Mar 11, 2020, 10:41 pm
Last edit by: hur88
Alaska Airlines is waiving change fees both for flights ticketed on or before Feb 26 (for original travel dates until May 31) and for flights ticketed after Feb 26 (for original travel dates until Feb 28, 2021).
Excerpted from the associated FAQ:
Excerpted from the associated FAQ:
What if I used miles? If you used miles to purchase your ticket, for travel in March, we’ll re-deposit the miles in your Mileage Plan account.
What if I used a companion fare? If you cancel your reservations entirely, and if it included a companion certificate, we will reinstate your certificate with original expiration date or June 30, 2020, whichever comes later. Please call Reservations for assistance with canceling tickets using companion certificates
What do I do if I’ve already paid the change fee? If you traveled or are traveling between February 27, 2020 and May 31, 2020 and you were charged an out of pocket change fee, please contact Reservations. We’ll take care of the change fee to your original form of payment.
What if I used a companion fare? If you cancel your reservations entirely, and if it included a companion certificate, we will reinstate your certificate with original expiration date or June 30, 2020, whichever comes later. Please call Reservations for assistance with canceling tickets using companion certificates
What do I do if I’ve already paid the change fee? If you traveled or are traveling between February 27, 2020 and May 31, 2020 and you were charged an out of pocket change fee, please contact Reservations. We’ll take care of the change fee to your original form of payment.
Waiver for Tickets Purchased Through 12/31/2020
Mar 28, 2020, 11:41 pm
#136
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,947
Extremely helpful! Let me take it one step further: is the Companion Cert associated with a particular BoA AS CC, whereby if I cancel the card after booking, I lose the right to change (for free, under COVID rules) the itin? Or is it as simple as "must be paid for with an AS CC" but I can drop the CC anytime after purchase and change the ticket?
Mar 29, 2020, 12:54 am
#137
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Extremely helpful! Let me take it one step further: is the Companion Cert associated with a particular BoA AS CC, whereby if I cancel the card after booking, I lose the right to change (for free, under COVID rules) the itin? Or is it as simple as "must be paid for with an AS CC" but I can drop the CC anytime after purchase and change the ticket?
I am not a CC churner! (I still have my first CC account I opened 38 years ago) Over the years I have opened 5 accounts and still get great value out of my 5 annual Companion certificates, usually in conjunction with GGUs to fly in F. The AF is inconsequential to me when I can easily save $500+ on an itineray.
James
Mar 29, 2020, 4:10 am
#138
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: Alaska MVPG 100K, IHG Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,704
Mar 29, 2020, 7:37 am
#139
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
For companion fares issued on or after October 1, 2019, both the primary fare and the companion fare must be purchased using your Alaska Airlines credit card.
James
Mar 29, 2020, 8:21 am
#140
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
Specifically, redeemed a companion certificate issued after 2019-10-1.
Mar 29, 2020, 4:06 pm
#142
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,947
The companion certificate is associated with your CC account. You don't need to be a traveler on the itinerary but the itinerary must be paid with your AS CC. I can't advise you what will happen if you want to change after closing the CC account. If there isn't an add/collect fare differntial or you get a My Account Wallet deposit it shouldn't be an issue. However, if there are additional fares to be collected I don't know if other forms of payment can be used.
I am not a CC churner! (I still have my first CC account I opened 38 years ago) Over the years I have opened 5 accounts and still get great value out of my 5 annual Companion certificates, usually in conjunction with GGUs to fly in F. The AF is inconsequential to me when I can easily save $500+ on an itineray.
James
I am not a CC churner! (I still have my first CC account I opened 38 years ago) Over the years I have opened 5 accounts and still get great value out of my 5 annual Companion certificates, usually in conjunction with GGUs to fly in F. The AF is inconsequential to me when I can easily save $500+ on an itineray.
James
Mar 29, 2020, 10:29 pm
#143
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
I have a trip departing end of May and returning in June, and the fare has dropped significantly. Can I cancel the ticket and use the credit to rebook the ticket at the lower fare (using a new companion cert)? Will the balance remain in My Wallet as a credit for future use (and if so, what is the expiration date)?
Really helpful, thanks. However I don't understand how the "Companion fare" would be lost if I save to My Wallet. I would like to reuse the credit to buy another $99 companion ticket and then save the balance in My Wallet. Why would I lose the $99 I paid for the companion?
I had open questions which I direct messaged to Alaska Airlines on Twitter and got the following responses, which may help others here.
Q: Travel begins before the March 31 cutoff, but the return is April 1. I'm assuming the waiver would still apply because the outbound portion of the roundtrip ticket is before the waiver cutoff date?
A: Yes, the waiver will apply if the round trip on the itinerary starts prior to April.
Q: Because my spouse and I are on the same PNR and I paid for both my ticket and the companion fare, I'd be the one getting the flight credit for future travel in My Wallet. I'm assuming that I would get full dollar credit for both of our tickets on the PNR (even though one was a companion fare), but the companion certificate would be lost?
A: Yes, you would receive a credit for the full dollar amount in the form of a credit. To avoid losing your companion fare, you can choose to save the value on the ticket, without depositing it to your wallet. That way when you rebook, you can just use the ticket value and companion fare for the new booking.
Q: If I do decide to save the value on the ticket instead of in MyWallet, does the fee waiver travel with it? In other words, if I choose to use the companion cert and related value later, will there still be no change fee?
A: Yes, there will still be no change fee applied if you choose to save the value to the ticket.
.
Q: Travel begins before the March 31 cutoff, but the return is April 1. I'm assuming the waiver would still apply because the outbound portion of the roundtrip ticket is before the waiver cutoff date?
A: Yes, the waiver will apply if the round trip on the itinerary starts prior to April.
Q: Because my spouse and I are on the same PNR and I paid for both my ticket and the companion fare, I'd be the one getting the flight credit for future travel in My Wallet. I'm assuming that I would get full dollar credit for both of our tickets on the PNR (even though one was a companion fare), but the companion certificate would be lost?
A: Yes, you would receive a credit for the full dollar amount in the form of a credit. To avoid losing your companion fare, you can choose to save the value on the ticket, without depositing it to your wallet. That way when you rebook, you can just use the ticket value and companion fare for the new booking.
Q: If I do decide to save the value on the ticket instead of in MyWallet, does the fee waiver travel with it? In other words, if I choose to use the companion cert and related value later, will there still be no change fee?
A: Yes, there will still be no change fee applied if you choose to save the value to the ticket.
.
Mar 29, 2020, 11:28 pm
#144
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: Alaska MVPG 100K, IHG Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,704
I must have missed the notice. I redeemed a pre-Oct 1 companion cert on March 10, 2020. That must be why I was able to use a non-AS CC.
Mar 30, 2020, 3:45 pm
#145
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 237
I cancelled a trip due to Covid-19 and had the ticket value preserved as "my wallet". I then purchased another ticket using the "my wallet" funds. It now looks like that flight will be cancelled. I want a refund, not a "my wallet" credit. Alaska might say that if they cancel a flight, they will refund the original method of payment. Can that original method of payment be my credit card, not another "my wallet" credit. After all, the original original method of payment was the credit card.
Mar 30, 2020, 5:27 pm
#146
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,380
I've got a same-day return itinerary (SEA-SAN) coming up in a couple weeks.
It looks like the outbound flight was cancelled 4x this past week.
If my flight gets cancelled, will AS offer cash refund? Or will they only allow alternative flight, voucher (My Wallet) or change?
What is AS' rule with regards to cancelled domestic flight and what makes a customer entitled to cash refund? How many hours does the offered alternative flight have to be different from the original flight by?
This being a same-day round trip situation, I don't want to accept an itinerary where my time in SAN is reduced from 8hrs to 6hrs and, if that's what it comes down to, I really would like cash refund rather than a voucher.
It looks like the outbound flight was cancelled 4x this past week.
If my flight gets cancelled, will AS offer cash refund? Or will they only allow alternative flight, voucher (My Wallet) or change?
What is AS' rule with regards to cancelled domestic flight and what makes a customer entitled to cash refund? How many hours does the offered alternative flight have to be different from the original flight by?
This being a same-day round trip situation, I don't want to accept an itinerary where my time in SAN is reduced from 8hrs to 6hrs and, if that's what it comes down to, I really would like cash refund rather than a voucher.
Mar 30, 2020, 8:44 pm
#147
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
I've got a same-day return itinerary (SEA-SAN) coming up in a couple weeks.
It looks like the outbound flight was cancelled 4x this past week.
If my flight gets cancelled, will AS offer cash refund? Or will they only allow alternative flight, voucher (My Wallet) or change?
What is AS' rule with regards to cancelled domestic flight and what makes a customer entitled to cash refund? How many hours does the offered alternative flight have to be different from the original flight by?
This being a same-day round trip situation, I don't want to accept an itinerary where my time in SAN is reduced from 8hrs to 6hrs and, if that's what it comes down to, I really would like cash refund rather than a voucher.
It looks like the outbound flight was cancelled 4x this past week.
If my flight gets cancelled, will AS offer cash refund? Or will they only allow alternative flight, voucher (My Wallet) or change?
What is AS' rule with regards to cancelled domestic flight and what makes a customer entitled to cash refund? How many hours does the offered alternative flight have to be different from the original flight by?
This being a same-day round trip situation, I don't want to accept an itinerary where my time in SAN is reduced from 8hrs to 6hrs and, if that's what it comes down to, I really would like cash refund rather than a voucher.
Mar 30, 2020, 10:05 pm
#148
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,380
Mar 30, 2020, 11:13 pm
#149
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
A quick phone call and it should be resolved. I did this last week. I don't think it's an option online... need an agents assistance. I guess one could also do this at an airport....but it wouldn't meet most distancing guidelines nor stay put orders.
Mar 30, 2020, 11:57 pm
#150
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,380
I have a feeling it won't be a quick phone call (or rather, it might be a quick phone call preceded by long wait time). But I'll do whatever it takes.
Just hope that, if the flight is cancelled, it will be announced at least 3-4 days in advance.