Nov 27, 2018, 7:54 am
Last edit by: NoLaGent
How are Saver fares different?
Saver fares do include some restrictions on booking, refunds, changes, and seat selection.
These restrictions include:
Elite status benefits you do get when you buy a Saver Fare:
* Priority check-in
* Priority boarding group
* Baggage fee waiver
* Express security line at select airports (for MVPG+)
* Refreshments (alcoholic drink or chocolate for MVPG+)
* Complimentary inflight entertainment player - available on coast-to-coast and Hawaii flights (for MVPG75k, while they last)
* Bonus miles (by elite level)
Elite status benefits you don't get when you buy a Saver Fare:
* Access to preferred seating (certain seats behind Premium Class or in the exit rows)
* First Class upgrades, when available
* Premium Class upgrades, when available
* Waived change fees for MVPG+
* Complimentary same-day standby/flight changes for MVPG+
Full info here: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...perience/saver
Saver fares do include some restrictions on booking, refunds, changes, and seat selection.
These restrictions include:
- Limited seating may be available at the time of purchase. Most seats will be assigned at check-in.
- We can’t guarantee that parties of two or more will be seated together.
- No refunds are allowed beyond the first 24 hours after ticketing.
- No changes, including same-day confirmed changes, are allowed for Saver fares.
- No standby is allowed for Saver fares, even for elite status guests.
- If a guest is a no-show for any flight during a trip, all other flights within that trip are automatically canceled, with no refund available.
- Saver fares cannot be combined with any other fare types on the same itinerary.
- Saver fares are non-transferable.
Elite status benefits you do get when you buy a Saver Fare:
* Priority check-in
* Priority boarding group
* Baggage fee waiver
* Express security line at select airports (for MVPG+)
* Refreshments (alcoholic drink or chocolate for MVPG+)
* Complimentary inflight entertainment player - available on coast-to-coast and Hawaii flights (for MVPG75k, while they last)
* Bonus miles (by elite level)
Elite status benefits you don't get when you buy a Saver Fare:
* Access to preferred seating (certain seats behind Premium Class or in the exit rows)
* First Class upgrades, when available
* Premium Class upgrades, when available
* Waived change fees for MVPG+
* Complimentary same-day standby/flight changes for MVPG+
Full info here: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...perience/saver
Details/Discussion of Saver (Basic Economy) "X" Fares
Oct 30, 2018, 7:46 pm
#166
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,848
The could easily make the middle seats in the back of the plane available for the "cheapskates" that buy the saver fares. Those would be the last to be chosen by anybody that actually has a choice anyway.
Oct 30, 2018, 7:54 pm
#167
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 2,206
I should have taken a screen shot, but was trying to view seats for a few flights earlier today. Instead, got giant versions of the legend for the seat color squares, one of them being an S and labeled as "Saver fare." Compared to the blue with a star square for Premium Economy, for example.
Guessing that means that either you can choose those seats during the booking process. Or only those seats at online check-in. But they are definitely make a distinction in which seats Saver fares can choose. Sounds like it will be during the booking process which is good, at least for those who book in advance.
Guessing that means that either you can choose those seats during the booking process. Or only those seats at online check-in. But they are definitely make a distinction in which seats Saver fares can choose. Sounds like it will be during the booking process which is good, at least for those who book in advance.
Last edited by alphaeagle; Oct 30, 2018 at 7:59 pm
Oct 30, 2018, 9:46 pm
#168
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,850
”Brett Catlin, Alaska’s Managing Director of Guest Products, explained it this way:
Saver guests will have the opportunity to select seats toward the back of the aircraft (not necessarily middle seats) when booking on alaskaair.com. At launch, seats will not be available for selection through indirect channels [including global distribution systems, online travel agents, and travel management companies]. Hence the travel agent guide doesn’t reference seat assignments. It is our objective to ultimately have some seats available for selection through indirect channels.
Saver guests will have the opportunity to select seats toward the back of the aircraft (not necessarily middle seats) when booking on alaskaair.com. At launch, seats will not be available for selection through indirect channels [including global distribution systems, online travel agents, and travel management companies]. Hence the travel agent guide doesn’t reference seat assignments. It is our objective to ultimately have some seats available for selection through indirect channels.
yes, they *could* make it just middle seats. But it would be rather pointless to write code to implement that rule.
Oct 31, 2018, 1:01 pm
#169
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: AS 100K, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 1,828
I should have taken a screen shot, but was trying to view seats for a few flights earlier today. Instead, got giant versions of the legend for the seat color squares, one of them being an S and labeled as "Saver fare." Compared to the blue with a star square for Premium Economy, for example.
Guessing that means that either you can choose those seats during the booking process. Or only those seats at online check-in. But they are definitely make a distinction in which seats Saver fares can choose. Sounds like it will be during the booking process which is good, at least for those who book in advance.
Guessing that means that either you can choose those seats during the booking process. Or only those seats at online check-in. But they are definitely make a distinction in which seats Saver fares can choose. Sounds like it will be during the booking process which is good, at least for those who book in advance.
Oct 31, 2018, 1:25 pm
#170
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,848
That bolded statement in regular English means you will most likely end up in a middle seat in the back. Though if the flight is full and we need to put you elsewhere that is also a possibility--just like all the other airlines which offer basic economy. You can guarantee an undesirable seat ahead of time or you play the lottery at the airport and may end up in a premium seat if that is all that is available.
Oct 31, 2018, 3:45 pm
#171
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 2,206
It was clearly a glitch, since no seat map was ever shown after I clicked on the link to view seats. Just a huge version of the legend which included a new "S" saver seat, and it happened on every flight/route/dates I was trying to look at for a little while before going back to normal.
Nov 3, 2018, 6:32 pm
#172
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,194
Ive been "playing" this mileage game (ie- mid or top tier status) for almost 20 years. Getting angry gets exhausting, and we never win.
To reiterate, we have enjoyed full eqms, upgrades, and premium seats on Alaska fares that have matched the other guys' 'Basic' deals and its coming to an end. But I don't see Alaska's MVP devaluation done yet.... plus, 75K status is only like 4 years old I believe- something else to chew on.
To reiterate, we have enjoyed full eqms, upgrades, and premium seats on Alaska fares that have matched the other guys' 'Basic' deals and its coming to an end. But I don't see Alaska's MVP devaluation done yet.... plus, 75K status is only like 4 years old I believe- something else to chew on.
But point taken. Plus, that we have no control over it, really.
Nov 7, 2018, 12:42 pm
#176
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Berkeley, CA
Programs: UA Silver, Southwest A-List, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 818
Did the same from SFO. Random dates in Jan, April, and March show nothing in terms of Saver Fares for LAX, LAS, PDX, SAN, and LAX-LAS. I speculated one of the first targets would be SFO-LAS since Frontier has been throwing sale after sale. Maybe their testing out the implementation very selectively to work the bugs out?
Nov 7, 2018, 12:56 pm
#177
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
can you just search with f bc=x in matrix?
I tried that for a few city pairs and the calendar view for dec and jan and didn't find anything though. I'm not sure if X is technically a booking code though so maybe this isn't right. Or maybe they just haven't been published yet. Or both.
Edit: tried with sea,pdx,sfo,las,lax as both source and dest and found nothing.
I tried that for a few city pairs and the calendar view for dec and jan and didn't find anything though. I'm not sure if X is technically a booking code though so maybe this isn't right. Or maybe they just haven't been published yet. Or both.
Edit: tried with sea,pdx,sfo,las,lax as both source and dest and found nothing.
Last edited by VegasGambler; Nov 7, 2018 at 2:03 pm
Nov 7, 2018, 2:18 pm
#180
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
That bolded statement in regular English means you will most likely end up in a middle seat in the back. Though if the flight is full and we need to put you elsewhere that is also a possibility--just like all the other airlines which offer basic economy. You can guarantee an undesirable seat ahead of time or you play the lottery at the airport and may end up in a premium seat if that is all that is available.
1. e.g., no whining if you get the middle seat with no recline just ahead of the rear lav.
2. no whining that you got a forward aisle on your last ticket and it was even cheaper.
The goal of these fares isn't to sell them, it's to draw people in because you have the cheapest fare on the GDS and then subtly make the case that the restrictions aren't worth the savings. Some people are quite happy and others not so.