dayone

My bet is that if AS wanted a premium card that included AL access, BofA would offer a premium card that included AL access.

navydevildoc

Exactly. BofA is going to do what brings in more credit customers they can charge interest on, and if Alaska is willing to create a shiny card for a premium fee, BofA will gladly reciprocate.

WrightHI

I'm another who'd love to see a premium AS card, eg AL membership and an F-eligible companion pass for somewhere in the $5-600 range. EQM bonuses would be nice, but might be combined with the inevitable bump in MVP and MVPG qualification to 25K and 50K.

Tack

They put you on a waitlist and you’re an AL/AC member?

Tack

Retired AS here who still has access to the employee/retiree portal. They are exploring just what you said in your post. Believe me it is not lost on them that a premium CC more than covers their per visit fees billed from AA to cover AL member visits to the AC. Now....how soon AS brings that card to market? They won’t say. The last thing they want is a guy like me sharing internal info. But, you and others like you have at least bent their ear on what you’d like, and AS is in love with the revenue from spend and the loyalty those affinity cards generate. If I was in Vegas? I’d bet you’ll get your wish.

GundamWing01

im not sure if its that simple.

ever since AS joined OW, ive wanted to learn more about the reciprocal access privileges to integrate various CC strategies (eg citi AA exec, UA club, amex plat, bofa AS etc) because there are different restrictions and key considerations at play. having just one type of membership may not be enough coverage. i dont think AL has the exact same privileges as AC membership but im trying to determine the gap.

so depending on your situation, the AL Plus w/ CCs may offer the widest flexibility. and im not even considering priority pass as a viable access type. its saturated trash.

here are other things to consider:
- ticketing restrictions - i believe w/ the AL membership, you can fly any carrier, but with AC you must be on AS/AA operated? vs marketed? im not super clear on the requirements
- conference rooms - i think you can reserve conference rooms at a cheaper rate w/ AL vs AC but i forgot
- guesting privileges - i believe it used to be the same for both. immediate family or 2 guests. but maybe this will change? also, i believe its $25 for paid guests only if you have AL or the BofA AS. do you have to pay using the BofA AS CC or could I use a different CC?
- airport specific restrictions - i think this is the most complicated one since participating lounges are not always available

btw can we pay the AS membership using multiple CC onsite? i assume its possible.

Xrayman

What if it’s not a “renewal” but rather a “new” membership in august, would I be grandfathered? I still have 6 passes as 75K.

SEA is my home base and very efficient with airports. Rarely spend more than 10-15 minutes in gate area before start of boarding . On return flights at ORD again typically pretty efficient with timing as security access is efficient. In MKE no lounge and airport is very reliable for timing from lodging, transport to airport and through security then directly onto plane. At SNA I actually like to eat at the Carl’s Jr. (childhood memories, now only if they had an In N Out inside. Really only use passes at LAX and thus able to drag out periods in between prior membership expirations before signing up again.

eponymous_coward

It isn't lost on me that the Club at SEA (the one you are most likely going to be able to use at SEA if you have PP) is probably the worst lounge at SEA.

(It's also the contract lounge for any airline leaving out of S that doesn't have a DL partnership, save for BR- even JL and CX use it. Side note: you'd hope that the BA Terraces Lounge gets refurbished so it might be a OW lounge someday...)

Yeah, this is my use case. With CLEAR/TSA Pre√ I zoom through (true for a lot of my frequent airports). The lounge has to be super nice for me just to not prefer being elsewhere. Very few USA lounges meet that bar.

NoLaGent

It really is.

1. That is true, but will likely change in the coming months as OW alignment/harmonization in a number of policies take effect.

2. Opposite, it's cheaper as an AC member. ALs no longer have conference rooms or phone rooms.

3. Same, and yes you do.

4. Definitely a wild card and will remain so for quite awhile.

5. Yes, and only onsite.

Seattlenerd

Really on the fence before about renewing my Alaska Lounge membership before the price increase was announced, and now after the announcement I am thinking of sticking to day passes with my BoA Alaska VISA.

AS hasn't done much for those of us who renewed Alaska Lounge memberships at the end of February 2020 (immediately before the lockdowns began) and have been completely unable to use them due to travel restrictions and/or closed Lounges. The initial six-month extension through August 2021 was a nice gesture, but it doesn't help if it couldn't be used. Yes, I could have gotten on a plane as restrictions started to lift, but there was no business reason to do so—no company travel, no conferences being held—and there were continuing COVID-19 reasons to avoid unnecessary travel and a continuing CDC advisory. So my renewal Lounge membership remains pristine in its unused condition.

I would hope AS would consider some kind of gesture for those who have completely unused Alaska Lounge memberships since purchase/renewal. A few day passes? A discount on renewal? A special extension with renewal (as has been offered to some who have earlier renewal months)? Any kind of a bone would be nice. Especially since on top of an unused annual $350 Alaska Lounge membership, getting the same level of access is going up to $500 in future years (if I don't renew in the grandfathered-in window).

Yup, much of this is out of everyone's control. But I'm probably not the only one who has been a loyal Alaska Lounge member for years and reflexively renews it annually out of their own pocket and found themselves unable to use the renewal at all. I'll just wait and see as expiration approaches.

(Side note: AS has done Mileage Plan member surveys about credit card benefits they'd like to see, especially for a premium card. As I recall, unlimited Alaska Lounge access has come up on those as well.)

lawchild

Yes - BofA is just a crappy issuer. I've got two Chase cards (UA & Marriott) and Amexes, both of which are much better on hte customer service and overall value front. Wouldn't be shocked to see AS move over to Citi whenever their agreement with BofA is done.

eponymous_coward

Er, Air France/KLM, Hawaiian and Virgin Atlantic aren't "discounters" (and IMO the AF/KL card is actually a pretty solid card, if nothing amazing- you can use it as an alternative to a DL Amex). And they all offer premium products.

I'm not sure, I would guess Chase isn't keen on hacking off UA or WN by taking a major competitor (AS) though. Plus AS is probably NEVER going to want to put the keys and deed to MP into Chase's hands by letting UR be a transfer partner. UA already regrets this.

Be careful what you ask for- the most likely "move to Citi" scenario is probably an AA/AS merger.

That being said, Citi's footprint in WA State is rather pathetic. Like "zero local branches, some ATMs" pathetic. I don't think that makes them a good match, since BofA DOES have an extensive local footprint in the Pacific NW. Again, AS just likes some synergy with "local" branding.

I suppose they could go with Barclays or (ha!) Synchrony if they really wanted to. I suspect not unless someone is going to back up a truck full of Benjamins for the AS portfolio though. AS tends to like synergy and neither of those brands are anything other than credit card issuers + virtual banks (no real physical presence in AS's communities they serve).

The ones that are probably big enough nationally (in terms of presence in PNW + overall nationwide + ability to write a check to AS) are Wells Fargo (yikes! on the customer service front, though they have some good credit card products, as long as they aren't issuing them in a scam ) or Key Bank (which used to do Continental cards, so I guess), or US Bank (IDK, maybe?).

GundamWing01

thank you so much for the helpful info. i really appreciate it. as you said, things are still fluid and may change in OCT as the partnership stabilizes. TBD. im just going to wait and see. no reason to buy early unless someone has a very clear use case. furthermore, old prices are not locked in for life. its simply just a cheaper rate for one year if you buy now. i plan to get the ALPlus which would add greater lounge coverage with my other CCs and i look forward to using the airline credits easily without dealing with loopholes.

GundamWing01

i hope BofA fights for AS business and introduces a premium $450 CC. dont know why BofA doesnt have one yet. I absolutely do not want more co-brands to partner with chase. already terrible to hear about the AC partnership and has other OW like BA and IB. i dont even know why CX is with synch. i really want to see BofA take over CX, KE, OZ, ANA, JAL.

fly18725

The Bank of America agreement was extended in 2016 and I would imagine it's up for renegotiation soon. I think the issuing bank needs to have a west coast footprint that matches AS' originating traffic. Along with BOA, Wells Fargo and US Bank fit the bill. WF has whopping 1 co-branded credit card and I think the brand still has a pretty strong stench. US Bank is more experienced here, including for KAL. I think they'd be the likely choice if AS decided to switch issuers.