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 13, 2020, 10:48 am
#106
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco area
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott T
Posts: 455
Totally agree. I value DL miles at ~0.0, recently they were asking for 300k SFO-LHR C award ticket.
Feb 13, 2020, 10:53 am
#107
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
I'd guess that Mileage Plan going revenue based would have to be a requirement of OW entry. Otherwise, as an EP, I'm switching over to the AS FFP on day 1! I'd also guess that they would have to add an additional elite level to access Emerald? However things play out it will be interesting to watch. This tie-up, for me, is really welcomed. I love flying AS, but being a slave to FFP earning to maintaining EP, I had to basically abandon AS as the code share wound down. For the loyal AS flyers that got the most out of Mileage Plan, I will be sorry for your loss, but personally, this is great news. Cheers!
Feb 13, 2020, 10:56 am
#109
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco area
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott T
Posts: 455
Having worked with one of biggest companies of Alaska, I can fully attest the huge perceived value of AS mileage program. A very high % of people there have the AS credit card, the companion ticket thing is extremely valuable. Delta tried to offer a very competitive rate including elite status for a lot of the top business travelers for my client, they got no takers. When I was traveling myself there, the Delta first class fare on Bay Area-SEA-ANC was cheeper than coach on Alaska!
Feb 13, 2020, 10:56 am
#110
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: BART Platinum, AA Plat Pro
Posts: 1,157
On the West Coast, currently AS is strong at SEA (52m pax), credible at PDX (20m), and a joke at LAX (88m), SFO (58m), and SAN (24m). But AS + AA immediately becomes #1 at LAX, SEA, and PDX, and a credible #2 at SFO and SAN. So they go from two also-rans on the West Coast (AS having no domestic network beyond WC, and AA having limited WC presence), to having the strongest position on the West Coast.
There seems to be confusion among non-AS frequent flyers about how MP has evolved. This isn't MP of 5 years ago. Even if it doesn't go revenue based, I can all but guarantee that nonrefundable AA tickets won't earn more than 50% miles flown, and many won't earn more than 25% of miles flown. If you're only going to get 450 EQM/RDM flying from LAX to ORD, who cares if it's mileage based or revenue based?
Feb 13, 2020, 10:58 am
#112
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,950
Feb 13, 2020, 10:59 am
#113
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Gringolandia y LatinoAmerica a veces EU y Asia
Programs: AV, AA, BA, CM, UA, Hertz, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 153
Si exactamente. I also fear degradation in AS service and product including giant devaluation of AS MP....which until now was valauble. Lamentamos!
Feb 13, 2020, 11:03 am
#115
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,950
And AA starting SEA-BLR was, to say the least, not on anyone’s radar. If that presages an AA long haul hub in SEA fed by AS, that would be huge for AS customers (assuming it isn’t so successful that AA decides to pull a DL and start its own domestic hub, but I find that unlikely).
Feb 13, 2020, 11:05 am
#116
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,989
Funny thing is, I could actually see DL doing something like ANC-FAI just as a middle finger to AS for this. Speculation aside, DL serves Alaska for the benefit of its SEA hub. They won’t get much AK-based point of sale until they start doing some intra-Alaska stuff. Until then, AS owns Alaska.
Feb 13, 2020, 11:06 am
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Valuing a program that has dynamic pricing by their most expensive redemption makes no sense. DL also has 2500 mile domestic redemptions.
Feb 13, 2020, 11:09 am
#118
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,574
I welcome this news. BUT....
I fear AS devaluation ahead (due to differential on partners awards AS vs AA).
Last year, I had a real hard time balancing and keeping my AA EXP & AS MVPG75K. Just barely did both literally had to fly on Dec 31.
I fear AS devaluation ahead (due to differential on partners awards AS vs AA).
Last year, I had a real hard time balancing and keeping my AA EXP & AS MVPG75K. Just barely did both literally had to fly on Dec 31.
Feb 13, 2020, 11:12 am
#119
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: 21,353
for what routes? LAX<-->SAN? SEA<-->PDX? I've snagged WAS<-->NYC for 5500 a few times, SEA<-->LAX/SNA for 5000 (which occasionally pops up on AS for similar)
Feb 13, 2020, 11:18 am
#120
Join Date: May 2019
Location: RTW
Programs: Delta PM, AA PlatPro
Posts: 406
For now...
That’s encouraging to read, but, I can’t imagine it will last beyond 2021....
Fingers crossed, but, on first glance, I will push even more travel to Delta instead of worrying what the future holds for AS.
