Whats your tipping point to buy into F?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Southwest A-List; Alaska MVPG; Hilton Diamond; Avis PreferredPlus; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
Posts: 911
Whats your tipping point to buy into F?
Soon to be MVPG here. Ive got a quick work trip coming up (SAN-FAT) in a couple of weeks. Main fare is $114, F is $149. Pretty certain Ill get U, as the First cabin rarely flies full on these flights. I could pay the extra $35 out of pocket for the COS bonus miles, but Im not sure its worth it. I will have already attained MVPG by then, so I dont need the miles for tier qualification.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,489
Soon to be MVPG here. Ive got a quick work trip coming up (SAN-FAT) in a couple of weeks. Main fare is $114, F is $149. Pretty certain Ill get U, as the First cabin rarely flies full on these flights. I could pay the extra $35 out of pocket for the COS bonus miles, but Im not sure its worth it. I will have already attained MVPG by then, so I dont need the miles for tier qualification.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
#3
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AS MVPG, 1MM
Posts: 377
I have flown 10 round trips on an E-175 this year; duration usually 1.5-2 hours and have always been upgraded to first. If you have observed a fairly empty first cabin, as a MVPG you will most likely get the upgrade. On a short flight like yours I probably would not buy up to first unless you want the bonus.
#4
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,985
Soon to be MVPG here. Ive got a quick work trip coming up (SAN-FAT) in a couple of weeks. Main fare is $114, F is $149. Pretty certain Ill get U, as the First cabin rarely flies full on these flights. I could pay the extra $35 out of pocket for the COS bonus miles, but Im not sure its worth it. I will have already attained MVPG by then, so I dont need the miles for tier qualification.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
I flew some intra-Alaska flights like ANC-FAI this summer and always bought F because it was never more than $50-$100 over the Y fare. The math works out even better on longer flights, but to me these days, I think, why risk ending up in Y when the price difference for F is so small.
#5
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: SAN
Programs: AS Mileage Plan 100k, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 979
SAN-FAT I won't buy into F, and as a 75k there is a really good chance I would get bumped up anyway.
For me, anything further than SAN-DAL (may that route RIP) and I start looking on ExpertFlyer at the fare buckets. If F is filling up, especially on SAN-MCO which I do at least monthly, I will call and do a fare upgrade to avoid the disney-bound zoo in the back. The bonus miles are also very much worth it. FLL-LAX is another favorite I will watch, also full of cruise tourists.
Other runs I will chance it with a same-day upgrade. Milk runs between SAN and SEA/PDX are so full of other 75ks that I am content with picking a premium class seat after work has bought the ticket, and if I luck out with an upgrade so be it.
For me, anything further than SAN-DAL (may that route RIP) and I start looking on ExpertFlyer at the fare buckets. If F is filling up, especially on SAN-MCO which I do at least monthly, I will call and do a fare upgrade to avoid the disney-bound zoo in the back. The bonus miles are also very much worth it. FLL-LAX is another favorite I will watch, also full of cruise tourists.
Other runs I will chance it with a same-day upgrade. Milk runs between SAN and SEA/PDX are so full of other 75ks that I am content with picking a premium class seat after work has bought the ticket, and if I luck out with an upgrade so be it.
#6
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,985
You hit the nail on the head for me. I want to avoid Y at all costs on leisure routes like this. No offense to anyone intended, but I appreciate the generally quieter environment of F, particularly on the Florida, Mexico, and Hawaii leisure routes.
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Under 2 hours I will just buy saver. F is just not worth it on such short routes. The only time I bought premium cabin on that short of a flight was FRA-MAD on LATAM for $105 for 2 hours in international J cabin.
#9
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: CO - Onepass Gold Elite--> UA - MileagePlus Gold Premier--> Silver --> AS - MileagePlan MVPGOLD!
Posts: 734
Maybe I'm a sucker, but for basically $30, I'd probably go for it.
The bonus upon bonus miles would make it worth it to me, plus the added relaxation of both flying in first AND KNOWING THAT I'LL BE IN FIRST without waiting for an elite upgrade (which seems to not happen on schedule these days) or the stress of a battlefield upgrade (which seems to be the new normal, a la Continental Airlines circa 2005).
But that's just me. Your $30 might be spent on something more exciting than that, for all I know!
The bonus upon bonus miles would make it worth it to me, plus the added relaxation of both flying in first AND KNOWING THAT I'LL BE IN FIRST without waiting for an elite upgrade (which seems to not happen on schedule these days) or the stress of a battlefield upgrade (which seems to be the new normal, a la Continental Airlines circa 2005).
But that's just me. Your $30 might be spent on something more exciting than that, for all I know!
#10
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,329
I'm not a lounge member so I factor that in ($25 value). I can easily get 2cpm for AS miles so I calculate the 75% bonus. I also factor in not being a 75K, so I'm willing to spend a little more to guarantee F
#11
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: 42,942
I'd probably go main cabin. Saver is only if I *will not* be changing- rare for me not to change some component of travel.
#12
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,329
Correct, so that might push me towards buying main cabin. Its a general formula that use on all routes.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,309
I sort of got addicted to the Delta “value proposition” paradigm of $1/minute, which comes out to ~$250 eastbound (generally redeye) and ~$300 westbound for TCONs and ~$120 for West Coast flights ... coach is reimbursable for about 75% of my SEA-WAS/LAX travel, and there’s no pushback if I score a GGU at booking (email receipt that says “U (First)” explicitly states “Complimentary or Mileage Upgrade”)
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Southwest A-List; Alaska MVPG; Hilton Diamond; Avis PreferredPlus; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
Posts: 911
Thank you, all. These are exactly the sorts of responses I was hoping for. I realize that our cost/benefit analysis is all going to be different, but youve all presented useful thoughts.
What would the actual earning difference be for a 313 mile flight for an MVPG, G vs F/I?
What would the actual earning difference be for a 313 mile flight for an MVPG, G vs F/I?