What's your 2018 stategy?
Jul 21, 2017, 2:35 pm
#76
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: AS G100K, DL PM, IHG Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 843
I am SEA based so I will continue to fly mostly AS flights, and hope to re-qual 75K in 2018 without AA. Since we are losing a lot of benefits from the AA partnership, I will start flying DL more (I am not a fan of AA) next year, especially on flights to the Southern US and Asia, and hope to get elite status on DL as well.
Without those partnerships with DL and AA, AS will just be a regional player. May be this is the league that AS belongs to. But this doesn't help AS to fend off DL's invasion, because people like me who needs to fly to the east coast and the south on business, I will have no choice but to fly DL.
Without those partnerships with DL and AA, AS will just be a regional player. May be this is the league that AS belongs to. But this doesn't help AS to fend off DL's invasion, because people like me who needs to fly to the east coast and the south on business, I will have no choice but to fly DL.
Jul 25, 2017, 1:19 pm
#77
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG, HA Plat
Posts: 1,268
It pains me to say it, but I'm coming to the conclusion that HA Platinum is the most valuable status that's reasonably accessible to me going forward. I'll make that this year on interisland travel, but most years I'd need some west coast travel as well. I've enjoyed the hell out of AS MVPG and gotten a lot of value from GGUs and instant upgrade fares, particularly when I could combine them with the companion pass, but I don't see a reasonable way to hold onto it going forward without doing some pretty convoluted routings and schedules for mid-con and east coast trips, and I don't think I'm willing to do that. So at the moment I'm leaning toward using HA for at least some of my west coast flying and looking for cheap premium fares on either UA or DL for the rest, which should give me at least bottom-tier status on whichever of those I choose. That might not leave me much AS flying at all.
Jul 25, 2017, 1:51 pm
#78
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,259
2018 will be another year with AS as my preferred airline. Haven't flown DL since the break up and AA is not going to get any business as long as AS can get me there. UA is on my "DO NOT PUT ME ON THEIR PLANES" list, in fact the only airline on it. Based out of ANC, the other options are minimal.
As a 1MM and 75K the perks are keeping me loyal....for now.
As a 1MM and 75K the perks are keeping me loyal....for now.
Jul 26, 2017, 10:02 am
#80
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Preferably waiting for takeoff
Programs: AA EXP, MVPG, DL Silver, United Silver, Accor Platinum, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 458
Business travel 50%, 50% self funded. Based out of SMF.
I’m currently DL Platinum but will wind that down as of 2019, life time silver after that. I like DL, but the FF program has gotten to be less than attractive. I’m using the remaining time to burn my RUCs and get down to ~100K mile (500K now).
In 2016 I status matched to Elevate Gold, and what a good move that was. That in turn put me at AS MVP-GOLD this year, and I have flow VX+AS 60% of the time this last 12 months. Enjoy them both, but VX more. I’ll hit VX Gold again this year for the last time and then for 2018 will plan on MVP 75K.
Being SMF based leaves means few carriers that have a real advantage. Southwest and DL have the most directs, but I end up flying connections anyway. I fly to Seattle a fair amount so AS helps in this regard (and DL and WN at keeping prices in check). If you live in California you fly Southwest sometimes. You can’t help it as they really connect the state. Other options are becoming available. When I fly WN, I buy early boarding and that works for me. I’ll add a flight here and there from any other carrier if it makes sense and this includes AA, UL, - even San Juan Airlines.
I’m looking forward to being an AS elite, with the exception of transcons for 2019 and beyond. In the mean time, I’ll fly VX F and use my RUCs on DL. I don’t need a lieflat on a transcon as I’m mostly a daytime flyer. I just like room, and VX does that pretty well.
After 2019 I will most likely do much more European travel, and then I take a hard look at Flying Blue and Miles and More.
I’m currently DL Platinum but will wind that down as of 2019, life time silver after that. I like DL, but the FF program has gotten to be less than attractive. I’m using the remaining time to burn my RUCs and get down to ~100K mile (500K now).
In 2016 I status matched to Elevate Gold, and what a good move that was. That in turn put me at AS MVP-GOLD this year, and I have flow VX+AS 60% of the time this last 12 months. Enjoy them both, but VX more. I’ll hit VX Gold again this year for the last time and then for 2018 will plan on MVP 75K.
Being SMF based leaves means few carriers that have a real advantage. Southwest and DL have the most directs, but I end up flying connections anyway. I fly to Seattle a fair amount so AS helps in this regard (and DL and WN at keeping prices in check). If you live in California you fly Southwest sometimes. You can’t help it as they really connect the state. Other options are becoming available. When I fly WN, I buy early boarding and that works for me. I’ll add a flight here and there from any other carrier if it makes sense and this includes AA, UL, - even San Juan Airlines.
I’m looking forward to being an AS elite, with the exception of transcons for 2019 and beyond. In the mean time, I’ll fly VX F and use my RUCs on DL. I don’t need a lieflat on a transcon as I’m mostly a daytime flyer. I just like room, and VX does that pretty well.
After 2019 I will most likely do much more European travel, and then I take a hard look at Flying Blue and Miles and More.
Jul 27, 2017, 2:31 pm
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,648
Jul 27, 2017, 5:52 pm
#82
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Preferably waiting for takeoff
Programs: AA EXP, MVPG, DL Silver, United Silver, Accor Platinum, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 458
I do wonder if AS is going to develop CA feed into SFO/LAX VX hubs ...?
Jul 27, 2017, 11:29 pm
#83
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,812
100% self funded.
Probably will lose elite status unless I plan another trip or two to qualify for MVP. The loss of AA benefits next year makes it less enticing for me to pursue MVPG/75K status as I fly AA quite a bit. It will suck not having MVPG/75K status next year but I guess this gives me an excuse to pay for transcon F flights here and there. With the introduction of Mint on the SEA-BOS/JFK routes next year, this works out pretty well.
Probably will lose elite status unless I plan another trip or two to qualify for MVP. The loss of AA benefits next year makes it less enticing for me to pursue MVPG/75K status as I fly AA quite a bit. It will suck not having MVPG/75K status next year but I guess this gives me an excuse to pay for transcon F flights here and there. With the introduction of Mint on the SEA-BOS/JFK routes next year, this works out pretty well.
Jul 28, 2017, 12:06 pm
#84
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVP; UA Gold; DL Gold; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 156
90% self funded/10% USG funded travel.
Living and working overseas, so focused mainly on UA and *A. Nice to not have to worry about UA PQD these past few years. Lots of affordable J tickets from Europe to Asia, so that's helped maintain UA 1K status. (LH group all at 200% PQM bonus!) Probably heading back to US summer 2018, so slowly transitioning to AS as I've seen UA, DL, and AA all go revenue. Got a couple of J flights on AY and CX coming up at the end of the year and will credit to AS. Also got the BoA AS Biz card. Not sure I'll be reaching MVP statuses, but unless I can really exploit UA 1K benefit, I plan to refocus my travels on AS in 2018 and beyond. Spouse and I are still accruing Chase UR points, so we'll have the flexibility when we needed it (at least that's the plan). Plus, SPG-Marriott is our chain of choice, so Starpoints can be AS to boost our balance. Starting from ZERO AS balance is definitely mindbending. Haha.
Living and working overseas, so focused mainly on UA and *A. Nice to not have to worry about UA PQD these past few years. Lots of affordable J tickets from Europe to Asia, so that's helped maintain UA 1K status. (LH group all at 200% PQM bonus!) Probably heading back to US summer 2018, so slowly transitioning to AS as I've seen UA, DL, and AA all go revenue. Got a couple of J flights on AY and CX coming up at the end of the year and will credit to AS. Also got the BoA AS Biz card. Not sure I'll be reaching MVP statuses, but unless I can really exploit UA 1K benefit, I plan to refocus my travels on AS in 2018 and beyond. Spouse and I are still accruing Chase UR points, so we'll have the flexibility when we needed it (at least that's the plan). Plus, SPG-Marriott is our chain of choice, so Starpoints can be AS to boost our balance. Starting from ZERO AS balance is definitely mindbending. Haha.