OMG, It Is Hard to Earn Elite Miles (EQM) on Alaska
Apr 29, 2019, 10:01 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
IMO the main benefit of 75k is the 50k bonus RDM you get when you achieve the status.
Gold comes with waived change fees, which is extremely valuable. You also get free SDCs which are worth A LOT if you are flying routes with many flights per day (just buy the cheapest one of the day, which is probably at a time that no one wants to fly, and SDC to a more convenient time. This can save you hundreds of dollars on a trip.) You can also SDC your way into an upgrade if any flight has U space.
As far as I know, AS Gold status is the only status on any airline that gives you free changes and free SDCs (WN has free changes for everyone, but they don't have SDCs -- you always have to pay fare difference). That makes AS with gold status the most flexible option in my opinion.
Gold also gets you a 100% miles bonus, which is most of the way to the 75k 125% bonus. Actually the 50k miles upon qualification are worth more than the incremental 25% over gold (unless you manage 200k base miles per year -- certainly some people do, but very few)
As for actually earning the status, I got my gold status last year the hard way -- no partner miles, no OPM, and only one paid F trip. I passed 40k EQM with a Dec 30 SFO-LAX flight (also qualified for Hyatt Globalist status with my Dec 30 hotel stay, so it was very much a status run. I also ate Korean BBQ twice in about 16 hours so it was a good trip)
In can't image earning 75k if you (a) have a job where you actually have to show up, (b) don't travel for business, and (c) don't travel internationally with partners. On the other hand, you can really get a lot of miles with international premium cabin partner trips. I started this year with a round trip to HKG in premium economy in January ($780 due to the CX black friday sale -- ~15k EQM) and I'm about to fly to Bangkok in business class on JL, plus some repositioning transcons (~$3150 total, and taking advantage of some double RDM promos. The bottom line is I will earn almost 33k EQM and over 88k RDM). So those two trips alone almost get me to gold. (48k RDM; need 50k incl. partner miles for gold). I'll probably hit 75k this year despite moving a significant chunk of my travel to UA. Probably will keep UA gold too if I can squeeze in a business trip to Europe (I currently have UA gold through status match until the end of the year)
Gold comes with waived change fees, which is extremely valuable. You also get free SDCs which are worth A LOT if you are flying routes with many flights per day (just buy the cheapest one of the day, which is probably at a time that no one wants to fly, and SDC to a more convenient time. This can save you hundreds of dollars on a trip.) You can also SDC your way into an upgrade if any flight has U space.
As far as I know, AS Gold status is the only status on any airline that gives you free changes and free SDCs (WN has free changes for everyone, but they don't have SDCs -- you always have to pay fare difference). That makes AS with gold status the most flexible option in my opinion.
Gold also gets you a 100% miles bonus, which is most of the way to the 75k 125% bonus. Actually the 50k miles upon qualification are worth more than the incremental 25% over gold (unless you manage 200k base miles per year -- certainly some people do, but very few)
As for actually earning the status, I got my gold status last year the hard way -- no partner miles, no OPM, and only one paid F trip. I passed 40k EQM with a Dec 30 SFO-LAX flight (also qualified for Hyatt Globalist status with my Dec 30 hotel stay, so it was very much a status run. I also ate Korean BBQ twice in about 16 hours so it was a good trip)
In can't image earning 75k if you (a) have a job where you actually have to show up, (b) don't travel for business, and (c) don't travel internationally with partners. On the other hand, you can really get a lot of miles with international premium cabin partner trips. I started this year with a round trip to HKG in premium economy in January ($780 due to the CX black friday sale -- ~15k EQM) and I'm about to fly to Bangkok in business class on JL, plus some repositioning transcons (~$3150 total, and taking advantage of some double RDM promos. The bottom line is I will earn almost 33k EQM and over 88k RDM). So those two trips alone almost get me to gold. (48k RDM; need 50k incl. partner miles for gold). I'll probably hit 75k this year despite moving a significant chunk of my travel to UA. Probably will keep UA gold too if I can squeeze in a business trip to Europe (I currently have UA gold through status match until the end of the year)
Apr 30, 2019, 12:53 am
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
And yes, I have a job that I need to show up for, rarely travel for business (ANC-FAI last year) and my international partner travel is using my AS miles (non mileage earning)
Some days I do wonder...
Apr 30, 2019, 2:30 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
It must make those weekend trips tough though. I do a lot of transcon 2-day, 1-night trips (Friday red-eye over, Sunday evening back). Gives me a good day and a half at my destination and no PTO spent. Or I'll burn a day and make it a 3 day weekend (and on any long weekend I'm gone for sure)My friend got hooked on this idea and is in the middle of a run of 8 consecutive weekend trips. I'm flying SFO-NYC with him next weekend. He just did a weekend in PHL this past weekend, and Miami (flew to FLL) the week before. He is loving double miles!
Apr 30, 2019, 7:48 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,719
This may sound crazy (because it is), but my wife likes it when we get things "free" or on "sale". So, my hope was, rather than argue about why I prefer to just pay for 1st to go to places that are close (BUR, PSP, STS, etc) I could make my life easier by just getting us status.
And AS is better than the Big Three in this regard. If you genuinely think it's "hard" to earn miles on Alaska, fly around on AA for awhile on discount economy fares and see what AAdvantage "rewards" you've compiled. Literally not worth the effort.
20 years ago I could not have imagined discounting FF programs as influencing factors when booking air travel. Today I say "Who cares?" all the time.
Apr 30, 2019, 10:07 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG, UA Gold 1MM (the unfriendly sky), Marriott Gold, Hyatt Exp, Hertz no longer
Posts: 64
For helping the status runner, there is an Excel sheet that calculates the mileage earned (EQM & RDM) on AS & partners on this thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/show...6&postcount=51
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/show...6&postcount=51
Apr 30, 2019, 10:14 am
#21
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,620
Hi Vegas Gambler -
On WN now, if you hit A-list, you can SDC for free on any earlier flight than your departure. So I can now buy the last flight of that day (usually cheaper) and then head to the airport. They also fixed the boarding issue - A-listers now board before Group B.
For me, it was a game changer ... and a perfect alternative to choosing between Saver vs Main.
On WN now, if you hit A-list, you can SDC for free on any earlier flight than your departure. So I can now buy the last flight of that day (usually cheaper) and then head to the airport. They also fixed the boarding issue - A-listers now board before Group B.
For me, it was a game changer ... and a perfect alternative to choosing between Saver vs Main.
Apr 30, 2019, 1:12 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Hi Vegas Gambler -
On WN now, if you hit A-list, you can SDC for free on any earlier flight than your departure. So I can now buy the last flight of that day (usually cheaper) and then head to the airport. They also fixed the boarding issue - A-listers now board before Group B.
For me, it was a game changer ... and a perfect alternative to choosing between Saver vs Main.
On WN now, if you hit A-list, you can SDC for free on any earlier flight than your departure. So I can now buy the last flight of that day (usually cheaper) and then head to the airport. They also fixed the boarding issue - A-listers now board before Group B.
For me, it was a game changer ... and a perfect alternative to choosing between Saver vs Main.
SDCs on AS are confirmed and you can SDC to any flight the same day -- earlier or later. In a few weeks I'm booked on a LAX-SFO flight at 6:30am which I have no intention of taking. I plan to have lunch in LA and head home in the late afternoon or early evening. The day before the flight I will SDC to flight in that time range. You can't do that on WN. The ability to do this saved me about $60 on this particular flight. This is not an unusual situation ... Sunday morning flights are usually quite cheap, because people want to fly Sunday evening -- whether they are returning home from a weekend trip or traveling for business so they can be there Monday morning. So something like this would be completely impossible to do on WN.
Even if I didn't have MVPG status I would have done this -- SDCs are only $25 within CA, so the savings would be worthwhile.
Apr 30, 2019, 1:15 pm
#23
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near SEA
Programs: UA MM, AS MVPG75K, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,969
No, you can't. You can stand by for free. Not the same.
SDCs on AS are confirmed and you can SDC to any flight the same day -- earlier or later. In a few weeks I'm booked on a LAX-SFO flight at 6:30am which I have no intention of taking. I plan to have lunch in LA and head home in the late afternoon or early evening. The day before the flight I will SDC to flight in that time range. You can't do that on WN. The ability to do this saved me about $60 on this particular flight. This is not an unusual situation ... Sunday morning flights are usually quite cheap, because people want to fly Sunday evening -- whether they are returning home from a weekend trip or traveling for business so they can be there Monday morning. So something like this would be completely impossible to do on WN.
Even if I didn't have MVPG status I would have done this -- SDCs are only $25 within CA, so the savings would be worthwhile.
SDCs on AS are confirmed and you can SDC to any flight the same day -- earlier or later. In a few weeks I'm booked on a LAX-SFO flight at 6:30am which I have no intention of taking. I plan to have lunch in LA and head home in the late afternoon or early evening. The day before the flight I will SDC to flight in that time range. You can't do that on WN. The ability to do this saved me about $60 on this particular flight. This is not an unusual situation ... Sunday morning flights are usually quite cheap, because people want to fly Sunday evening -- whether they are returning home from a weekend trip or traveling for business so they can be there Monday morning. So something like this would be completely impossible to do on WN.
Even if I didn't have MVPG status I would have done this -- SDCs are only $25 within CA, so the savings would be worthwhile.
Apr 30, 2019, 1:16 pm
#24
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 659
MVPG is definitely attainable for a leisure traveler. 75K is much harder if you're not getting work to chip in for some miles.
Thanks to no minimum spend required - if you're willing to put in the time to research, and the time in the air, you can achieve 40k miles on AS at a very reasonable price. I've never been super concerned with going the minimum spend route (except on mileage runs) but in 2014 I hit MVPG flying only AS metal and did it at quite a reasonable cost.
Adding international partners does increase the rate at which you can earn, but also raises the bar of how far. It's probably not going to be as cost effective in terms of money, but can be more time effective in terms of reducing your time in the air. After 2014 I started more international travel and my cost has increased about 50% on average - but that's just one person's example and I try to find at least one good business class international deal a year - which even at a good deal, is expensive. But its a fun way to travel and to see new places.
Thanks to no minimum spend required - if you're willing to put in the time to research, and the time in the air, you can achieve 40k miles on AS at a very reasonable price. I've never been super concerned with going the minimum spend route (except on mileage runs) but in 2014 I hit MVPG flying only AS metal and did it at quite a reasonable cost.
Adding international partners does increase the rate at which you can earn, but also raises the bar of how far. It's probably not going to be as cost effective in terms of money, but can be more time effective in terms of reducing your time in the air. After 2014 I started more international travel and my cost has increased about 50% on average - but that's just one person's example and I try to find at least one good business class international deal a year - which even at a good deal, is expensive. But its a fun way to travel and to see new places.
Apr 30, 2019, 1:52 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AS 100k, DL PM, New Sagaya
Posts: 1,291
Hi Vegas Gambler -
On WN now, if you hit A-list, you can SDC for free on any earlier flight than your departure. So I can now buy the last flight of that day (usually cheaper) and then head to the airport. They also fixed the boarding issue - A-listers now board before Group B.
For me, it was a game changer ... and a perfect alternative to choosing between Saver vs Main.
On WN now, if you hit A-list, you can SDC for free on any earlier flight than your departure. So I can now buy the last flight of that day (usually cheaper) and then head to the airport. They also fixed the boarding issue - A-listers now board before Group B.
For me, it was a game changer ... and a perfect alternative to choosing between Saver vs Main.
On the day of travel, please see a Customer Service Agent at the airport for this benefit. Free same-day standby is not available at Southwest® kiosks. Free same-day standby will be provided for A-List and A-List Preferred Members traveling prior to the original scheduled departure, between the same city pairs, on the original date of travel, where a seat is available. On flights that do not meet these qualifications, A-List and A-List Preferred Members will receive priority standby and will be required to pay the difference in fare if a seat becomes available.
Apr 30, 2019, 3:18 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Anyway I'm MVPG so I can cancel for free. It's not hard to get from LA to SF. Here's a good flat-bed option: https://www.ridecabin.com/ There are several of these companies and most of them drop off a block from my apartment (saving me a $30-ish lyft ride)
Apr 30, 2019, 3:50 pm
#27
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Melbourne MEL Calgary YYC
Programs: UA1K, QF Plat, *A & Marriot Gold, OW Emerald, Hyatt Hertz PC CanPass Nexus APEC Global Entry
Posts: 468
Apr 30, 2019, 5:30 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 159
MVPG is definitely attainable for a leisure traveler. 75K is much harder if you're not getting work to chip in for some miles.
Thanks to no minimum spend required - if you're willing to put in the time to research, and the time in the air, you can achieve 40k miles on AS at a very reasonable price. I've never been super concerned with going the minimum spend route (except on mileage runs) but in 2014 I hit MVPG flying only AS metal and did it at quite a reasonable cost.
Thanks to no minimum spend required - if you're willing to put in the time to research, and the time in the air, you can achieve 40k miles on AS at a very reasonable price. I've never been super concerned with going the minimum spend route (except on mileage runs) but in 2014 I hit MVPG flying only AS metal and did it at quite a reasonable cost.
Apr 30, 2019, 6:48 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG, HA Plat
Posts: 1,268
I’ll be just back over the line for MVPG at the end of May on four AS trips, with an assist from some 25% bonuses and one out-of-the-way stopover. It’s not so hard when the first segment of every trip is 2400+ miles....