Qualified for Gold and have mixed feelings
Dec 19, 2021, 12:46 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,636
Dec 19, 2021, 12:49 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,597
The FF game is all transactional. AS made a business decision to attempt to retain our business by giving us extra perks. We made a business decision to continue to fly AS because of these perks. Unless we're living in the 49th and have a lot of intrastate travel, we all have a choice of airline.
Dec 19, 2021, 12:58 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,636
I thought they did some pretty clever things while doing it. The first half of the year they priced F for most of my trips at about 1 checked bag more than main. I was going to get upgrades on all those flights because there were so few people flying, but with that pricing and throwing in the 1.5x multiplier, they basically said "hey, help us with our cash flow now and we'll return the favor later this year and next by giving you more rides in the comfy seats when/if pricing gets back to normal." So I did, and they've been holding up their end, and even helping me out with their friends over at AA. And because they just did it with EQM and not RDM, they didn't put any liabilities on the books - upgrades are entirely space available, so if they overdid it, they aren't going to be stuck with a bunch of people holding miles that they have to devalue, just a long waitlist for F seats.
Dec 19, 2021, 2:05 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,993
Just for interest regardiung the value of Gold status - My recent FAI-SEA flight had 45 Golds on it according to the flight attendant. I guess a lot of workers going "home" for Xmas.
I never imagined such a route would have that many Golds. I envisioned a routing such as JFK-SEA would see such a thing.
I never imagined such a route would have that many Golds. I envisioned a routing such as JFK-SEA would see such a thing.
Dec 19, 2021, 2:59 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,511
In part due to the reduced schedule from the east coast, I qualified for 75K w/o a single AS flight to/from my home airport. Overall, I only flew on 6 paid AS flight (elsewhere) and a boat load of AA flights crediting to AS.
Dec 19, 2021, 9:04 pm
#21
Join Date: Sep 2021
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 62
I will be in the new 100k level next year.. Did I "earn it"? I guess so. Am I elated? Happy but would not say elated based on the limited benefits (at least the first year), I sat on AS metal for 61k (25 segments) and with a some of those in paid F from OGG-SJC/SFO. Those got me to about 70K and I would have made at least 75k under the old qualification criteria with probably one mileage run. Add in the 1.5 eqm and carry over miles from 2020 and I was over 100 eqm by late summer. When the Visa spend offer came out I was already over 100k miles and even thought I probably spent 20k on my card, I was not credited any more eqms and those miles would not matter anyway...i would just have ended the year with 170k eqm instead of 150k. Did all the offers help me get to 100k? The 1.5 bonus and the carry over miles did (not the visa spend as mentioned above).
So a long way of saying I will take my 100k and hope to get as many upgrades on my monthly OGG-SJC/SFO trips as I can.
So a long way of saying I will take my 100k and hope to get as many upgrades on my monthly OGG-SJC/SFO trips as I can.
Dec 19, 2021, 10:58 pm
#22
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
The FF game is all transactional. AS made a business decision to attempt to retain our business by giving us extra perks. We made a business decision to continue to fly AS because of these perks. Unless we're living in the 49th and have a lot of intrastate travel, we all have a choice of airline.
Just for interest regardiung the value of Gold status - My recent FAI-SEA flight had 45 Golds on it according to the flight attendant. I guess a lot of workers going "home" for Xmas.
I never imagined such a route would have that many Golds. I envisioned a routing such as JFK-SEA would see such a thing.
I never imagined such a route would have that many Golds. I envisioned a routing such as JFK-SEA would see such a thing.
Lots of Golds and above who are based in FAI…isolated town with limited non-AS options in the winter. Fairbanksans travel a lot.
Dec 20, 2021, 11:21 am
#24
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Seattle
Programs: Alaska airlines 100k
Posts: 923
It is what it is. Business/marketing decision for AS and you/we as the customer will respond accordingly. Very frequently flier makes individual decisions based upon individual needs/circumstances.
TBH- I’m based in seattle so either AS or Delta will get the majority of my business. If the situation changes “significantly “ for either I will adjust accordingly. I’m probably 2-3 years from million miles on AS but this is not the driving factor anymore. The driving factor is flight availability, times, frequency, reliability, service and cost since 95% of my business travel is self funded. These last 2 years our travel budget/spend has decreased by at least 35-40% with no impact on our business. I don’t see this changing. I’ll be 100K status when this arrives and OK with 75K or MVPG
Summary, it’s not personal it’s just business
TBH- I’m based in seattle so either AS or Delta will get the majority of my business. If the situation changes “significantly “ for either I will adjust accordingly. I’m probably 2-3 years from million miles on AS but this is not the driving factor anymore. The driving factor is flight availability, times, frequency, reliability, service and cost since 95% of my business travel is self funded. These last 2 years our travel budget/spend has decreased by at least 35-40% with no impact on our business. I don’t see this changing. I’ll be 100K status when this arrives and OK with 75K or MVPG
Summary, it’s not personal it’s just business
Dec 20, 2021, 6:41 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: AS MVPG, Hyatt Platinum, Hilton Silver, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 129
I had been Gold or 75K for the past decade prior to 2017. Then a couple of layoffs put me to MVP or worse, and then COVID put me out completely. I am VERY happy to get back to Gold next year as I will fly enough to maintain it.
Dec 20, 2021, 10:22 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,636
Come to think of it, the only mixed feelings I want with my status onboard come with a glass, ice, a mini bottle or two, and a mixer. (And maybe one day, with a real 🍋 )
Dec 22, 2021, 12:01 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Philippines
Programs: CebGo 5J, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Alaska 100K
Posts: 4,696
Dec 22, 2021, 3:35 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,636