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!
#1276
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
I was bumped from a flight, and the rebooked flight is in Y class. I was wondering if it's possible to use MVP status/GGU for an instant upgrade on the rebooked flight even if the original booking class was not in an eligible fare class? When trying to apply a code on the website, it says to call in for anything related to the reservation
#1277
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 2
I'm currently 5,471 miles short of MVP status for next year. I am planning a round trip SFO-JFK in November, but no other trips this year. My last roundtrip on this route earned me a total of 5,172 miles. So I'll be 245 miles short to hit MVP.
My question is: If I make a connection through LAX on the outbound flight, the total travel distance on the trip will be 2,398 miles (73 miles short). Would the SFO-LAX segment earn the minimum 500 miles, even though it's booked as a short layover? I'm assuming it would be more expensive to book the segments individually, but the cost difference of connecting through LAX vs direct to JFK is negligible. If that segment counts as minimum 500, I'll earn 5,561 miles on the roundtrip, and just clear MVP by 90 miles...
Thanks for any help! I've never earned airline status before, so I'm not sure of all the details.
My question is: If I make a connection through LAX on the outbound flight, the total travel distance on the trip will be 2,398 miles (73 miles short). Would the SFO-LAX segment earn the minimum 500 miles, even though it's booked as a short layover? I'm assuming it would be more expensive to book the segments individually, but the cost difference of connecting through LAX vs direct to JFK is negligible. If that segment counts as minimum 500, I'll earn 5,561 miles on the roundtrip, and just clear MVP by 90 miles...
Thanks for any help! I've never earned airline status before, so I'm not sure of all the details.
#1278
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,436
I have a couple of ticket credits for $300 each. have some flights of $100 each coming up and would like to use, but of course don;t want to lose the residual value. Is there a way to deposit the ticket value into my wallet so that I can the precise amounts I need? Separate question: If I use the $300 towards a 2019 ticket of $400, but then need to cancel that new $400 ticket, can the $400 then go to my wallet?
#1279
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
I'm currently 5,471 miles short of MVP status for next year. I am planning a round trip SFO-JFK in November, but no other trips this year. My last roundtrip on this route earned me a total of 5,172 miles. So I'll be 245 miles short to hit MVP.
My question is: If I make a connection through LAX on the outbound flight, the total travel distance on the trip will be 2,398 miles (73 miles short). Would the SFO-LAX segment earn the minimum 500 miles, even though it's booked as a short layover? I'm assuming it would be more expensive to book the segments individually, but the cost difference of connecting through LAX vs direct to JFK is negligible. If that segment counts as minimum 500, I'll earn 5,561 miles on the roundtrip, and just clear MVP by 90 miles...
Thanks for any help! I've never earned airline status before, so I'm not sure of all the details.
My question is: If I make a connection through LAX on the outbound flight, the total travel distance on the trip will be 2,398 miles (73 miles short). Would the SFO-LAX segment earn the minimum 500 miles, even though it's booked as a short layover? I'm assuming it would be more expensive to book the segments individually, but the cost difference of connecting through LAX vs direct to JFK is negligible. If that segment counts as minimum 500, I'll earn 5,561 miles on the roundtrip, and just clear MVP by 90 miles...
Thanks for any help! I've never earned airline status before, so I'm not sure of all the details.
If your reservation is already booked and outside the change/cancel window a reroute would trigger a change fee while I have been told by an AS Agent that an upfare will not. I am MVPG75K so haven't confirmed this.
James
#1280
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
The only scenario in which it won't earn the 500 minimum is if it has the same flight number as your LAX-JFK segment, in which case you'd get the same miles as an SFO-JFK nonstop.
#1281
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 2
Each flight will credit on it's own merit so the short hop SFO-LAX will provide 500 minimum EQM. Alternatively, you could check on the cost of upfaring one of your SFO-JFK segments to a fare with a Class of service bonus (COS) which is also EQM. Buckets Y, S 50% & Buckets M, B 25%
If your reservation is already booked and outside the change/cancel window a reroute would trigger a change fee while I have been told by an AS Agent that an upfare will not. I am MVPG75K so haven't confirmed this.
James
If your reservation is already booked and outside the change/cancel window a reroute would trigger a change fee while I have been told by an AS Agent that an upfare will not. I am MVPG75K so haven't confirmed this.
James
Last edited by bcherry; Oct 3, 2018 at 10:42 pm
#1282
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
#1283
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
I have a couple of ticket credits for $300 each. have some flights of $100 each coming up and would like to use, but of course don;t want to lose the residual value. Is there a way to deposit the ticket value into my wallet so that I can the precise amounts I need? Separate question: If I use the $300 towards a 2019 ticket of $400, but then need to cancel that new $400 ticket, can the $400 then go to my wallet?
If it's a travel certificate, you can deposit those into my wallet online in your account with the number and PIN. Note that they can't be undeposited.
If it's a cancelled ticket, once the cancellation fee is paid (if not Gold/75K), you can either apply it to a ticket, turn it into travel certificate, or deposit into MyWallet. I've only done the applying the ticket directly with a travel agent (company paid ticket) who worked with an AS agent so never done it directly myself on the website, but the excess value went into a travel certificate.Travel certificates maintain the residual value until used up or expire.
A cancelled ticket/travel certificate of $300 towards a $400 ticket will get the entire amount recredited. I can't remember if it's just a single $400 with the date reset or split back to the payment amounts with original dates (to prevent "laundering" the expiration date as it were). Maybe someone else can chime in on that point.
#1284
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
James
#1285
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 88
Are you within T-48 of departure of the new flight? If so, just the GA add you to the upgrade list and you should clear immediately if U is open (which is needed for a GGU upgrade as well). I've never used a GGU on a rebooking, but they do seem to be coded slightly differently behind the scenes as they post as original fare earnings not full Y CoS bonus.
#1286
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 88
Update: Agent said it would be eligible, but there's no U space (not sure if the system would reject it and the agent would hit an issue actually trying to apply it though..). Must be coded weirdly since it does allow choosing of front row seats that aren't normally available for the CoC booked.
#1287
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,436
If it's a cancelled ticket, once the cancellation fee is paid (if not Gold/75K), you can either apply it to a ticket, turn it into travel certificate, or deposit into MyWallet. I've only done the applying the ticket directly with a travel agent (company paid ticket) who worked with an AS agent so never done it directly myself on the website, but the excess value went into a travel certificate.Travel certificates maintain the residual value until used up or expire.
#1288
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 33
Gate agents lying to passengers that flight is full
Hi, not a frequent poster, wasn't sure where is the best place to ask this question / raise issue with AS:
I recently flew on a transcon flight from EWR-SFO. Shortly before boarding started, a gate agent got on the PA and said that the flight was completely full and requested that passengers pre-check their bags at no additional charge, yadda yadda yadda we've all heard this before.
The rub here is that the flight was NOT full - the screen behind the counter read that the flight was 20-30 seats under capacity, and that was roughly consistent with what I saw on the actual flight. The agent repeated the announcement at least one or two more times, clearly stating that the flight was going to be completely full (aka not an accident, he really meant it).
It bothers me that a gate agent would blatantly lie to us like this. I understand his wanting to get extra bags checked, but I feel like lying to customers to elicit the desired behavior is the wrong way to go about things. Have other folks seen this? Is there something I'm missing?
I recently flew on a transcon flight from EWR-SFO. Shortly before boarding started, a gate agent got on the PA and said that the flight was completely full and requested that passengers pre-check their bags at no additional charge, yadda yadda yadda we've all heard this before.
The rub here is that the flight was NOT full - the screen behind the counter read that the flight was 20-30 seats under capacity, and that was roughly consistent with what I saw on the actual flight. The agent repeated the announcement at least one or two more times, clearly stating that the flight was going to be completely full (aka not an accident, he really meant it).
It bothers me that a gate agent would blatantly lie to us like this. I understand his wanting to get extra bags checked, but I feel like lying to customers to elicit the desired behavior is the wrong way to go about things. Have other folks seen this? Is there something I'm missing?
#1289
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: 14,413
Hi, not a frequent poster, wasn't sure where is the best place to ask this question / raise issue with AS:
I recently flew on a transcon flight from EWR-SFO. Shortly before boarding started, a gate agent got on the PA and said that the flight was completely full and requested that passengers pre-check their bags at no additional charge, yadda yadda yadda we've all heard this before.
The rub here is that the flight was NOT full - the screen behind the counter read that the flight was 20-30 seats under capacity, and that was roughly consistent with what I saw on the actual flight. The agent repeated the announcement at least one or two more times, clearly stating that the flight was going to be completely full (aka not an accident, he really meant it).
It bothers me that a gate agent would blatantly lie to us like this. I understand his wanting to get extra bags checked, but I feel like lying to customers to elicit the desired behavior is the wrong way to go about things. Have other folks seen this? Is there something I'm missing?
I recently flew on a transcon flight from EWR-SFO. Shortly before boarding started, a gate agent got on the PA and said that the flight was completely full and requested that passengers pre-check their bags at no additional charge, yadda yadda yadda we've all heard this before.
The rub here is that the flight was NOT full - the screen behind the counter read that the flight was 20-30 seats under capacity, and that was roughly consistent with what I saw on the actual flight. The agent repeated the announcement at least one or two more times, clearly stating that the flight was going to be completely full (aka not an accident, he really meant it).
It bothers me that a gate agent would blatantly lie to us like this. I understand his wanting to get extra bags checked, but I feel like lying to customers to elicit the desired behavior is the wrong way to go about things. Have other folks seen this? Is there something I'm missing?
#1290
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Update: Agent said it would be eligible, but there's no U space (not sure if the system would reject it and the agent would hit an issue actually trying to apply it though..). Must be coded weirdly since it does allow choosing of front row seats that aren't normally available for the CoC booked.