Jul 6, 2017, 8:16 am
Last edit by: rustykettel
Link to Official AS Blog Post
Major points from this thread and from missydarlin:
Link to share your feedback with Alaska Airlines:
https://www.alaskaair.com/feedback
Discussion in the American Airlines forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...an-2018-a.html
Major points from this thread and from missydarlin:
- Effective Jan 1, 2018, domestic AA-marketed flights will not earn any Mileage Plan miles. AS-marketed, AA-operated codeshares will continue to earn AS miles at the AS earning rate (ie a minimum of one mile earned per mile flown). Domestic flights marketed by other partners (eg BA) and operated by AA will no longer earn AS miles. Post-Jan 1 flights booked prior to Jul 6, 2017 may be submitted for mileage credit.
- International AA flights (including US-Canada and US-Mexico) will continue to earn AS miles. Domestic AA flights which connect to international flights will not earn miles. It will remain impossible to book international AA-operated flights through Alaska to get an AS codeshare or an AS-operated domestic feeder flight.
- Reciprocal elite status benefits (waived checked bag fees, preferred/MCE seat assignments, priority boarding) between AA and AS go away Jan 1, 2018. Seat assignments made prior to Jan 1 for post-Jan 1 flights will remain.
- The reciprocal lounge access arrangment between AA and AS will not change.
- AA will remain a mileage redemption partner of AS with only relatively minor tweaks to the award chart (some increases, some decreases).
Link to share your feedback with Alaska Airlines:
https://www.alaskaair.com/feedback
Discussion in the American Airlines forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...an-2018-a.html
AS and AA Partnership Changes (Effective 1 January 2018)
Jul 6, 2017, 7:33 am
#1
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,026
AS and AA Partnership Changes (Effective 1 January 2018)
Jul 6, 2017, 7:46 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MSP
Programs: MP MVP Gold; Hilton - Gold; Marriott - Silver;
Posts: 213
Wow. That pretty much excludes me as a flyer out MSP. I'm hoping they bring more flights in/out of MSP but it seems like I will have to move on from the AS and MP with these changes at the beginning of the year. I love the program and the airline when I am able to fly them but with no frequency and no ability to earn status I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be moving on.
Originally Posted by AS Blog
If you’re in other parts of the U.S., you’ll still have lots of eligible American flights with an Alaska “AS” flight number to choose from in and out of Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Phoenix. As always, you can find eligible flights on alaskaair.com.
Last edited by mrapollinax; Jul 6, 2017 at 7:57 am
Jul 6, 2017, 7:47 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: CHA/TYS
Programs: The Mac Daddy of Heimlich County (and low-ball status)
Posts: 2,868
well... that sucks! all elite benefits lost.
i wont be driving to BNA or ATL just to take one flight, having to connect in the northwest.
i wont be driving to BNA or ATL just to take one flight, having to connect in the northwest.
Jul 6, 2017, 7:53 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MSP
Programs: MP MVP Gold; Hilton - Gold; Marriott - Silver;
Posts: 213
Jul 6, 2017, 7:58 am
#5
Moderator, Delta Skymiles and Mileage Run
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Seat 2A
Programs: DL Diamond/MM, Hyatt Diamond, former AS MVPG 75K, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,940
This solidifies the decision I made to abandon AS and go back to Delta Diamond.
With very few domestic options unless you live in Seattle or commute to Seattle, this program no longer makes sense for me.
With very few domestic options unless you live in Seattle or commute to Seattle, this program no longer makes sense for me.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:05 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,847
Going with the AS product on premium transcons and not allowing mileage accumulation on AA flights on routes such as SFO/LAX to JFK also makes AS much less competitive in California. Glad as well to have largely moved on from seeking status.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:06 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Upper Left Corner of the Map
Programs: AS MVPG & Board Room, Marriott Silver, Global Entry
Posts: 2,203
I'm less concerned about elite benefits than I am about at least earning some RDMs. It'll just take longer to earn the miles for those J tickets to Asia, not that I'd entertain any thought of using AA to Asia. Been there, done that, never again.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:11 am
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Kinda shocked some redemption options are being maintained...
Jul 6, 2017, 8:15 am
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
Wasn't the problem with the AS program for those not based in AS strongholds that you would need too many carriers on an award ticket when the domestic connecting segments were counted?
It's surprising as many people expected AS and AA to get closed after the divorce of DL and AS (and later DL's refusal to interline with AA). However, with AS breaking up with DL and now AA, could it be that the problem wasn't so much that DL doesn't play well with others but perhaps that AS has problems maintaining relationships with bigger and stronger airlines?
It's surprising as many people expected AS and AA to get closed after the divorce of DL and AS (and later DL's refusal to interline with AA). However, with AS breaking up with DL and now AA, could it be that the problem wasn't so much that DL doesn't play well with others but perhaps that AS has problems maintaining relationships with bigger and stronger airlines?
Jul 6, 2017, 8:20 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Seattle, Wa
Programs: AS 75K & BR Member- HHonors Diamond - Hertz PC - Marriott Titanium - IHG Ambassador
Posts: 2,379
It's surprising as many people expected AS and AA to get closed after the divorce of DL and AS (and later DL's refusal to interline with AA). However, with AS breaking up with DL and now AA, could it be that the problem wasn't so much that DL doesn't play well with others but perhaps that AS has problems maintaining relationships with bigger and stronger airlines?
Jul 6, 2017, 8:23 am
#11
Join Date: May 2006
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 81
This is a huge negative development. There are lots of places I have to travel to for work that, after poking around online, it doesn't look like there are AS code shares to. Connecting through Seattle isn't acceptable. It's going to make it hard for me to stay with Alaska in 2018 given I don't live in Seattle.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:29 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
I'm guessing the is the nail in the coffin to any rumors that AS was moving towards oneworld membership.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:29 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MSP
Programs: MP MVP Gold; Hilton - Gold; Marriott - Silver;
Posts: 213
Domestically it seems to have come down to how big AS wants to grow and expand that is effecting these relationships. When you are filling a need it makes sense to partner, but once you start to infringe more in each others' business then eventual deterioration is expected. The only thing that would keep me flying AS at this point is flight frequency but I doubt that happens in any amount of time where I would maintain status. So for me, much like with the DL breakup, continue to earn through the end of the year and then start over with another program.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:33 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 103
This is a huge negative development. There are lots of places I have to travel to for work that, after poking around online, it doesn't look like there are AS code shares to. Connecting through Seattle isn't acceptable. It's going to make it hard for me to stay with Alaska in 2018 given I don't live in Seattle.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:33 am
#15
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,453
Not a viable airline from SFO
This announcement would make more sense if it was followed by either a commitment to an east coast hub or an acquisition of JetBlue.
As an SFO flyer, it would have been impossible for me to maintain status this year without AA flights. Unless it's flying to SEA or PDX, the AS/VX routes tend to be poorly timed, with few frequencies, even within the west coast.
Now there's no truly viable option to anything but the biggest east coast cities, and even then, many of them are only a few flights daily. (And those oh-so-valuable code shares out of Chicago are always 2-3x price.)
Not sure what my move is. We still have a few months to await more "exciting" news from Alaska. But maybe this is the year of free agency. AS loses big in that scenario. Why would I inconvenience myself to try to fly AS when it's so difficult anyway?
Maybe it's back to Delta. If I'm not going to earn useful miles, may as well fly an airline with a workable network and decent service.
The irony is that Alaska had finally earned my loyalty enough to deal with flying AA for the gaps, even when it was annoying, and now that loyalty is worthless.
As an SFO flyer, it would have been impossible for me to maintain status this year without AA flights. Unless it's flying to SEA or PDX, the AS/VX routes tend to be poorly timed, with few frequencies, even within the west coast.
Now there's no truly viable option to anything but the biggest east coast cities, and even then, many of them are only a few flights daily. (And those oh-so-valuable code shares out of Chicago are always 2-3x price.)
Not sure what my move is. We still have a few months to await more "exciting" news from Alaska. But maybe this is the year of free agency. AS loses big in that scenario. Why would I inconvenience myself to try to fly AS when it's so difficult anyway?
Maybe it's back to Delta. If I'm not going to earn useful miles, may as well fly an airline with a workable network and decent service.
The irony is that Alaska had finally earned my loyalty enough to deal with flying AA for the gaps, even when it was annoying, and now that loyalty is worthless.