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 5, 2020, 1:36 pm
#48
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: London, UK
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Marriot Platinum
Posts: 601
Anyone else using the new deals to cancel and re-book their currently planned trips to save some money? So many cheaper flights now. And MVPG have no change fees anyways. These are all personal trips.
This is how I spend my time when I'm stuck at home for the next 14 days.
This is how I spend my time when I'm stuck at home for the next 14 days.
Mar 5, 2020, 2:02 pm
#49
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 981
I tried to use the chat option, a window opens and it says welcome to chat...and when I type, my messages pop up, but nothing comes back from the other end. I could have sworn in the past they would tell you if they were waiting for an agent to come online.
Mar 5, 2020, 2:05 pm
#50
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 981
Anyone else using the new deals to cancel and re-book their currently planned trips to save some money? So many cheaper flights now. And MVPG have no change fees anyways. These are all personal trips.
This is how I spend my time when I'm stuck at home for the next 14 days.
This is how I spend my time when I'm stuck at home for the next 14 days.
Mar 5, 2020, 2:13 pm
#51
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: BART Platinum, AA Plat Pro
Posts: 1,158
We understand that everyone is in a different place when it comes to what is best for you and your family. Just recently, Dr. Robert Redfield, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said “I just want to echo again that the risk is low—the risk is low. I encourage Americans to go about their life. That includes travel to California, Oregon and the state of Washington.”
Mar 5, 2020, 3:05 pm
#52
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: sometimes, strangely, I find myself at home
Programs: I need to do better in managing my affiliations. Oops, I overshot the runway for status next year.
Posts: 649
Had to cancel my daughter's tickets because her school canceled the trip because of CoVid19. She's MVP. This policy helped. Thanks Alaska
Mar 5, 2020, 3:33 pm
#53
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Neither here nor there
Programs: UA Slvr, DL Slvr, AA plt, HH LTD, MR tit/LTP at least two of those buy 10 get 1 free coffee cards
Posts: 3,446
What an absolutely ridiculous policy. What possible logic is there in waiving restrictions based on booking date? Tried to cancel two SEA-PHL tix for 3/12 due to paranoid folks in PHL canceling a meeting. They were booked mid February. Was told that the cancelation fee would apply. If they had been booked after the 27th, no problem. I'm not as frequent an AS flyer as I was during the DL partnership, so they won't miss my meager contribution to their bottom line, but those are the last tickets I'll be buying from them.
Mar 5, 2020, 5:03 pm
#54
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: BART Platinum, AA Plat Pro
Posts: 1,158
If they already have your money, there is no need for them to incentivize the purchase. You have the added bargaining power of already having paid. If anything they want to incentivize you not to cancel.
If they do not yet have your money, they need to incentivize your purchase, particularly given the massive uncertainty out there. Hence the change fee waiver for new tickets.
DL’s policy is, as I understand it, more accommodating.
Mar 5, 2020, 7:37 pm
#55
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: San Francisco/Bangkok
Programs: Alaska 75K United 1K
Posts: 1,409
and wanted to change my return earlier as a MVP
they wanted change fee plus change in fare
(flight was 30 percent full)
Mar 8, 2020, 2:03 pm
#57
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 138
I was reviewing the terms of the waiver and had a question about the following clause:
It seemed odd to me to offer option #1 at all. Under what circumstances would you be better off exercising option #1 rather than option #2 ? If you exercise option #1 , aren't you are locked into your changed itinerary with no further opportunity to change or cancel it without the change fee being imposed (assuming you aren't MVPG or 75k)? In contrast, if you exercise option #2 , and then use the deposited funds to book an itinerary that reflects the changes you wanted to make, won't that get treated as an entirely new purchase, thus "resetting the clock" on the change/cancellation policy? In other words, won't you have at least 24 hours to change or cancel it again without incurring a change fee, or even more if you do it by March 31st?
If you purchase a nonrefundable First Class or Main fare between February 27, 2020 and March 31, 2020 for travel through February 28, 2021, you may:
1. Make a one-time change with no change fee. New travel must be completed by February 28, 2021. A fare difference may apply to your new itinerary.
2. Cancel your trip and deposit the funds into My Account wallet.
1. Make a one-time change with no change fee. New travel must be completed by February 28, 2021. A fare difference may apply to your new itinerary.
2. Cancel your trip and deposit the funds into My Account wallet.
It seemed odd to me to offer option #1 at all. Under what circumstances would you be better off exercising option #1 rather than option #2 ? If you exercise option #1 , aren't you are locked into your changed itinerary with no further opportunity to change or cancel it without the change fee being imposed (assuming you aren't MVPG or 75k)? In contrast, if you exercise option #2 , and then use the deposited funds to book an itinerary that reflects the changes you wanted to make, won't that get treated as an entirely new purchase, thus "resetting the clock" on the change/cancellation policy? In other words, won't you have at least 24 hours to change or cancel it again without incurring a change fee, or even more if you do it by March 31st?
Mar 8, 2020, 4:39 pm
#58
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: NYC
Programs: AS 75K, DL Platinum
Posts: 631
I was reviewing the terms of the waiver and had a question about the following clause:
It seemed odd to me to offer option #1 at all. Under what circumstances would you be better off exercising option #1 rather than option #2 ? If you exercise option #1 , aren't you are locked into your changed itinerary with no further opportunity to change or cancel it without the change fee being imposed (assuming you aren't MVPG or 75k)? In contrast, if you exercise option #2 , and then use the deposited funds to book an itinerary that reflects the changes you wanted to make, won't that get treated as an entirely new purchase, thus "resetting the clock" on the change/cancellation policy? In other words, won't you have at least 24 hours to change or cancel it again without incurring a change fee, or even more if you do it by March 31st?
If you purchase a nonrefundable First Class or Main fare between February 27, 2020 and March 31, 2020 for travel through February 28, 2021, you may:
1. Make a one-time change with no change fee. New travel must be completed by February 28, 2021. A fare difference may apply to your new itinerary.
2. Cancel your trip and deposit the funds into My Account wallet.
1. Make a one-time change with no change fee. New travel must be completed by February 28, 2021. A fare difference may apply to your new itinerary.
2. Cancel your trip and deposit the funds into My Account wallet.
It seemed odd to me to offer option #1 at all. Under what circumstances would you be better off exercising option #1 rather than option #2 ? If you exercise option #1 , aren't you are locked into your changed itinerary with no further opportunity to change or cancel it without the change fee being imposed (assuming you aren't MVPG or 75k)? In contrast, if you exercise option #2 , and then use the deposited funds to book an itinerary that reflects the changes you wanted to make, won't that get treated as an entirely new purchase, thus "resetting the clock" on the change/cancellation policy? In other words, won't you have at least 24 hours to change or cancel it again without incurring a change fee, or even more if you do it by March 31st?
Mar 8, 2020, 4:43 pm
#59
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: NYC
Programs: AS 75K, DL Platinum
Posts: 631
Thought of another: let’s say you have a multi-segment ticket. You want to change segment A but keep segment B. The price of new A is the same as old A, but price of B has gone way up. With option #1, you pay nothing. With #2 you have to pay the new, more expensive fare for B.
Mar 8, 2020, 9:34 pm
#60
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: USA
Programs: Alaska 75k
Posts: 107
I generally agree with you, but here’s one edge-case scenario where #1 makes more sense: technically it can take up to 7 days for the wallet funds to deposit. Usually it’s instant, but on rare occasion I’ve seen it take the full 7 days. During that time the price of your new ticket could change. So if you absolutely cannot afford risking having to pay cash for the flight, #1 is better.