Feb 13, 2020, 8:18 pm
Last edit by: eponymous_coward
Alaska joined oneworld on March 31, 2021. https://blog.alaskaair.com/destinati...nce-countdown/
Note: you cannot make award bookings on OW partners that were not already partners before 3/31 (so can't book QR, UL, S7, MH, RJ, IB, AT). ETA is "later in 2021" (as of April 2021).
Speculation thread for possible changes to Mileage Plan: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alas...l#post32086422
Press Releases related to oneworld announcement:
AS: https://newsroom.alaskaair.com/news-...es?item=123939
OW: https://www.oneworld.com/news/2020-0...n-the-alliance
AA: http://news.aa.com/news/news-details...P/default.aspx
Video: https://player.vimeo.com/video/390731665
Few bullets from releases:
Earning redeemable and elite qualifying miles on all flights marketed and operated by AA was restored on April 1, 2020. Earning chart
Note: you cannot make award bookings on OW partners that were not already partners before 3/31 (so can't book QR, UL, S7, MH, RJ, IB, AT). ETA is "later in 2021" (as of April 2021).
Speculation thread for possible changes to Mileage Plan: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alas...l#post32086422
Press Releases related to oneworld announcement:
AS: https://newsroom.alaskaair.com/news-...es?item=123939
OW: https://www.oneworld.com/news/2020-0...n-the-alliance
AA: http://news.aa.com/news/news-details...P/default.aspx
Video: https://player.vimeo.com/video/390731665
Few bullets from releases:
- Alaska Airlines intends to join the oneworld® alliance, the world's fastest growing and most highly rated global airline alliance, by summer 2021, which will connect Alaska guests to more than 1,200 destinations worldwide.
- American will launch the first service from Seattle (SEA) to Bangalore, India (BLR) beginning October 2020. A new American route from SEA to the global business hub London Heathrow (LHR) will begin flying in March 2021.
- The airlines will continue their domestic codeshare that offers customers hassle-free booking and travel between the two networks. The codeshare will expand to include international routes from Los Angeles (LAX) and SEA.
- Alaska and American loyalty members will enjoy benefits across both airlines, including the ability to earn and use miles on both airlines’ full networks, elite status reciprocity and lounge access to nearly 50 American Admirals Club lounges worldwide and seven Alaska Lounges in the U.S.
- For MVP Golds and Gold 75Ks, you will be able to access more than 650 international business class lounges within the oneworld member airline network when flying on an international ticket on an itinerary outside of North America. Source
Earning redeemable and elite qualifying miles on all flights marketed and operated by AA was restored on April 1, 2020. Earning chart
Alaska Joined oneworld (3/31/2021)
Feb 14, 2020, 9:14 am
#256
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,388
That sounds reasonable. My take is now that it’s clear AS doesn’t want premium transcon, AA and AS will coexist on SFO/LAX-JFK/BOS. AA takes the cream in J/F, AS bottom feeds with jets that have nearly 2x as many Y pax as A321Ts (remember, they’re running 738/739s now, not A320ceos that probably cost about the same but have less capacity). We’ll see who is right.
Oh, and this:
https://crankyflier.com/2020/02/13/t...ve-on-seattle/
Words you don’t see in this: JFK, New York.
Oh, and this:
https://crankyflier.com/2020/02/13/t...ve-on-seattle/
Words you don’t see in this: JFK, New York.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Feb 14, 2020 at 9:33 am
Feb 14, 2020, 9:38 am
#257
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SFO, mostly
Posts: 2,204
Also seems pretty unlikely AS would be willing to invest a bunch of $$ to open a JFK lounge only to completely drop the market altogether for this. Maybe the alliance/partnership is worth more $$ than that, but seems it would take awhile to recoup that level of investment.
Sure, but per this article, T7 at JFK slated to close in 2022 anyway, so I think that would be a time at which AS might reflect on its position in the market. BA and presumably AS move back into the expanded T8 with AA at that point in time. I’m sure AS will adjust CA-JFK transcon flying based on how those routes are performing over time, and whether or not there is still a narrow body aircraft shortage due to the 737 Max grounding, Airbus backlogs etc.
Last edited by sltlyamusd; Feb 14, 2020 at 9:43 am
Feb 14, 2020, 9:44 am
#258
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,830
I also wouldn't be surprised to see AS move back to MIA from FLL.
The question for me, is which of the two start YVR-LAX...
Feb 14, 2020, 9:53 am
#259
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Kawaihae, Hawaii
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 16
Feb 14, 2020, 10:05 am
#260
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posts: 663
From Alaska's website:*Alaska Lounge members do not currently have access to The Admirals Club in San Francisco International's Terminal 2 due to space constraints. Alaska will be opening a new 8,500-square-foot, top-floor lounge in Terminal 2 this fall.
Feb 14, 2020, 10:12 am
#261
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott LTG, HHonors Diamond, Nat'l Exec
Posts: 3,581
Quoted for truth.
There's zero indication that there will be upgrade reciprocity for AA/AS. So boom, your domestic upgrades on AA flights evaporate once you're an AS elite. That right there is a huge reason why most people will stay put.
There's a marginal case where:
- I pay for J/F on AA/BA/CX/JL/etc. and literally could not care less about ever being upgraded (or any EXP/CK services from AA, IRROPS)
- Oh, neato keen, now I can put all my AA J/F transcons or AA international J/F flight earnings in an AS bucket instead of just nasty ol' AA, and, uh... get what other than more miles, lounge access I was already going to get as a OWE in J/F?
Most of the benefits you get as an OW elite are... wait for it, things you don't need if you're in a J/ F cabin anyway.
There's zero indication that there will be upgrade reciprocity for AA/AS. So boom, your domestic upgrades on AA flights evaporate once you're an AS elite. That right there is a huge reason why most people will stay put.
There's a marginal case where:
- I pay for J/F on AA/BA/CX/JL/etc. and literally could not care less about ever being upgraded (or any EXP/CK services from AA, IRROPS)
- Oh, neato keen, now I can put all my AA J/F transcons or AA international J/F flight earnings in an AS bucket instead of just nasty ol' AA, and, uh... get what other than more miles, lounge access I was already going to get as a OWE in J/F?
Most of the benefits you get as an OW elite are... wait for it, things you don't need if you're in a J/ F cabin anyway.
I bailed on AA PLT a few years ago, but were I still flying them, I would be tempted to switch.
Feb 14, 2020, 10:21 am
#262
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: BART Platinum, AA Plat Pro
Posts: 1,158
I doubt a ton of EXP/CK will be switching -- but AS MVPG is a lot more attractive than AA PLT for a mid-tier flyer who does any amount of AS flying. Upgrades are essentially theoretical on AA at that level, and require stickers >500mi. And unless AS moves to a revenue model, a 100% RDM bonus on miles flown is a lot better than a 60% RDM bonus on dollars spent.
Feb 14, 2020, 10:23 am
#263
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AS 75K (OW), SK Silver (*A), UR, MR
Posts: 3,345
Absent an opt-out provision contemplating an AS move to One World, there is a contractural agreement that must be fulfilled. Just as AF/KL continued until the expiration of that agreement, SQ partnership should be around until the end of the current agreement, if not longer.
Feb 14, 2020, 10:51 am
#264
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,388
Nah, it’s probably a wash at best. At 100% earnings the break even point for AA PLT vs AS MVPG would be a ticket price of 25 cents/mile. But cheap economy fares will likely earn 25% when credited to AS, bringing the break even point down to 6 cents per mile. If you’re flying very cheap TCONs (or overseas) then you might come out ahead on the AS chart, but otherwise you’re better off crediting AA metal to AA.
To be honest if you're going to fly up to 200,000 partner miles in economy just to score AS MVPG (at 25% earning on AA on a bunch of Oasis planes, 10 across 777s or 9 across 787s), you probably deserve it. That's over 12 HKG-DFW round trips (AA's longest route). I suppose it takes all kinds, even the masochistic ones.
Even if you do 25k on AS, that's still something like 100k of travel on AA... for mid-level OW Sapphire status.
Feb 14, 2020, 11:06 am
#265
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,018
Cross airline upgrades are not a feature of the OW alliance. But AA/BA/IB have a limited cross airline upgrade system with onerous t&c's
Emirates has ff partnerships with: Alaska Airlines, COPA Airlines, Gol Transportes Aéreos, Japan Airlines, Jetblue Airways, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas Airways, S7 Airlines, South African Airways, TAP Portugal. Four of those are OW airlines From https://www.wheretocredit.com/emirates
Some other OW airlines have out of OW alliance ff partners. AA has Etihad EY as a ff partner. QF with AF/KLM. CX with NZ on 1 route.
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Feb 14, 2020 at 11:22 am
Feb 14, 2020, 11:19 am
#266
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: BART Platinum, AA Plat Pro
Posts: 1,158
Frankly if you're flying very cheap TCONS/international AA to attain status wants you to switch, they would rather fill up their cheap seats with people buying off Expedia who don't even remember to put their FF number in than a bunch of FT gamers who want to turn cheap TCONS to Cathay F. To be honest if you're going to fly up to 200,000 partner miles in economy just to score AS MVPG (at 25% earning on AA on a bunch of Oasis planes, 10 across 777s or 9 across 787s), you probably deserve it. That's over 12 HKG-DFW round trips (AA's longest route). I suppose it takes all kinds, even the masochistic ones. Even if you do 25k on AS, that's still something like 100k of travel on AA... for mid-level OW Sapphire status.
I assumed that post was tongue-in-cheek, but it's FT, so who knows.
Feb 14, 2020, 1:46 pm
#267
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 659
Maybe it's just in my head - but it seems like when AS & AA limited their existing relationship to "codeshare only" that the majority of AA results on AS.com went way up in price, because it's only pulling codeshare fares or something?
Does this mean we'll see better pricing for flights with AA segments on AS.com? At least it means we'll be able to book over at AA.com if its cheaper there I guess. I'm thinking of heading over to BUF this fall for the Hawks game so being able to fly at least one segment on AA will be helpful.
Does this mean we'll see better pricing for flights with AA segments on AS.com? At least it means we'll be able to book over at AA.com if its cheaper there I guess. I'm thinking of heading over to BUF this fall for the Hawks game so being able to fly at least one segment on AA will be helpful.
Feb 14, 2020, 2:31 pm
#268
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Diego CA USA
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, & EP 2024-25; Southwest A-List
Posts: 190
Feb 14, 2020, 3:01 pm
#269
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,388
There is also a practical maximum for JFK service, being able to split EWR/JFK is a bonus. EWR is also a perfectly cromulent way to get to a lot of Manhattan compared to JFK.
(TBH what AS really wants is the LGA perimeter lifted. They would get their slots back from WN as soon as the contract lets them and start SEA service. LGA is really the preferred airport over JFK/EWR, it just doesn't work for anything outside the perimeter.)
MIA is way expensive for landing fees compared to FLL. AS can't run SFO/LAX-FLL year-round, soooo... I think the current setup is just fine for AS's South Florida coverage and AA MIA connectivity to SEA.
As for YVR-LAX... I think maybe AA, AS tried and failed.
Feb 14, 2020, 3:31 pm
#270
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Preferably waiting for takeoff
Programs: AA EXP, MVPG, DL Silver, United Silver, Accor Platinum, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 458
That sounds reasonable. My take is now that it’s clear AS doesn’t want premium transcon, AA and AS will coexist on SFO/LAX-JFK/BOS. AA takes the cream in J/F, AS bottom feeds with jets that have nearly 2x as many Y pax as A321Ts (remember, they’re running 738/739s now, not A320ceos that probably cost about the same but have less capacity).
Also pumped that for time being I can keep 75K with AS, and credit my lie-flat AA transcons to AS.