maniac78

I get the sense over the last year that AS has declined a lot. I've stopped traveling so I haven't flown in a while but I still have stayed with AS and use the credit card to accumulate for leisure travel. Is AS basically a last resort kind of carrier? Is it time to leave? It sure sounds like it.

Idaho Territory

Not a last resort carrier by any means. If all things are equal I don’t see a reason to fly Alaska vs any other carrier. If I were starting from ground zero (no status and no miles) I don’t know if I would choose Alaska over say Delta.

ralph4878

While the deterioration of partnerships or loss of some partners (AF/KL, AA, DL) stinks, I find AS to be the best domestic carrier in terms of consistency, punctuality, baggage delivery, and customer service. I also just booked a mixed biz/first ticket from Asia to the States for 120,000 miles on Cathay, so pretty happy with Mileage Plan, which still partners with some great airlines like Cathay, JAL, Finnair, etc..,. My recent flights with AA and DL have been okay, but if I move back to the States (I live in Asia currently) I will try to fly AS as much as possible over those two. Haven't flown with UA recently.

flytoeat

Given what you just said, what sense are you referring to?

jrl767

"AS" and "train" in the same sentence is sort of a non sequitur ... plus, I can't think of a single train with Chester in its logo that serves an airport or airport-designated station -- ANC, SEA, PDX, SFO, OAK, SJC, ORD, DCA, BWI, PHL, EWR, BOS; probably others ...

ffman999

I fly Alaska because they have great customer service, friendly staff, generally new planes (to where I fly at least), and are partners with EK, CX, and QF. If it weren’t for that, I’d fly Delta. They have a very good coach product and I love their business class (err...one) and international network.

beckoa

To answer the OP... nope.

PDXpress

If you get all your news from FlyerTalk, I can see how you'd think that. The way FTers talk about AS has definitely changed over the past year.

paperwastage

But comparing it to changes in the other airlines?

Would op be loyal to another airline, or be a free agent (lowest fare)?

nomiiiii

Alaska offers a few extremely valuable things which no other major carrier provides all things combined:

- Fare drop refunds (only southwest does this)
- Free changes upto 60 days out (only southwest is better here)
- Stopover on their award flights, which essentially means you can have 2 trips if you're based in Seattle
- Extremely attainable mileage awards (e.g. to Africa/Australia/Asia in reasonable mileage, good availability on Condor/IcelandAir/Hainan in a pinch)
- No blackout dates on domestic awards (even the most expensive $600 flight during christmas will be 30000 miles, which when used with a stopover to essentially get two domestic flights is not too bad at all).
- Realistic chance of first-class upgrades even at the MVP level (and very good chance at MVPGold level).
- $25 same day change which is great.
- No $3000 spend requirement for MVP etc. You really can get MVP for two without even trying for like $1000 if you do companion fare and take one flight a year to NYC, Hawaii and Alaska (from Seattle), with a few SFO/LAX flights thrown in.
- Best agents in terms of friendliness.

BarryL

Let's face it, Mileage Plan is now the envy of the rest of US FF programs.

NWAlaskaFlyer

If I were flying primarily on my own dime I am not sure I would choose Alaska. As a frequent business traveller based out of Seattle though I am very happy with the program and from a hard product standpoint I see no decline in the last few years. Partner issues certainly have been disappointing but if that is the price for more markets served on AS metal I will take it.

diver858

Choosing your primary carrier is a function of where you live, travel to. For me, AS has built credible focus city in SAN, providing nonstops to all Hawaiian islands, transcons to BOS, EWR and MCO, as well as an adequate intra-California network.

Qualifying for MVPG is MUCH easier than equivalent status on any of the big 3 full service carriers (leaving out WN), and as other have already described, offers some of the best benefits. Credit card companion pass is also a great feature.

Program has taken a step backward with the loss of AA and DL reciprocity, reduction in the number of F seats from 16 to 12; my naive belief / hope is that such losses will discourage Tilden from following the elite benefit race to the bottom - at least until AS negotiates suitable replacements, possibly joins an alliance.

jsguyrus

I really don't think DL or AA is any better than AS. They both have things they do better than AS, but AS does other things better than both of them. What I do appreciate is when I am doing transcons (which is most of my flying) I don't have to stop at ATL or ORD. As far as Mileage Plan, AS is the winner by a mile.

tusphotog

I definitely think management is being pulled in too many directions: VX M&A and the Horizon mess are the two that come to mind. Hopefully once the VX integration is complete, they’ll get back to the old Alaska. The same thing happened with Southwest a few years ago, and I really think they’re back to where they were pre-AirTran.

I’ll be curious what happens to the service once the Virgin crews start going through Alaska training and start showing up on the Alaska line.