First Class Competitive
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
First Class Competitive
I did a cost analysis for my upcoming trip leaving 6/28 returning 7/3 to LAX and I had a Alaska Discount Code. My flight in economy would be $170-S179 . Delta Comfort Plus would be $218 so I booked Alaska ffirst class for $218 and paid the $28 in taxes.
I feel thst if I had to purchase Delta Comfort Plus I woul look at the cost of AS first class with included bag,lounge access etc. Priority pass holders seem to be denied entry at AS lounges.
Cost for First is roughly $37 more so you save on the$50 bag and airline club access plus the drinks and snacks in the lounge and in the sky. Not to mention 175 percent bonus miles
In the future I would gladly pay a bit more to fly in FC consisering it covers two checked bags plus lounge access drinks and more. I addef it up and if I took the Y flight even in thecPreferred cabin it would still cost me to check my bag as I like to bring liquids wiyu me llke shampoo.
Thoughts?
I feel thst if I had to purchase Delta Comfort Plus I woul look at the cost of AS first class with included bag,lounge access etc. Priority pass holders seem to be denied entry at AS lounges.
Cost for First is roughly $37 more so you save on the$50 bag and airline club access plus the drinks and snacks in the lounge and in the sky. Not to mention 175 percent bonus miles
In the future I would gladly pay a bit more to fly in FC consisering it covers two checked bags plus lounge access drinks and more. I addef it up and if I took the Y flight even in thecPreferred cabin it would still cost me to check my bag as I like to bring liquids wiyu me llke shampoo.
Thoughts?
#2
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ANC
Programs: Alaska 100k
Posts: 1,012
I did a cost analysis for my upcoming trip leaving 6/28 returning 7/3 to LAX and I had a Alaska Discount Code. My flight in economy would be $170-S179 . Delta Comfort Plus would be $218 so I booked Alaska ffirst class for $218 and paid the $28 in taxes.
I feel thst if I had to purchase Delta Comfort Plus I woul look at the cost of AS first class with included bag,lounge access etc. Priority pass holders seem to be denied entry at AS lounges.
Cost for First is roughly $37 more so you save on the$50 bag and airline club access plus the drinks and snacks in the lounge and in the sky. Not to mention 175 percent bonus miles
In the future I would gladly pay a bit more to fly in FC consisering it covers two checked bags plus lounge access drinks and more. I addef it up and if I took the Y flight even in thecPreferred cabin it would still cost me to check my bag as I like to bring liquids wiyu me llke shampoo.
Thoughts?
I feel thst if I had to purchase Delta Comfort Plus I woul look at the cost of AS first class with included bag,lounge access etc. Priority pass holders seem to be denied entry at AS lounges.
Cost for First is roughly $37 more so you save on the$50 bag and airline club access plus the drinks and snacks in the lounge and in the sky. Not to mention 175 percent bonus miles
In the future I would gladly pay a bit more to fly in FC consisering it covers two checked bags plus lounge access drinks and more. I addef it up and if I took the Y flight even in thecPreferred cabin it would still cost me to check my bag as I like to bring liquids wiyu me llke shampoo.
Thoughts?
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,640
a good value is what you make of it. given your situation (discount code available, desire to access the lounge and get free drinks en route, need to check bags) i'd agree that an F ticket at $218 is a better decision than a coach ticket at $179. for others, the calculus is different.
fact is AS F pricing is not always (or even often) competitive, especially once you start throwing in connections, and their pricing on transcon flights between CA and JFK is off the charts. fortunately with powerful search tools like Matrix ITA and google flights it is usually fairly easy to identify the best values for travel with limited effort.
fact is AS F pricing is not always (or even often) competitive, especially once you start throwing in connections, and their pricing on transcon flights between CA and JFK is off the charts. fortunately with powerful search tools like Matrix ITA and google flights it is usually fairly easy to identify the best values for travel with limited effort.
#4
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,630
I also do an analysis. How much do I want my back to hurt after flying AS? A little or a lot? How crotchety do I want to feel after flying AS? A little or a lot? How much will my bank balance decline after paying for the ticket? A little or a lot? How many pre-departure beverages do I want to consume before takeoff? None, or none? How many carry-on bags do I want to shove into the overhead bin? One, or one? How many miles do I want to post into my account after the trip? More, or less? How important will I feel when the plebeians pass by me while boarding and having their carry on bags pulled? Super-extra important, or just regular important? How many free drinks do I want because of my status? None, or one? How guilty will I feel if I use the F pee room because it is the closest one? Not at all, or super extra guilty as the F pax glare at me?
#8
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
I just fly for leisure travel so I’m always paying out of pocket and looking for the most affordable F ticket. Usually just going PSC to LAX (or LAX area airports) with a connection in SEA or PDX and rarely found Alaska to have the cheapest F fares. Often they’re $100 to $200 more then Delta. Though I will note that this year if I look for travel in October on that route AS seems competitive, I usually book about 90 days before travel though so maybe F on AS jumps up faster then Delta. Either way, I do agree that getting lounge access with AS F is nice, and I really wish Delta did that, but I now hold the Amex Platinum card so lounge access isn’t an issue in SEA any more and isn’t an issue if I’m flying Delta.
I don't factor in the missed AS mileage because I don’t fly enough to really gain a huge amount of miles. I try to keep everything in AS mileage wise since I’ll do a few short hops between PSC and SEA/PDX every year but out of pocket is my main driver.
I don't factor in the missed AS mileage because I don’t fly enough to really gain a huge amount of miles. I try to keep everything in AS mileage wise since I’ll do a few short hops between PSC and SEA/PDX every year but out of pocket is my main driver.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
I just fly for leisure travel so I’m always paying out of pocket and looking for the most affordable F ticket. Usually just going PSC to LAX (or LAX area airports) with a connection in SEA or PDX and rarely found Alaska to have the cheapest F fares. Often they’re $100 to $200 more then Delta. Though I will note that this year if I look for travel in October on that route AS seems competitive, I usually book about 90 days before travel though so maybe F on AS jumps up faster then Delta. Either way, I do agree that getting lounge access with AS F is nice, and I really wish Delta did that, but I now hold the Amex Platinum card so lounge access isn’t an issue in SEA any more and isn’t an issue if I’m flying Delta.
I don't factor in the missed AS mileage because I don’t fly enough to really gain a huge amount of miles. I try to keep everything in AS mileage wise since I’ll do a few short hops between PSC and SEA/PDX every year but out of pocket is my main driver.
I don't factor in the missed AS mileage because I don’t fly enough to really gain a huge amount of miles. I try to keep everything in AS mileage wise since I’ll do a few short hops between PSC and SEA/PDX every year but out of pocket is my main driver.
Hope this helps!
#11
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
You must be flying different routes than me. 3 of my 4 flights this week offered a hummus plate, and the 4th offered breakfast and hummus as a pre-arrival snack. Not sure I'd call hummus a "decent snack". I'm tired of those now and have declined the plates on my last few flights.
#13
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Maybe the only real solution is to accelerate the reconfiguration with 12-16 F seats up front. They don't seem to have a problem maintaining those (and IFE and seat power won't be in play),
#14
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: AS 75K, DL Diamond, former UA Plat, former AA Plat
Posts: 15
#15
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
I was referring to the electronics that operate the Airbus F seat (or at least that's what I read into cyborg's post).