Jan 1, 2018, 3:17 pm
Last edit by: Baze
Welcome to the Alaska Airlines Flame-Free Q&A Thread for 2018!
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
For the 2017 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
For the 2017 version of this thread, please click here
2018 Alaska Airlines *FLAME-FREE* Q&A thread: all welcome, new and old!
Nov 20, 2018, 5:18 pm
#1501
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
Presumably, if they completely finished boarding at or after T-30, they could close out the flight. When you’re connecting though, they can see your incoming flight I believe (might require a couple keystrokes?). I’ve heard GAs and FAs say more than once they’re waiting on XX of people and their flight just arrived or similar. But that’s until the actual departure time is reached. After that... well, I’ve never had AS hold a flight for me on a misconnect. Maybe if I was a 75K...
Nov 20, 2018, 5:39 pm
#1502
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Presumably, if they completely finished boarding at or after T-30, they could close out the flight. When you’re connecting though, they can see your incoming flight I believe (might require a couple keystrokes?). I’ve heard GAs and FAs say more than once they’re waiting on XX of people and their flight just arrived or similar. But that’s until the actual departure time is reached. After that... well, I’ve never had AS hold a flight for me on a misconnect. Maybe if I was a 75K...
If there's no delay I shouldn't need them to hold the flight but I may arrive at the gate during the boarding process.
If there's an outbound delay that shows up on the screen I can just ask them to reroute me while I'm at SFO.
My concern is that if we board and then get delayed on the tarmac I'm SOL.
I'm a little surprised that this flight only has a 72% on-time arrival score since it's a 6am flight. I expect late flights out of SF to be delayed but early flights usually leave on time just because there has been no time for a queue to build, and the plane almost certainly spent the night at SFO.
1 more question... if I check a bag, does it have ANY chance of making the connection?
Nov 20, 2018, 6:05 pm
#1503
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Does the app notify one of delays? My flight is delayed and I found out at the airport, which stinks because I wouldn't have gone so early. 2.5h delay for a flight less than 2h.
I didn't get an email either.
I didn't get an email either.
Nov 20, 2018, 6:10 pm
#1504
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,428
Um, notification of a delay is a "courtesy," as announced delays can be shortened, and a plane may leave before the announced new departure. Pax are advised to stay in waiting are just for this reason. So sure, chances are you could have arrived at the airport a couple of hours later, but there's also a small chance that would not work.
Nov 20, 2018, 6:29 pm
#1505
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Um, notification of a delay is a "courtesy," as announced delays can be shortened, and a plane may leave before the announced new departure. Pax are advised to stay in waiting are just for this reason. So sure, chances are you could have arrived at the airport a couple of hours later, but there's also a small chance that would not work.
I mean, you are talking about Alaska here which doesn't have any spare planes for their over-expanded West Coast routes.
There is absolutely no chance my flight will leave on-time.
But anyway, is the Alaska app actually notify one of delays? As far as I know it send a notification about 3 hours before our flight is supposed to depart, sometimes notifies you you can check-in, sometimes notified you your flight is boarding.
Nov 20, 2018, 6:59 pm
#1506
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
James
Nov 20, 2018, 9:42 pm
#1507
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Yes. Connected through SEA this past weekend, incoming flight arrived at 8:21 at N12B, departing flight left at 9:01 from C16B. Bags made the connection so it's definitely possible. Obviously a shorter connection probably increases the chance that it won't. If it's something you need immediately at your destination, I'd consider placing it in your carryon.
Nov 21, 2018, 8:17 am
#1508
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,598
Yes, yes it does. Click "More" in the lower right corner, then select "App notifications". On that screen you can select to have the App send flight change notifications. This past weekend in SFO, the app kept us up to date with departure time changes. We had four changes, resulting in the flight departing at the originally scheduled time.
Nov 21, 2018, 9:14 am
#1509
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Yes, yes it does. Click "More" in the lower right corner, then select "App notifications". On that screen you can select to have the App send flight change notifications. This past weekend in SFO, the app kept us up to date with departure time changes. We had four changes, resulting in the flight departing at the originally scheduled time.
Nov 22, 2018, 2:55 pm
#1510
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Limit to number of miles purchased?
Is there a limit to the number of AS miles you can buy?
With Hyatt, I maxed out their current promo because they limit you to 55k miles + bonus per year. I was about to do the same for Alaska but when I was reading the terms, I noticed a limit on the number of miles per transaction but not per year. Can you just buy as many as you want -- ie, could I make 2 (or more) back-to-back max transactions right now if I wanted to?
If so, buying to stockpile doesn't seem to make much sense... this 2c/mile (including taxes) deal will be back, right?
With Hyatt, I maxed out their current promo because they limit you to 55k miles + bonus per year. I was about to do the same for Alaska but when I was reading the terms, I noticed a limit on the number of miles per transaction but not per year. Can you just buy as many as you want -- ie, could I make 2 (or more) back-to-back max transactions right now if I wanted to?
If so, buying to stockpile doesn't seem to make much sense... this 2c/mile (including taxes) deal will be back, right?
Nov 22, 2018, 7:52 pm
#1511
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Is there a limit to the number of AS miles you can buy?
With Hyatt, I maxed out their current promo because they limit you to 55k miles + bonus per year. I was about to do the same for Alaska but when I was reading the terms, I noticed a limit on the number of miles per transaction but not per year. Can you just buy as many as you want -- ie, could I make 2 (or more) back-to-back max transactions right now if I wanted to?
If so, buying to stockpile doesn't seem to make much sense... this 2c/mile (including taxes) deal will be back, right?
With Hyatt, I maxed out their current promo because they limit you to 55k miles + bonus per year. I was about to do the same for Alaska but when I was reading the terms, I noticed a limit on the number of miles per transaction but not per year. Can you just buy as many as you want -- ie, could I make 2 (or more) back-to-back max transactions right now if I wanted to?
If so, buying to stockpile doesn't seem to make much sense... this 2c/mile (including taxes) deal will be back, right?
James
Nov 23, 2018, 6:39 pm
#1512
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 733
On the phone an agent casually mentioned that "eventually" the DH4s YVR-SEA were going to be changed to planes with a first class. I'm curious, is there a plan with a known timeline or is this just speculation?
Specifically looking at AS 2269 in May 2019. ExpertFlyer suggests that there are five DH4s per day and one 739 per day. Not that F on a 55 minute flight would mean much, but it always feels funny taking economy to connect onto CX or JL F.
Specifically looking at AS 2269 in May 2019. ExpertFlyer suggests that there are five DH4s per day and one 739 per day. Not that F on a 55 minute flight would mean much, but it always feels funny taking economy to connect onto CX or JL F.
Nov 23, 2018, 7:04 pm
#1513
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
On the phone an agent casually mentioned that "eventually" the DH4s YVR-SEA were going to be changed to planes with a first class. I'm curious, is there a plan with a known timeline or is this just speculation?
Specifically looking at AS 2269 in May 2019. ExpertFlyer suggests that there are five DH4s per day and one 739 per day. Not that F on a 55 minute flight would mean much, but it always feels funny taking economy to connect onto CX or JL F.
Specifically looking at AS 2269 in May 2019. ExpertFlyer suggests that there are five DH4s per day and one 739 per day. Not that F on a 55 minute flight would mean much, but it always feels funny taking economy to connect onto CX or JL F.
Nov 23, 2018, 7:28 pm
#1514
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Maybe they're privy to some inside info, or maybe not. Alaska hasn't announced any specific upgauging for Q400 routes. They are shrinking the Q400 fleet, so some routes are either going to be served by aircraft with F cabins, frequency decreased, or dropped entirely. Having said that, the smaller remaining Q400 fleet is expected to stick around indefinitely for now.
Nov 23, 2018, 7:30 pm
#1515
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
AA change fee
If I use Alaska's website and buy flights on AA (not marketed by AS), and want to change it later, is it still AS change fees? As in waived if you have status?