ucdtim17

When booking summer transcons a couple months ago, I was surprised how plentiful 25k VX F awards were. We'd have preferred the AS EWR-PDX nonstop on our return but weren't going to pay 60k for that when VX awards through SFO were 25k. Looking forward to trying out their F product before it disappears.

anc-ord772

VX F is generally easy to score at 25k. At that rate I've been able to book LAX-IAD, ORD-LAX and LAX-BOS.

I would have a hard time spending 60k miles on any VX route.

dhuey

Maybe I blew it. Out Mar. 15, return 17 -- a conference I will attend. I just checked a moment ago and it's still 60K x 2 for VX in F.

AKCuisine

For what it's worth, consider traveling one day earlier. March 14, 2018 currently shows VX SFO-DCA award space in F for 25K.

MAH4546

That's nuts. Isn't saver on the route 25k each way? I've spent less to fly business class to Asia.

dhuey

Yes, but saver isn't an option on my specific dates. I want to be on the Mar. 15 outbound flight, and the Mar. 17 return. If I want to be in F (and I do), my choices are 120,000 miles, or $3,700. I think I'd be willing to pay $2,400 for this itinerary, so I'm cashing in my Alaska miles for 2 cents per. A fair deal.

flytoeat

UAPremierExec

I believe we're trying to help you, not lambast you.

60K miles for a one way in domestic F, is quite frankly, hard for most of us long term AS flyers to bite. 65K is what I spent on AA Flagship FIRST for INTERNATIONAL... 60K to me is 4 domestic one-ways.

I've also cashed in miles for VX F for only 25k.

So we're just being a bit, frugal, and also trying to be educational. VX F is not really worth 60K for most of us. Even my last trip in VX - F has me no longer wanting to waste *any* miles on VX anymore (it was a sad state for a transcon...). Alaska even refunded a huge chunk of my miles due to what happened on the plane (or lack, thereof).

So my recommendation is to wait for the award space to open up at 25k - because it *will*. almost every VX flight I've been watching, the 25k mile will open up for at least 1 seat, and there's no rhym or reason for it. I've seen cabins booked to only 1 with NO discount F seats open, and I've booked on flights booked to 6, with discount seats open. (shrugs).

Now you said MARCH - as in 2018?

dhuey

I don't doubt that for a moment. I have never felt lambasted here. I am grateful for your input on this, and the input of others. If it turns out I could have gotten a better deal for this Alaska award roundtrip in F on VX, please explain it, my FlyerTalker friends -- especially for the benefit of others here.

I didn't feel like I got some fantastic deal with my 120,000-mile roundtrip for my SFO-DCA itinerary on VX in F. It seemed like a fair deal to me, especially considering how those Alaska miles sat in my account for about a decade.

MAH4546

Just keep an eye out and see if saver space opens up. It might.

120,000 miles gets you an $8k+ business class ticket on Cathay Pacific to Asia. 140,000 miles gets you a $16k first class ticket to Hong Kong. It's not a relatively good value for the miles at all, and the service/seat isn't that special.

dhuey

For me, it was cashing in my Alaska miles for about 2 cents per. I agree that this is no special deal, but it made sense in my particular situation.

quemalo

If it works for you, it works for you.

I spent 40k miles to fly SEA-YYJ once because I was in an uber to the airport and needed a flight right then. I couldn't afford the $600 Alaska was charging for two last minute coach seats, so the 40k miles was a price I was willing to spend. Normally I'd think it absurd to spend so many miles for such a low airfare, but it worked for me at that time.