Free award changes/cancellation
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
Programs: AF P, DL DM, BA S, HH G, MR P
Posts: 392
Free award changes/cancellation
Hi there! Alaska MVP Gold, coming from Delta, still learning.
As MVP Gold there are no fees for award tickets changes, cancellation. What makes a ticket changable/refundable at no charge:
- I must be a passenger
or
- the miles used from my account
?
With Delta the status of a passenger doesn't matter. If I use my miles (I'm Diamond) for non status passenger the ticket could be changed or refunded at no charge. If a no status member use his/her miles and issue a ticket for me, then there would be standard change/redeposit fees. Is it the same with Alaska?
As MVP Gold there are no fees for award tickets changes, cancellation. What makes a ticket changable/refundable at no charge:
- I must be a passenger
or
- the miles used from my account
?
With Delta the status of a passenger doesn't matter. If I use my miles (I'm Diamond) for non status passenger the ticket could be changed or refunded at no charge. If a no status member use his/her miles and issue a ticket for me, then there would be standard change/redeposit fees. Is it the same with Alaska?
#2
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,063
The answer is both, if you are the passenger or the miles are from your account, you are privy to free changes/refunds, the only caveat is you do not get the partner award fee refunded ($12.5 if I am not mistaken at this hour). There is an edge case where the miles are from a non-elite account and the ticket is for you, someone else may be able to give a definitive answer, but I want to say you get the same benefit as the elite.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
Programs: AF P, DL DM, BA S, HH G, MR P
Posts: 392
safari ari, thanks! Just to make sure. If I use my partner's miles (who has no status) for an award ticket for myself, I then would be able to cancel a ticket and redeposit miles free of charge.
#4
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,063
MVP Gold - Waiver for Award Cancel/Change Fee
#5
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AS AA
Posts: 204
Be careful to use miles for people other than the account holder. Alaska revenue protection might cancel the tickets and lock the account.
#6
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,063
If you're using the miles for a family member, especially one with the same last name and who has an account, this really shouldn't be a problem.
#7
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SEA, SFO, formerly ANC
Programs: AS 1MM/MVPG, AS Lounge, DL SkyClub (Life), Hertz 5* -- AA, DL, UA
Posts: 124
I see this as excessive concern. I give miles tickets several times/year to family/friends, who may (or not) have the same surname. Never a problem - and as MVPG I can cancel/change those tickets as needed. A nice benefit!
#8
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: MVP Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 168
My wife and I have run into this issue. I am gold and she wasn't (is now). We called in and booked an award ticket (same PNR) and pulled the miles from both accounts (technically the agent said my miles were for her and hers were pulled from mine). We had to pay a change fee for her when we changed.
Have not run into the issue when we booked separate unaffiliated tickets each other.
Have not run into the issue when we booked separate unaffiliated tickets each other.
#9
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 658
I often help friends or family out by gifting them a flight on miles because I so rarely use miles on myself since I'm I'm always chasing EQM
#11
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,813
Yes. The fee waiver on revenue tickets only applies to the Gold/75K even if on the same PNR or even if using a companion cert. In practice, there are reports that the fee has been waived on occasion but it is definitely a YMMV situation. It is the exception rather than the rule so be prepared to pay it for the non-elite passenger.
#12
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 159
Yes. The fee waiver on revenue tickets only applies to the Gold/75K even if on the same PNR or even if using a companion cert. In practice, there are reports that the fee has been waived on occasion but it is definitely a YMMV situation. It is the exception rather than the rule so be prepared to pay it for the non-elite passenger.