Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Alaska Airlines | Mileage Plan
Reload this Page >

is the only reason to stay with Alaska the mile earning?

is the only reason to stay with Alaska the mile earning?

Old Sep 12, 2018, 2:57 pm
  #46  
Hyatt Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Victoria, B.C.
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Gold LT
Posts: 1,934
Do the math

I can understand the frustration of the OP. I was MVP - then Gold for 10 + years then 75. Also was top tier in other programs such as AA too. So I understand how frustrating it is when you not only invest your time to fly AND to learn the ins and outs of a program, but also your hard earned money.

AS's biggest advantage in my opinion right now is the mileage earning. Unfortunately when I do the math of the program benefits and the costs to stay MVP Gold, the math no longer adds up. The change fees, same day standby, upgrades on certain fares are nice. BUT the costs for myself for those benefits and the miles earned do not add up.

Alaska is a fine airline, and has the best benefit in my opinion is the mileage earning.

I used to like the upgrades and change fees as a MVP gold. But now for me, with the partners leaving and saver seats harder to get, the math does not work. Its often cheaper for me to purchase a "F" fare on a partner then a upgradealbe fare. Or all F seats are sold out and I would be sitting in the back anyhow, so I might as well buy a cheaper coach fare on someone who I am not loyal too.

Do the math. How much do you spend on flights? How much does your loyalty cost you? How many additional miles do you earn? Is there availability to spend your miles? How much would you be willing to spend for those miles?

It is some complex math at times, but unfortunately I find most airline loyalty programs since the big mergers are weak, and the math just does not add up anymore.... And that is sad, but it is the reality of 2018. I still enjoy travelling, and unfortunately I sit in coach a little more on short flights and I spend a bit more on change fee, but the money I saved not being loyal....adds up correctly.
smilee is offline  
Old Sep 13, 2018, 11:41 pm
  #47  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
I've made multiple changes on tickets within 24 hours before on UA and AA, and I've never been charged the change/cancel fee. I'm quite frankly shocked that the AS agent didn't just waive the change fee as a courtesy gesture - after all, the policy is incentivising you to cancel and rebook instead of making the first change, and it's a whole lot more expensive for AS to process a refund than a change.
PVDtoDEL is offline  
Old Sep 14, 2018, 4:48 pm
  #48  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Originally Posted by PVDtoDEL
I've made multiple changes on tickets within 24 hours before on UA and AA, and I've never been charged the change/cancel fee. I'm quite frankly shocked that the AS agent didn't just waive the change fee as a courtesy gesture - after all, the policy is incentivising you to cancel and rebook instead of making the first change, and it's a whole lot more expensive for AS to process a refund than a change.
Thanks for the datapoint.
I've never see the "one change" rule other than AS.
s0ssos is offline  
Old Sep 15, 2018, 12:04 am
  #49  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,550
Originally Posted by s0ssos
Thanks for the datapoint.
I've never see the "one change" rule other than AS.
UA does have the 24-hour refund or one-change rule. They may not always enforce it, but I've been bit by it.
chrisl137 is offline  
Old Sep 15, 2018, 2:39 pm
  #50  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Originally Posted by chrisl137
UA does have the 24-hour refund or one-change rule. They may not always enforce it, but I've been bit by it.
UA has horrible in general, but apparently they don't always enforce it (I've had issues just getting a refund from a refundable fare). Which makes AS despicable in how they treat "valued" members
s0ssos is offline  
Old Sep 15, 2018, 9:07 pm
  #51  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: DCA, lived MCI, SEA/PDX,BUF (born/raised)
Programs: Marriott (Silver/Gold), IHG, Carlson, Best Western, Choice( Gold), AS (MVP), WN, UA
Posts: 8,629
I have had AS status for a few years and I had status with other carriers.

for me status came from mileage because I’d do 4 XC flights per year which would mean 20K miles which was used to visit family. On top of that I’d do 2-3 work trips and 2-3 personal trips a yeAr.

I used Alaska because of AA and DL partnerships. I figure with the end of these partnerships I think AS would have seen a big drop in elites. Then why the need to do more cuts to elites on top of that.

right now I live on the east coast and I do 3-4 trips to Portland/Seattle area per year. As the model is now I do 3.5 XC trips per year then I can get over 20K for status. They change to a revenue system I will lose status.

I was disappointed in the free change time window if you book ahead. I can understand why they did it.

They could have modified it yo sat one free flight change outside of 60 days

djp98374 is offline  
Old Sep 16, 2018, 2:05 am
  #52  
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,432
No. Cant use the million plus miles we have on routings we need. The flight routings and ability to cancel and redeposit tickets as we need to keeps us loyal.
lalala is offline  
Old Sep 16, 2018, 9:06 pm
  #53  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFO, CLT
Programs: AA Bonsai EXP (2.9 MM), AS MVPG
Posts: 1,384
Accumulating RDM is only useful if they can be spent on awards at reasonable (saver) rates - I'm not seeing that on AS the way I used to. Currently, UA is better.
TheDudeAbides is offline  
Old Sep 17, 2018, 1:30 pm
  #54  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 22,926
Originally Posted by djp98374
I have had AS status for a few years and I had status with other carriers.

for me status came from mileage because I’d do 4 XC flights per year which would mean 20K miles which was used to visit family. On top of that I’d do 2-3 work trips and 2-3 personal trips a yeAr.

I used Alaska because of AA and DL partnerships. I figure with the end of these partnerships I think AS would have seen a big drop in elites. Then why the need to do more cuts to elites on top of that.

right now I live on the east coast and I do 3-4 trips to Portland/Seattle area per year. As the model is now I do 3.5 XC trips per year then I can get over 20K for status. They change to a revenue system I will lose status.

I was disappointed in the free change time window if you book ahead. I can understand why they did it.

They could have modified it yo sat one free flight change outside of 60 days



The other airlines still use miles flown for status qualification. While they do have a minimum spend requirement for each tier, you can get it waived/offset with credit card spend. On some of them, you can goose your spend credit by flying partners.
xliioper is online now  
Old Sep 17, 2018, 1:41 pm
  #55  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,337
Originally Posted by s0ssos
I know those are the rules
Originally Posted by s0ssos
Which makes AS despicable in how they treat "valued" members
Sounds like a bad case of DYKWIA. Maybe another airline is the solution, because then they will KWYA and ignore the rules for you, or there will be different rules that work better for you.

I've never thought it "despicable" for an airline to follow the rules I know they have, but I bear no illusion that an airline should KWIA by default, always, eternally, and I'm 100% exempt from the rules because I'm such a "valued" member. YMMV. It must be nice to be such an important person who is entitled to this level of service.
jinglish and pbelmore like this.
eponymous_coward is offline  
Old Sep 17, 2018, 1:53 pm
  #56  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Originally Posted by eponymous_coward
Sounds like a bad case of DYKWIA. Maybe another airline is the solution, because then they will KWYA and ignore the rules for you, or there will be different rules that work better for you.

I've never thought it "despicable" for an airline to follow the rules I know they have, but I bear no illusion that an airline should KWIA by default, always, eternally, and I'm 100% exempt from the rules because I'm such a "valued" member. YMMV. It must be nice to be such an important person who is entitled to this level of service.
It is.

Last edited by dayone; Sep 17, 2018 at 5:25 pm Reason: Redacted personal exchange.
s0ssos is offline  
Old Sep 17, 2018, 2:35 pm
  #57  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,337
Originally Posted by s0ssos
It is. It is also nice to meet another such an entitled person who would write such a post.
FT membership and 75 cents gets you coffee at 7-11. Many of the opinions expressed thereupon have approximately the same value (which is to say, none at all). If you're fine with your look in expecting the rules to be consistently broken in your favor because of your value as a customer, and expressing that desire here, I'd say enjoy it. It's not exactly an uncommon thing here. And I do think other airlines might be better for that kind of VIP treatment.
pbelmore likes this.
eponymous_coward is offline  
Old Sep 17, 2018, 4:05 pm
  #58  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,337
People should definitely not be attached to airlines that aren't serving their needs.

Last edited by dayone; Sep 17, 2018 at 5:23 pm Reason: Redacted personal exchange.
eponymous_coward is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2018, 4:06 am
  #59  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,566
the nice thing about the airlines telling us very clearly that we are only valued based on the ticket we buy on that given trip is that it is a two way street.

personally, i think that of the major airlines in the USA, WN is the best when it comes to treating you pretty fairly no matter what you paid for your ticket. AS isn't bad, and DL isn't bad either. myself, as a relatively low value customer, i tend to stick with those 3 airlines for that reason.

if we don't like how an airline is treating us relative to our own perceptions of the value of our business, the options are pretty simple: (1) pay more to your preferred carrier (or someone else) and see if it improves, (2) choose a different carrier and see if the cost/benefit ratio is better or (3) don't fly. personally, i've used all 3 of those tactics the past 3 years since things have continued to be rocky with regards to what all carriers are offering and how they are treating people. some trips i pay more and buy F because i don't want to deal with the BS, some trips i choose a different carrier than my preferred one, and sometimes i just decide not to travel because the cost is too high relative to what i will get out of it.
PV_Premier is offline  
Old Sep 19, 2018, 11:01 am
  #60  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat, WN A-list, AS MVP 75K, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 379
Originally Posted by LBJ
AA switched from 24-hour hold to 24-hour cancel/refund last year. Flights must be purchased at least 2 days prior to departure (which exceed DOT rules which only require refunds for flights purchased 7 days or more out)

"You have up to 24 hours from the time of ticket purchase for a refund if you booked at least 2 days prior to departure. The 24-hour refund policy applies to all ticket types, but you have to cancel the trip to get a refund."

https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-ser...rvice-faqs.jsp
AA has holds--I just put an AA itinerary on 24 hour hold last week. They also offer a longer hold for a fee. (Holds on points reservations are 5 or 7 days.)
bbison is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.