flyingeph12

Flying for Fun

Too bad it doesn't work in reverse... lol I could easily get from CPT to BKK on a cheap EK fare. When you are here, they work over there and when you are over there, they work here. Go figure!

I have been on 12 EK flights but have never seen the back (777) or the downstairs (A380) but wouldn't mind checking it out. I priced out an EK CPT-DXB-JFK (W class for 100% EQM, stopovers permitted) along with AS EWR-PDX-ANC-SEA-LAX-SJO for $1288. Over 20K EQM. For $222 more I can force all AS segments into K class and one GGU would upgrade all 5 segments. Not all flights have U but a good chance of getting U before the 75K window. It is the crazy stuff like this that gets me "flying high!" No Scotch required... lol A G&T works fine for me.

Interestingly, when forcing different fare classes for AS COS, I class was about $300 cheaper than P. I think the price differntial is too high for the 75% COS within Alaska's network. $1288 generating 46,586 RDM isn't anything to sneeze at. Valued at 2 cpm that would be a $931.72 rebate on a $1288.82 fare and I would be a stone's throw away from requalify for MVPG75K and another 50K RDM bonus.

James

Flying for Fun

There are times when the buy up to Main on AA is still cheaper than the AS Marketed Codeshare. If you look at May 8th PHX-SCJ the AA BE fare is $84 an Main is $114 but the AS Marketed fare is still $134. The $20 difference is consistent to my experience when I flew the route.j

https://www.google.com/flights#flt=P...;sp:2.USD.8330

James in Kelonwa

VegasGambler

Yeah it's quite rare to have a cheap ex-USA fare. Usually it's the other way around... cheap when going to the US and back. That's why I like this deal so much. If they allowed stopovers in North America it would be in the "too good to be true" zone. I would be able to get a J trip to BKK and a F round trip to NY (well, two half round trips, but I go enough that it's the same for me) for $3k.

Eurynom0s

I'm having trouble finding a good example of a larger price discrepancy right now, but I know I've seen examples that were in the $100-$200 range. Which is more than you can account for with the basic economy discrepancy.

But specifically I'm looking at LAX-RDU, and am just trying to figure out if I can get AS credit by booking it directly with AA instead of through Alaska.

Flying for Fun

AA won't sell you an AS codeshare on a route they fly. It must be an AS flight number to credit so if you don't buy it through AS or another source not AA you are going to be out of luck. If you have any status or benefits attached to you AA FF# including from a CC, those will be lost.

James in Kelowna

Eurynom0s

Thanks, this is what I was trying to get at with my original question about "does it just have to have an AS codeshare or do I have to actually book it as the AS codeshare".

WesternCDN

Just booked 4 JL and EK awards in J. Put my middle name in during booking but appears to only have been ticketed with First/Last. Will this present any issues at check in/boarding? I know domestic flights they aren't too picky with missing middle names, but haven't experienced it on INTL. Any insight is appreciated. Thanks!

Flying for Fun

I wouldn't be concerned. I have flown both EK & JL awards with & without all my names (I have two middle names) and have never had an issue at check-in. My JL awards started in Asia and my EK awards started in Canada/USA (connecting AS flights to the US Gateway) I have also flown through 9 countries on one revenue itinerary on LA, TN, BA & EK. Never an issue with no middle name. I am traveling on a Canadian passport.

James in Kelowna

WesternCDN

Thanks, good to know. Appreciate the reply!

cragAK

When changing the 2nd leg of a flight using the same day change will I be able to request the change when checking in for the first leg, or will I need to wait for the window to be within 24h of the 2nd leg I want?

Also, will it matter that this flight was booked with miles (just MVP, not Gold).?

vji

Hi all,

Given all my travels so far, I'm set for around 24k miles BIS with Alaska. I'm currently MVPG (from some partner fares) and have enjoyed the benefits (e.g. no change fees, GGUs, double miles, etc). I was wondering if, at this point, it is worth doing a MR or a few to get to gold next year.

Background: I don't fly for business, just for fun. My budget is around $1500, and I figure I can get the remaining 16k miles with three transcons (around $300 ea) but I don't really like the idea of sitting in a post-VX plane for 24 hours total. Home base is SFO. The change fee waivers have certainly been useful, but I'm sure if I had to pay for them I would just stick to my schedule or switch to WN. GGUs are nice but even F in an AS Boeing gets old after a bit. The main benefit would probably be the increased upgrades and the double miles (compared to 1.5). But a $900 mileage run seems steep - if I just kept MVP, got some fewer upgrades coast-to-coast, and perhaps used that extra money to free agent a bit more, I may find more use out of it.

Especially with the increase of BE and having to pay more for an upgrade chance, I might just sit in the back on short west coast flights and buy a lie-flat when I know I'm going to the east coast.

Anyone ever been in a similar situation, and thoughts?

VegasGambler

I'm in a similar situation. MVPG from last year but moved to lie-flats (status match to UA) for Hawaii and transcon.

If you have interest in more international travel, I think it's worth it for the bonus miles, and the waived change fees on award flights. No need to actually fly AS to get good value from the status (although you may as well, on shorter flights, for the miles earning) With AS being the only distance-based program left, I think that there is significant value.

I don't recommend mileage running economy-class transcons. Forget the money; they cost too much in time, comfort, and sanity. Watch out for good international premium-cabin (including PE) sale fares on partners and visit somewhere new. Get a vacation and an experience out of it. Hong Kong (on CX) , Tokyo (on JL) or London (on BA) are totally doable on a 4-day weekend from SFO, due to direct flights. Of course it also raises your target from 40k to 50k. But at least you are getting something for your time and money other than some miles.

I earned 15k EQM and 29k RDM on a $780 SFO-HKG RT in CX PE (sale) in January. I took a 4-day weekend for it. It gave me 3 days and 2 nights in HKG. Leave Thursday night (late), get some sleep on the plane, arrive ~7am Saturday morning (14hr flight + 16hr time change). Got some dim sum at the airport and headed to the hotel for an early check-in. 2 nights at the hotel and 3 days later, took a red-eye back -- left at 1am Tuesday; arrived Monday night (flight is shorter than time change). Just napped on the plane right after takeoff (~4hr of sleep) which allowed me to sleep when I got home and go to work the next day. IMO it beats the hell out of sitting in an economy seat to go back and forth across the country 3 times with no purpose.

That's my only AS earning this year to date but I still think I'll hit MVPG; maybe even 75k.

Flying for Fun

I may test this out next month. I just booked a JL J/F for mid-May from South Korea to New York with two AS segments beyond; LAX and another country outside the USA. Both AS flights booked into F but depart from EWR. I may see if I can fly an earlier EWR-LAX but a SDC won't guarantee F space on the earlier flight and as an MVPG75K on an A Saver award I would be behind all MVPG75K on revenue tickets.

I will monitor the earlier flight but there is no rush getting to LAX as the onward flight isn't until the next day.

I will post my findings.

James in Kelowna for 4 hours 21 minutes!

crimsona

To close the loop on my own experience, this is how long it took to get my missing miles on Cathay Pacific:

Feb: Flight flown
March 14: Submitted missing mileage request to Alaska Airlines through the email provided
March 31: Received response confirming deposit, although the date stamp on the agent's email before "Dear ," showed March 29