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
#706
#708
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG75k
Posts: 330
Last week I was given a friendly warning by a phone agent that they will be cracking down more severely on FFs with conflicting reservations. When I called about a separate issue, she noticed I had overlapping reservations in two weeks. She said call center agents received a heads up that starting 3/1 any tickets that conflicted would BOTH be automatically canceled 48 hours out from the first departure. Personally, I resolve any conflicting reservations before 48 hours out, so I'm not worried, but I could see this being a problem for some people.
If there is really no way to preemptively cancel an X fare ticket, I could see this being a problem.
If there is really no way to preemptively cancel an X fare ticket, I could see this being a problem.
Last edited by jjmadison; Mar 4, 2019 at 9:17 am
#709
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AS 100k, DL PM, New Sagaya
Posts: 1,291
Good to know - like you I usually have it resolved well before that window. Its usually that I want to book the new itinerary before cancelling the original one just in case something happens on the fare for the second ticket. I usually only have a conflict in play for a day or two at most and month or so out from travel. But I could see why they'd want to crack down once you are closer to the departure.
Interesting challenge for the X fares then.
Interesting challenge for the X fares then.
#710
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I tried this once and it would not ticket. I called and the agent didn't know what was wrong. I asked if it was because of the conflicting reservation and he said no. He also said that they had a bot that did occasional sweeps or something but he said that it shouldn't prevent it from ticketing (I was a bit confused about that point)
However, I canceled the conflicting reservation and the other one immediately, automatically ticketed, with no manual intervention.
This was on a partner award so I'm not sure if that makes a difference. It is all AS ticket stock though.
In any case, the CoC specifically calls this out as a "prohibited practice" and says that they can cancel overlapping reservations at any time -- I'm not sure if I'd want to risk it?
Duplicate, impossible/illogical, fraudulent, fictitious or abusive bookings and/or reservations, or bookings and/or reservations made by Passengers with no intention of being used, are prohibited and may be subject to cancellation. A duplicate or impossible/illogical booking includes, but is not limited to, bookings for the same Passenger on flights traveling on or about the same date between one or more of the same or nearby origin and/or destination (such as SEALAX and SEAONT or SNASEA and ONTSEA), or bookings with Connections that depart before the arrival of the inbound flight. Fraudulent, fictitious or abusive bookings are defined as any bookings made without having been requested by or on behalf of the named Passenger. Additionally, creating bookings to hold or block seats for the purpose of obtaining lower fares, Mileage Plan award inventory, or upgrades that may not otherwise be available, or to gain access to airport facilities, or to circumvent any of Alaska's fare rules or policies, is prohibited without prior authorization from Alaska.
#711
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AS 100k, DL PM, New Sagaya
Posts: 1,291
I think there are some fine points on there I could kindly argue in my favor. For me its always a revenue ticket on AS metal and usually because the client can't decide on the when and where, so I book options and cancel as needed. It seems a more legitimate use since I am just trying to get work done, and fare cost is not the issue (we'd probably eat the second fare if needed, being where the client wants is more important.)
#712
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I think there are some fine points on there I could kindly argue in my favor. For me its always a revenue ticket on AS metal and usually because the client can't decide on the when and where, so I book options and cancel as needed. It seems a more legitimate use since I am just trying to get work done, and fare cost is not the issue (we'd probably eat the second fare if needed, being where the client wants is more important.)
But if they just automatically cancel the tickets it might not matter if you are right or not
#714
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
I'm seeing that Main fares are now the lowest fares in some markets that formerly had Saver. The pattern seems to be some markets where WN is the only nonstop competition.
Examples: OAK-SEA, SJC-PDX, SMF-PDX, SJC-BUR, SMF-SAN, SJC-AUS, SJC-SNA, etc.
Nearby markets that have competition on legacy carriers seem to be continuing to offer Saver (e.g., SFO-SEA, SJC-SEA, SFO-PDX, SFO-BUR, SFO-AUS, SFO-SNA).
I'm wondering if this is them conceding that the Saver restrictions drove a bit too much business to Southwest.
Examples: OAK-SEA, SJC-PDX, SMF-PDX, SJC-BUR, SMF-SAN, SJC-AUS, SJC-SNA, etc.
Nearby markets that have competition on legacy carriers seem to be continuing to offer Saver (e.g., SFO-SEA, SJC-SEA, SFO-PDX, SFO-BUR, SFO-AUS, SFO-SNA).
I'm wondering if this is them conceding that the Saver restrictions drove a bit too much business to Southwest.
#715
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,621
Now it's time to realize that SFO-SoCal and SJC-SoCal compete with OAK-SoCal, which Southwest owns.
Also, what about OAK-OGG and OAK-HNL?
#716
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I'm seeing that Main fares are now the lowest fares in some markets that formerly had Saver. The pattern seems to be some markets where WN is the only nonstop competition.
Examples: OAK-SEA, SJC-PDX, SMF-PDX, SJC-BUR, SMF-SAN, SJC-AUS, SJC-SNA, etc.
Nearby markets that have competition on legacy carriers seem to be continuing to offer Saver (e.g., SFO-SEA, SJC-SEA, SFO-PDX, SFO-BUR, SFO-AUS, SFO-SNA).
I'm wondering if this is them conceding that the Saver restrictions drove a bit too much business to Southwest.
Examples: OAK-SEA, SJC-PDX, SMF-PDX, SJC-BUR, SMF-SAN, SJC-AUS, SJC-SNA, etc.
Nearby markets that have competition on legacy carriers seem to be continuing to offer Saver (e.g., SFO-SEA, SJC-SEA, SFO-PDX, SFO-BUR, SFO-AUS, SFO-SNA).
I'm wondering if this is them conceding that the Saver restrictions drove a bit too much business to Southwest.
However, at least for some (if not all) of the routes that you mentioned (I checked OAK-SEA and SJC-PDX), every fare that books into X has the same price and the same advance purchase restrictions as the main fare with the same underlying booking code, so, they did, indeed, seem to "turn off" saver for those route. The fact that Southwest has very good service from OAK and SJC, and is very limited from SFO, makes me think that your reasoning is correct.
And, all this time, I thought that Southwest was just driving the race to the bottom. I still wouldn't fly them, but it's nice to see them doing something useful.
#717
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Middle exit row seats available for saver fares T-24
I went online to check available seating for a flight tomorrow, noticed something very interesting: available middle exit row seats are marked saver fare (!?!).
#718
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG75k
Posts: 330
That's especially obnoxious for us FFs. I often move to a row with an open middle seat. If savers can now take a middle exit row, that just further devalues elite seat selection.
#719
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
Man these fares are okay if you can get a seat at booking but if not, it auto-assigns you usually to a middle and you cannot ever change it. I'm literally at the gate 15 minutes before boarding with an auto-assigned middle and asked if I could swap, GA told me the window seat right next to me is open but I can't move to it; she told me to cross my fingers that no one gets assigned to it. I feel like at some point it stops being beneficial to hold non-middles....
#720
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,030
Man these fares are okay if you can get a seat at booking but if not, it auto-assigns you usually to a middle and you cannot ever change it. I'm literally at the gate 15 minutes before boarding with an auto-assigned middle and asked if I could swap, GA told me the window seat right next to me is open but I can't move to it; she told me to cross my fingers that no one gets assigned to it. I feel like at some point it stops being beneficial to hold non-middles....