PV_Premier

depends how you value your time. as it stands i have a fairly hard time using GGU on the routes I want to use them on, and I'd have to MR 5000-6000 to get them even under the challenge in addition to my organically planned travel that could be directed toward AS. if something comes up where I need to fly transcon before mid-April, this offer will get me thinking about flying AS metal, but i'm not gonna spend 14 unnecessary hours flying an MR just to get them.

eponymous_coward

I suppose not everyone can be a "pure" 75K. I've done the challenges multiple times, since I end up somewhere between 20-45k flying as an AS elite, right in the places where they might offer challenges if I fall short. If that gets you all enraged that AS thinks my custom (and that of others) is potentially valuable enough to make status retention offers, I don't know what to do. It's a friggin' metal tube, where if we sit in it enough, we're all supposed to think that having a card with the name of a precious metal on it makes us "elite", or perhaps "pure" (and that's definitely part of the trick, to get people to put emotional value on things so that people make poor economic decisions). It's also their club, their rules.

I can tell you that AS's treatment over the years has earned them a good chunk of my cash over the years, and I could easily walk to WN or some combination of AS/WN/DL/whoever's cheapest on Kayak. I'm probably in at AS as long as a mile is a mile, but if they decide it's time for spend-based mileage earning and status, I'm out.

IME, the GGUs for getting Gold through a challenge will likely be long-dated for 2019. This may not change your desire to MR, but you will get nearly two years use out of them.

haddon90

after digging and doing some research, it appears my AS flights operated by AA do NOT count. i will need to do a quick MR to hit 10k.

eponymous_coward

To follow up, I got 4 12/2019 expiry GGUs for my MVPG requalification. I would guess a 75K would also get GGUs, but no miles, if the past is prologue.

nsx

I expect something similar. I status matched to 75K this year because I expected to be flying a lot of transcons in 2018. That didn't happen. One QF trip plus some short hops on AS will earn me MVP for next year. I was hoping for a soft landing to Gold but I see no reports of that happening. It looks like my best hope is a challenge for Gold and a few AS-compatible business trips.

If I redeem an award this year with 75K status but cancel it next year when I'm only MVP, will AS waive the fee?

Flying for Fun

Most likely not. You get a disadvantage dropping to a lower status or no status at all just like you get an advantage when attaining status or a higher status.

Someone who booked an award now as a MVP would not have a fee waiver to allow free changes and cancellations. However. if s/he later attained MVPG+ before the award travel date they could change or cancel without a fee.

It is the Status you have at the time you want to change or cancel your award, or any reservation for that matter, that prevails, not the Status you had when the award/reservation was made.

James

PV_Premier

No, but if you were in the reverse situation of booking as an MVP now and canceling as a 75K next year, you would get a fee waiver. You win some, you lose some.

RAD_PDX

As of now, I will not make MVP status for 2019 (I only started flying Alaska late this summer). I have a flight booked for January 4th, 2019 that if combined with my 2018 numbers, would bump me to MVP. I am assuming the answer is no but is there any chance they would "lump this in" and give me status for 2019, or am I out of luck?

williwaw

I've had friends report success asking. I mean, nothing to lose asking!

beckoa

I'd book a hop somewhere on AS soon. 2 months left. Easy to hit MVP in a month

VegasGambler

After adding up all my already-booked travel through mid-December, I'm at... 39,775 miles.

Flying for Fun

LAX for Lunch Vegas for dinner? If you have the change fee waiver consider upfaring one of your flights to M class for the 25% EQM COS Bonus. A transcon will give you 600+

James

VegasGambler

I actually booked 3 flights today (still within 24hr). But they are all so cheap (R or T) that I suspect it's just easier to find an ultra cheap flight to LAX or something. I'll go get some KBBQ one weekend...

EDIT: Just did some quick matrix searches and all my booked fares (6 one-ways) are >$300 cheaper than the cheapest available M or P fare. So, yeah.. lunch in LA is in my future.

Flying for Fun

Are you going to squeeze in another 35K EQM AS Miles? Still 2 full months.....

James

rune87

Could always fly to Boston for Dinner...