arifjk

One of the Alaska VP reached out to MVP Gold 75k members as part of their customer service survey. I got invited to be part of the survey.

During our phone conversation, I was briefed that Alaska is planning to introduce MVP 100k later this year. I assume that this is to match American Airlines Exec Platinum.

She told me that the announcement will come out soon.

NoLaGent

I pretty much hate it, but I'm not surprised. It'll be interesting to see what the requirements are, should it come to fruition.

All of you who proposed such a scheme, I hope you're happy.

rune87

I'm sure the massive holes being blown in Alaska's balance sheet right now is going to slow down any crazy rollouts. Alaska has absolutely nothing to offer a "100k". Can AA just finally die so we can be done with this madness?

RAD_PDX

Fascinating if true. It will be interesting to see if 75K is getting downgraded or if they will somehow come up with new benefits for 100Ks.

Kacee

It would make no sense at all to roll out a higher qualification tier right now. Hardly anyone can qualify due to cuts in business travel and significant limitations on where we can fly.

NoLaGent

I agree unless they're including Lounge Access on any fare, free wifi, added GGUs, added AL passes, an RDM extra special bonus and a pony.

MileageMule

I'm game if they add perks like same day standby on X fares, making X fares upgradable, (even if only to premium) and a Free Alaska LoungePass. I'll hit 75k on Feb 11, so 100k before the end of the year shouldn't be too hard.

anteater

This is great news for those of us who organically travel 100k miles, but I fear it will encourage some to mileage run.. during a pandemic.

edit for clarification: specifically, ignoring local or state guidelines regarding quarantine and stay at home / shelter in place.

MileageMule

Flights are starting to fill again. 10am PDX-SEA this morning on a Q400 had 70 people onboard.

I doesn't matter why people are flying as long as they follow the rules and don't jeopardize the health of other flyers.

Erasmus

The difference between AA EXP and AS 100K is that AA has many flights with 4,000+ mile stage lengths; AS has none over 3K to my knowledge. While the 50% bonus makes it fairly straightforward this year, 100K on AS metal will be a lot harder than 100K on AA metal for those of us who have a mix of domestic and international travel. Sure, partners qualify, but the difference is I can use SWUs on AA metal as an EXP (work only pays for coach); GGUs aren't going to get me into lay-flats on BA or CX.

I was planning to move my "primary" airline from AA to AS, but if AS top tier requires the same qualification as AA, AA is back to the primary slot for me--and I presume many like me for whom AS cannot serve a large fraction of my destinations on their own metal.

NoLaGent

^ this is a much larger # than I think AS is considering...or maybe they are?

Kacee

It's pretty easy to clear the 75K threshold (or a theoretical 100K) flying partners international in J - 3 RTs to BKK on CX or JL will put you over. But right now that's impossible for most of us. And based in the bay area, AS doesn't presently offer enough coverage for me to give them even close to 100% of my domestic flights.

NoLaGent

Same boat. Which won't float, at least this year.

jsguyrus

Hopefully 100K doesn't become the existing 75K, with Gold becoming MVP.

NoLaGent

And in thinking more about this, it seems like terrible optics this year, especially towards a vast majority of 75ks that land between 75 and 99k. I would guess that's a very large %, one would think.

(full disclosure, one of which I am)