dave1013

Blogger Cranky Flyer flew recently, producing a ~9-minute video in the process. He wanted to do this before the combis go away. It's an entertaining glimpse into this vanishing voyage. For those of you who may not have a chance to replicate this trip, enjoy!

98103

Nice. It might not be so interesting in an E175...or a Q400

Kufat

One of my Canadian friends flew on the Canadian equivalent of the Milk Run on some variety of a Dash-8. He said it was the only time he'd been in a -8 with a full galley.

AKCuisine

A nice video recapping the runs that so many of us have done multiple times over the years. And he knew to pick out the "correct" side of the plane for optimal views.

I noticed that he missed pointing out Mendenhall Glacier on the approach into Juneau. Sad, since he captioned quite a few on the flights to CDV and YAK.

The only part of the clip that appeared to have been faked was the approach into Ketchikan ... the Town of Liquid Sunshine, where 140 inches of rain per year is the average. What type of sacrifice did he make to the Rain Goddess to insure having a sunny day in KTN?

3ur0tr45h

How do you go about booking this? Do you have to select every single stop?

dave1013

Book to embark at a terminus (i.e., ANC or KTN). That way you get the full experience. Of course, SEA can be the southern terminus, too. 66 and 64 end in SEA. 61 and 65 originate there and terminate in ANC.

AS 61: SEA-JNU-YAK-CDV-ANC (early morning departure)
AS 64: ANC-JNU-PSG-WRG-SEA (mid-day departure)

AS 65: SEA-KTN-WRG-PSG-JNU-ANC (early morning departure)
AS 66: ANC-CDV-YAK-JNU-SEA (late afternoon departure)

jackal

If you simply search for SEA-ANC, you won't see the milk runs show up at all. At best, you'll see a connection in JNU offered with the non-stop SEA//JNU//ANC segments offered, but not the other segments.

You also can't book the "full" milk run on a single booking, even with multicity. If you try to force a booking the full way by booking SEA-JNU on AS65 and then JNU-ANC on AS65, you'll get the following error:

You can book AS65 SEA-JNU and then a different (later) flight JNU-ANC, or you can book AS65 SEA-JNU on one reservation and then AS65 JNU-ANC on a separate reservation (though unless you're MVPG, I wouldn't recommend that as you have no ability to reclaim the cost paid for the JNU-ANC ticket if AS65 overflies JNU due to IRROPS--and yes, that happens--it happened to me, though I was on a single reservation, fortunately).

For the most "efficient" milk run trip, though, you would probably want to book some combination such as AS65 SEA-JNU and then (the next day) AS61 JNU-ANC. It requires an overnight in JNU but you can hit all six stops in one direction on one trip that way.

PV_Premier

can you book it multicity w/ one of the other points as a "stop"?

edit: seems to work on google flights at least.

jackal

I just tried with a break point in PSG and got the same error I mentioned above.

It may be something a phone agent or perhaps even a travel agent can ticket--in fact, I would guess that it would be, because agents can split direct flights into multiple segments to improve upgrade chances (and mileage credit), and this would effectively be the same thing. My guess (without trying to book it on an OTA or calling AS) is that the restriction is coded on AS.com and not in Sabre.

That said, the one time I did have them change me to one of the milk runs at the gate in SEA (when I was a newly-minted 75K back when 75K was brand-new and they rolled out the red carpet for 75Ks because they didn't know better ), the GAs did not have the easiest time convincing the system to accept the change, and they had to call the help desk to get it done, so maybe it is a Sabre thing.

ETA: Expedia will sell a same-day connection in PSG on the same flight, though it's still possible there might be an issue with ticketing. I'm not going to test that, though--someone else can. Priceline will not find an option for the same search.

beckoa

I've done AS65 a few times as part of a bump. Sometimes this is the only space back home and no agents don't proactively suggest it, I do

24left

Thanks for the video.

This thread would also be a great place to post it.

Alaska Airlines - Views From Above the Wing

Alaska Airlines - Views from Above the Wing

pbd456

hello, i am exploring how to do a milkrun.

if i book two tickets with a break in CDV for example, assuming I can check in online for the subsequent tix. there would be no problem to get off security and then do TSA and back to the plane right (assuming I dont carry any lugguages.

How about somewhere like Bethel? if i have 40 minutes ( i assume the Alaska flight is turning around to ANC, right?)

AKLifetimeFlyer

Are you asking about flying to Bethel and then getting on the same return plane back to Anchorage? Yes you would be forced to get off the plane and walk into the main terminal. Security at these airports is quite different, so there is no "air side" portion of the airport, just a small waiting room that they keep you in to allow people to go through security and then walk outside to the plane. I am not sure why anyone would want to do that though.

pbd456

i guess i just dont want to spend too much money at hotel. (i am too cheap, the award price is cheap to just fly and have a quick look.

anyways i have booked the following.
A map from the Great Circle Mapper - Great Circle Mapper

have around 4 hours in AKN (i checked that the airport is near the city so there is enough time to walk in, back and fly out.
2 nights in FAI that I can stay relatively cheaply. and then another 4 hours in KTN to walk around.

is there any better suggestion?
30k AA miles + 12.5k alaska miles. for all segments

jrl767

current schedule will permit you to book same-day AS66 ANC-CDV-YAK-JNU / AS66 JNU-SEA as a legal connection due to 2+ hours between segments