Flying out of SEA for a positioning flight - is AS still the way to go?
Jun 12, 2022, 12:46 am
#31
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: ANC
Programs: AS MVP, Club 49, Global Entry, National Emerald Club, Hilton Silver
Posts: 1,399
If it is a connected ticket then you don't need to worry, and you must take the first flight in the reservation to be able to fly the second segment. So if for some reason your first segment is cancelled you'll need to ask an agent in ANC airport to put you on the next flight to seattle under the same reservation, you can't just book a different ticket and take that.
Jun 12, 2022, 1:23 am
#32
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
James
Jun 12, 2022, 4:51 am
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,385
Suggest you read post #11 onward in this thread if you're opting for the DL miles ticket as a backup.
Jun 12, 2022, 12:21 pm
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 8
Thanks everyone for chiming in and enlightening me about all of the options and ways to play this. I didn't realize that I only had 5 posts/24 hrs so I wasn't able to respond to everyone... and I just learned about multi reply now heh
Yeah that's where I'm conflicted - arriving at a civilized last morning and then staying in a lounge is definitely something that I considered. Unfortunately, I'll have a checked bag which complicates things a bit... Is there such thing as checking in a bag "too early" or going through security "too early"? I'd hate to stay landside because I "arrived too early for my 2230 departure".
Yeah this is what I'm leaning towards... I also won't be flying alone and would hate to inflict any stress on those with me. My risk tolerance for more sophisticated strategies and/or running through an airport trying to make a tight connection is much higher when I'm going solo haha. Can you tell me more about the free nights from a credit card? I have the CSR and would love to take better advantage of it! Hahaha I used to live in CA and while In N Out's burgers are pretty good for fast food burgers, I can say that their fries are the worst fries I've ever tasted. They have the consistency of styrofoam and the aftertaste of cardboard. And no, getting them "well done" does not help hahaha
Unfortunately not.. going to be meeting up with a group in LAX and also, the tickets out of SEA were much more expensive than from LAX when I looked. :\
Thanks for the tips! This will be for a flight for early December that comes back during that late December holiday period so I'm starting to monitor prices now 
wrt “fly in the day before” — I’d have no problem booking SEA-LAX at a civilized late-morning or early afternoon hour for that 2230 departure
AS to TBIT is an entirely airside walk (~20 min) whereas DL to TBIT involves either a bus or re-clearing security after a ~10-minute walk
AS to TBIT is an entirely airside walk (~20 min) whereas DL to TBIT involves either a bus or re-clearing security after a ~10-minute walk
If it’s time sensitive then I would absolutely go the day before. The stress of worrying about making your connecting flight is not fun even if it does end up working out 95% of the time. No idea of your financial situation but there are a lot of airport hotels so prices are usually reasonable ($100-200). There are also credit cards with sub $100 annual fees that come with a free night that could be useful if there is some event going on and hotel prices are high. It leaves with a day to waste since your flight leaves so late but being bored is probably better than being stressed. And for some reason people rave about the In N Out so you could go there and be disappointed in how it’s just not good food.
Unfortunately not.. going to be meeting up with a group in LAX and also, the tickets out of SEA were much more expensive than from LAX when I looked. :\
if you have miles with any airline…even united, American, southwest….book in points/ miles a back up ticket because you can cancel last minute and not deal with having expiring fare from the day you bought it.
the other option is booking a fully refundable ticket as a back up on a different airline than the primary one. You book a non refundable one thrn the funds lady only 1 year from purchase date.
buying a ticket now fora December flight….unless it’s over Christmas/ New Years weeks like from the 16th- early January….you can wait till you book the refundable ticket till the prices are lower. If it’s the end of de ember book it now before fares increase
the other option is booking a fully refundable ticket as a back up on a different airline than the primary one. You book a non refundable one thrn the funds lady only 1 year from purchase date.
buying a ticket now fora December flight….unless it’s over Christmas/ New Years weeks like from the 16th- early January….you can wait till you book the refundable ticket till the prices are lower. If it’s the end of de ember book it now before fares increase
Jun 12, 2022, 2:27 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,368
my intuition says that UA would probably check through onto a separate ticket on another *A carrier, but again that’s entirely speculative
Jun 12, 2022, 3:28 pm
#36
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,124
I’m not sure if AS would check a bag thru to SQ on a separate ticket if the SQ flight wasn’t booked w AS miles, but I’m quite sure that someone will weigh in with the voice of either experience or authority
my intuition says that UA would probably check through onto a separate ticket on another *A carrier, but again that’s entirely speculative
my intuition says that UA would probably check through onto a separate ticket on another *A carrier, but again that’s entirely speculative
Jun 12, 2022, 3:30 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...e/checked-bags
my intuition says that UA would probably check through onto a separate ticket on another *A carrier, but again that’s entirely speculative
Jun 12, 2022, 8:22 pm
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 8
They will so long as the connection is less than 12 hr. AS has one if the most liberal policies of checking bags through to partner flights. They will most likely follow the baggage allowances/fees on the SQ ticket though.
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...e/checked-bags
This is correct. Note that it must be a *A partner though (which is not an issue in this case)
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...e/checked-bags
This is correct. Note that it must be a *A partner though (which is not an issue in this case)
Jun 12, 2022, 8:44 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Wow! That's awesome - thanks so much! Do you happen to know if SQ will do the same for AS? Their site says "If your itinerary is booked on separate tickets, the baggage allowance printed on each ticket will apply." but I'm not sure if they're just giving general information or that they'll actually check it through for you in accordance to the policies for a particular ticket.
BTW, if you ever fly AA, they are the absolute worst for this -- the complete opposite of AS. They will not check your bags through on separate tickets no matter what, even if both flights are on AA. In general I like AA but this is one area where they really drop the ball IMO.