Mileage Plan Devaluation?
May 29, 2019, 8:14 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG & BoardRoom
Posts: 289
Mileage Plan Devaluation?
Long time AS-Gold w/BoardRoom.
Just attempted to book DEN-ANC using miles and the average is 50K miles for Main Cabin with a couple of 30K with very bad connections.
I realize the High Season has started but this is the worst pricing I have ever seen in 20+ years.
Did we see a miles devaluation recently?
Thanks
Just attempted to book DEN-ANC using miles and the average is 50K miles for Main Cabin with a couple of 30K with very bad connections.
I realize the High Season has started but this is the worst pricing I have ever seen in 20+ years.
Did we see a miles devaluation recently?
Thanks
May 29, 2019, 9:20 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
It's not recent as in last week, but AS changes to a distance-based chart happened some time ago, in 2017.
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/01/max...d-award-chart/
The devaluation where 50k is the maximum AS Y award price happened in 2018.
https://onemileatatime.com/alaska-mi...chart-changes/
(emphasis added)
Basically, if you want to fly at absolute peak time, like, say, when SEA and ANC are in the middle of tourist season, you will be paying more miles.
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/01/max...d-award-chart/
The devaluation where 50k is the maximum AS Y award price happened in 2018.
https://onemileatatime.com/alaska-mi...chart-changes/
The worst news is that we’re seeing a big increase in the range of pricing for some markets, so when there’s not saver level award availability, you can expect to pay significantly more in some cases.
Basically, if you want to fly at absolute peak time, like, say, when SEA and ANC are in the middle of tourist season, you will be paying more miles.
May 29, 2019, 10:07 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG & BoardRoom
Posts: 289
Yes but I fly these routes fairly frequently and occasionally see 12.5K and atleast a few at 20K somewhere on the calendar.
This is the first time I have only seen 50K for weeks.
Maybe I just logged on at a bad time and new inventory will be made available in the days ahead.
No way that route is a 50K mile route. Better to just buy a ticket.
This is the first time I have only seen 50K for weeks.
Maybe I just logged on at a bad time and new inventory will be made available in the days ahead.
No way that route is a 50K mile route. Better to just buy a ticket.
May 29, 2019, 12:00 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: AS 100K, HH Diamond, SPG/Marriott Gold
Posts: 189
Yes but I fly these routes fairly frequently and occasionally see 12.5K and atleast a few at 20K somewhere on the calendar.
This is the first time I have only seen 50K for weeks.
Maybe I just logged on at a bad time and new inventory will be made available in the days ahead.
No way that route is a 50K mile route. Better to just buy a ticket.
This is the first time I have only seen 50K for weeks.
Maybe I just logged on at a bad time and new inventory will be made available in the days ahead.
No way that route is a 50K mile route. Better to just buy a ticket.
May 29, 2019, 9:08 pm
#5
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: ANC, SAP
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Priority Pass
Posts: 1,863
Yes but I fly these routes fairly frequently and occasionally see 12.5K and atleast a few at 20K somewhere on the calendar.
This is the first time I have only seen 50K for weeks.
Maybe I just logged on at a bad time and new inventory will be made available in the days ahead.
No way that route is a 50K mile route. Better to just buy a ticket.
This is the first time I have only seen 50K for weeks.
Maybe I just logged on at a bad time and new inventory will be made available in the days ahead.
No way that route is a 50K mile route. Better to just buy a ticket.
May 29, 2019, 11:08 pm
#6
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
It can appear during schedule changes or if a new route is loaded. But pulled quickly, and its limited when released. Also close in seems to have some A released, even when F=3 or less.
May 30, 2019, 2:20 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
For closer in I am seeing better saver availability on AA metal. AS wanted 50K for a Y award YLW to GDL (that is never going to happen ) I booked AS Y YLW-SEA and AA F SEA-PHX-GDL with a 2 Day stopover in PHX for 27.5K. A no brainer!
James
) I booked AS Y YLW-SEA and AA F SEA-PHX-GDL with a 2 Day stopover in PHX for 27.5K. A no brainer! James
May 30, 2019, 6:50 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 493
For domestic US there has been a pretty dramatic shift. For this SFO-based flyer I am transferring from Chase to UA for most domestic award tickets because it's a better value. Especially to DC. I have UA Silver which opens up more seats. UA is switching to dynamic pricing so this may level out with AS, so both will be bad value. 
For international this year I used AS miles for 2x biz AY TXL-HEL-BKK and 2x biz EK SFO-DXB-SEZ/MRU-DXB-SFO. Couldn't get decent BA availability so booked 2x biz VS SFO-LHR with DL miles. But I have now blown a bunch of AS miles and am not earning that many more.
For international this year I used AS miles for 2x biz AY TXL-HEL-BKK and 2x biz EK SFO-DXB-SEZ/MRU-DXB-SFO. Couldn't get decent BA availability so booked 2x biz VS SFO-LHR with DL miles. But I have now blown a bunch of AS miles and am not earning that many more.