing as AS's method is, it's better than UA/AA.
Apr 16, 2017, 5:49 am
#636
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
If I'm understanding you correctly, there's several "levels" of saver space up to 12.5k. How much is the anytime award, 30k?
I gotta say that's kind of confusing. I'm sort of used to UA and AA that have just two levels: saver at 12.5k and anytime at 25k. But i suppose as confusing as AS's method is, it's better than UA/AA.
I gotta say that's kind of confusing. I'm sort of used to UA and AA that have just two levels: saver at 12.5k and anytime at 25k. But i suppose as confusing as AS's method is, it's better than UA/AA.
Apr 16, 2017, 8:45 am
#637
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Central Maryland
Posts: 205
Apr 16, 2017, 4:20 pm
#638
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: San Francisco CA, USA
Programs: AA-GLD; DL-SLVR
Posts: 57
Seatback iPad/Tablet Holder
Hello. I haven't flown Alaska recently. We are traveling later this week OAK-KOA on a 738 and returning KOA-OAK on a 739 (non premium). Does Alaska currently have seatback iPad/tablet holders above the tray table on either or both of these aircraft....so that you don't have to put your iPad on the tray table to watch the streaming movies & TV?
Thanks very much.
Thanks very much.
Apr 16, 2017, 5:04 pm
#639
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,826
Hello. I haven't flown Alaska recently. We are traveling later this week OAK-KOA on a 738 and returning KOA-OAK on a 739 (non premium). Does Alaska currently have seatback iPad/tablet holders above the tray table on either or both of these aircraft....so that you don't have to put your iPad on the tray table to watch the streaming movies & TV?
Thanks very much.
Thanks very much.
Apr 17, 2017, 11:38 am
#640
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: ANC
Programs: AS; Hyatt; Bonvoy
Posts: 1,718
Hello. I haven't flown Alaska recently. We are traveling later this week OAK-KOA on a 738 and returning KOA-OAK on a 739 (non premium). Does Alaska currently have seatback iPad/tablet holders above the tray table on either or both of these aircraft....so that you don't have to put your iPad on the tray table to watch the streaming movies & TV?
Thanks very much.
Thanks very much.
The first photo below is the seat back for an AS coach seat showing the small opening for the magazine holder. The second is a (non-AS) example of someone's tablet hanging from a somewhat similar magazine slot.
While it's not ideal - and it doesn't work for all tablets - it does seem to help some people keep their tablet closer to eye level.
Apr 17, 2017, 12:53 pm
#641
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
Has anyone flown the SAN-EWR route and can speak to the loads? I am flying it for the first time Thursday and am hoping for a UG. I am 7/8 for SAN-BOS RT's but have no way to judge the new EWR route.
Apr 17, 2017, 1:50 pm
#642
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Or if you have a kickstand on your tablet. I've seen people stick their digiplayer tablets in the slot like in the second picture.
Apr 17, 2017, 8:21 pm
#643
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: San Francisco CA, USA
Programs: AA-GLD; DL-SLVR
Posts: 57
There's no "official" eye-level tablet holder on the Recaro seats Alaska Air currently uses in coach, but I have seen a few people succeed in jury-rigging a holder - provided their tablet is the right size and has a cover.
The first photo below is the seat back for an AS coach seat showing the small opening for the magazine holder. The second is a (non-AS) example of someone's tablet hanging from a somewhat similar magazine slot.
While it's not ideal - and it doesn't work for all tablets - it does seem to help some people keep their tablet closer to eye level.
The first photo below is the seat back for an AS coach seat showing the small opening for the magazine holder. The second is a (non-AS) example of someone's tablet hanging from a somewhat similar magazine slot.
While it's not ideal - and it doesn't work for all tablets - it does seem to help some people keep their tablet closer to eye level.
Apr 17, 2017, 8:34 pm
#644
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, DL PM, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,305
How does the 75K upgrade fare work? I am looking at LAX-ANC flights for the long weekend and using companion pass. Going, the regular as well as upgrade fares are the same and when I click it, a pop up window tells me that upgrade may not be available for one or more routes. Coming, the upgrade fare is around $120 more. Still, when I go to select seats for the return flight, I don't get to pick first class seats. Does it make sense to pay $120 more now in the hopes that I have a higher chance of upgrade?
Apr 17, 2017, 8:39 pm
#645
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
How does the 75K upgrade fare work? I am looking at LAX-ANC flights for the long weekend and using companion pass. Going, the regular as well as upgrade fares are the same and when I click it, a pop up window tells me that upgrade may not be available for one or more routes. Coming, the upgrade fare is around $120 more. Still, when I go to select seats for the return flight, I don't get to pick first class seats. Does it make sense to pay $120 more now in the hopes that I have a higher chance of upgrade?
