Feb 13, 2020, 8:18 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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:

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)

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Feb 13, 2020, 8:39 am

#46

safari ari

Join Date: Jan 2017

Location: Denver

Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE

Posts: 2,070

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestCoastPDX

Gotta mean the end of Korean, KLM, Emirates, Icelandair and condor right??

My first thought was this, but now thinking more into it, QF and EK have a relationship, and Condor fills a very tiny hole that AB left when it dissolved, as in I don't think there is much competition in Germany against other OW O/D traffic. AC and CX also have codeshares. KLM hasn't been a partner for years, but I assume you mean SQ? The only thing that AS has going against it is it is not a major member of OW and is the new kid on the block, so not sure how much pull they have to join OW and keep some outside partners.

I can see FI going by the wayside but, it has kinda been a wayward partner as of recent. LATAM and KE I'd expect those to be gone as well, as AA is directly making a push against DL in SEA now with longhaul flights.

Last edited by safari ari; Feb 13, 2020 at 8:51 am

Feb 13, 2020, 8:42 am

#47

DeltaFlyingProf

Join Date: Mar 2003

Programs: BA GGL; AA LT Gold; AS 100K; DL MM GM; Hyatt G*list, Hilton Diamond; SQ silver

Posts: 3,806

I may be naive, but I can hope they keep their relationship with the current non oneworld partners. The press release says that they will keep those relationships as long as they provide a benefit.
It's not unheard of to have extra-alliance relationships. For example QF-EK which is even integrated within oneworld earnings. There's also cross alliance like CX-AC.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:43 am

#48

enviroian

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2003

Location: Wesley Chapel, FL

Programs: American Airlines

Posts: 30,005

Looks like your days of clearing comp upgrades are over

At least you guys had a good run. Get ready for revenue based FFP and competing with AA EXP's for those F seats! I will fly AS more now to west coast cites from DFW and look forward to the change. As a 17% YTD comp upgrade rate on AA I hopefully will see the front more on AS and enjoy better reliability than amateur hour AA.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:44 am

#49

Crackedhead

Join Date: Feb 2019

Location: Seattle

Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Alaska MVPG 75K, National Executive Elite

Posts: 46

Don't see how MileagePlan members would come out ahead in this - award chart devaluations and revenue based qualification criteria may only be days away. The only good news for me today was the announcement of the direct Seattle to Bangalore route on AA.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:48 am

#50

Eurynom0s

Join Date: Aug 2018

Programs: AA Exec Plat, Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 621

As someone who flies AS because they're a former VX flyer this has me wishing again that JetBlue had gotten VX. VX and B6 would have combined into a national network, whereas VX and AS resulted in a lot of redundant routes. It's not really surprising that AS sees their current west coast focus as untenable without access to a partner's network, whereas B6 wouldn't have needed this.

milski likes this.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:49 am

#51

missamo80

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2008

Location: Snohomish, WA

Programs: AS MVP Gold, HHonors Diamond

Posts: 2,793

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsguyrus

So everyone was complaining about the holes
in the AS network, no way to get to the Caribbean or South America, how underwhelmed they were with Condor, the crazy mileage of EK tickets. Today AS made significant changes that will be good for the long run and guess what, everyone is complaining!

I mean, this is FlyerTalk. That's what we do

eponymous_coward, wrp96, ft543 and 1 others like this.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:50 am

#52

Eurynom0s

Join Date: Aug 2018

Programs: AA Exec Plat, Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 621

Quote:

Originally Posted by enviroian

Looks like your days of clearing comp upgrades are over

I thought with airline alliances that only the airline's own elites are eligible for upgrades?

Kacee and safari ari like this.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:51 am

#53

eponymous_coward

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot

Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite

Posts: 20,387

Quote:

Originally Posted by enviroian

Looks like your days of clearing comp upgrades are over

Nowhere does it say comp upgrades on OAL metal. Even when the AA/AS partnership was tight (as tight as being in OW) upgrades weren’t part of the bargain. The only thing you might see is Premium Class or MCE reciprocity, which might be nice but isn’t going to get you into F or J or PE. Maybe even some “pay AS miles on an expensive OW fare and get an upgrade”. But I doubt comp upgrades on other airline metal are part of this.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:52 am

#54

Conflipper

Join Date: Sep 2018

Posts: 112

Well it was a good run.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:53 am

#55

MAH4546

Join Date: Sep 2001

Location: los angeles, calif.

Programs: Alaska Airlines Gold MVP

Posts: 7,170

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfozrhfco

Agree--that has to be one of the strangest Alliance announcements ever. Emphasizing that Alaska will be feeding American's nearly non-existent international long haul flights from SEA/LAX.

AA is the single largest airline at LAX, the single largest long-haul airline LAX, and the single largest international airline at LAX.

AA has LHRx2, GRU, EZE, HNDx2, PVG, PEK, HKG, SYD, AKL and CHC from LA. Plus YVR, MEX, SJD, BZE, etc. That’s not existent?!?

Feb 13, 2020, 8:53 am

#56

Eurynom0s

Join Date: Aug 2018

Programs: AA Exec Plat, Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 621

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward

As a lowly MVP, losing basically guaranteed Premium due to AA elites getting first dibs at 48/72 hours would still be a big devalue, though.

milski and mildfrequence like this.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:54 am

#57

hellointer

Join Date: Jul 2015

Programs: marriott platinum, AS Gold

Posts: 105

I have to spend all my miles ASAP.....

jjangoo likes this.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:54 am

#58

safari ari

Join Date: Jan 2017

Location: Denver

Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE

Posts: 2,070

Quote:

Originally Posted by enviroian

Looks like your days of clearing comp upgrades are over

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eurynom0s

I thought with airline alliances that only the airline's own elites are eligible for upgrades?

Only reciprocal benefits are Premium/Main Cabin Extra seat selection. BA members are not UG eligible on AA flights, and I don't see that changing on AS either. But MVP Gold do get premium seats with specific fare codes or T-72 free selection. I wonder if AA will get something similar or if their window will be smaller etc to select these seats. Will make last minute books a little of a nightmare when all the good seats are taken.

Feb 13, 2020, 8:55 am

#59

Orwaid

Join Date: Jan 2009

Posts: 1,621

Hi -

One small benefit (if I read it right) is that AS Lounge members now get access to the AA SFO Admirals Club. Do you think that extends to paid AS F?

Also, it might make it more valuable in the coming year to make a push to get to MM. That would translate to Lifetime OW Sapphire. And for those few 2MM, Lifetime Emerald?

Feb 13, 2020, 8:56 am

#60

Conflipper

Join Date: Sep 2018

Posts: 112

From article on PointsGuy

“Alaska, at least for the time being, plans to maintain its relationships with unaligned partners, like Emirates and Icelandair.”

eponymous_coward likes this.