stephem

There is a thread on this but I couldn't seem to find it and I really need some help. We have flown part of this award, up to our stopover. As many people know, the AS stopover can really provide value for what is already a pretty decent award. In our case, we flew the first 2 segments of an award booked in T class (so standard economy award) and then more or less left a remaining segment hanging with the expectation we would use it in the distant future after our "stopover." About a month after we flew the first 2 segments there was a schedule change of +3 hours on ourlast segment and so we were able to call and get it moved. It turns out the date we picked now doesn't work and so we need to change this final segment again. I assume we look for T class and if it exists we can move to that flight? The reason I ask is that there are now times when T class exists but the amount of miles is variable (might be 12.5, might be less). This segment was ticketed as part of an overall 3 segment itinerary that was less than 12.5k, but it wasnt clear why, and it was certainly not dependent on this last segment pricing out at any particular mileage cost (indeed if priced alone, this last segment was showing up as 12.5k miles in T class on the date we booked). I can just try to call in, but I am curious if others have experienced this, is it just "like for like class" as in I am booked in T so should be able to make a change where there is T class on that segment for another date?

jsguyrus

If it was a schedule change initiated by Alaska (or some other carrier) you pretty much have a green light to change the ticket any way you wish, just call in.

VegasGambler

Isn't there a limit? One free change, sure... but now that that free change has been used, doesn't it revert to the usual "no changes after travel starts" for awards?

I would certainly still try, but it's always good to know whether you are entitled to what you are asking for, or if you are asking for an exception.

stephem

I’ve never made a change, I was mistaken in my first post. There was a one hour change and it looks like I never called into take advantage of my change i am due for the +60 min schedule change. So same question. Due to the award sale that was in effect T class was not costing 12.5 K miles. That is what it cost for the segment now in T class, so my question is whether this is a voluntary change or one that I am asking for due to the schedule change they should be able to rebook me on another date where there is T class available, correct?

Flying for Fun

How are you determing that there is T class availability? You can't always assume a 12.5K award is booking into T class. It depends on the flight distance. Awards start at 5K.

If you have a schedule change, AS will reacommodate, usually +/- a day or two, and T space doesn't necessarily have to be available. Outside that, you will likely need to find T space availability.

James

Flying for Fun

You can change AS award flights after a stopover, even after the award has commenced.

You can't change partner awards after the first segment is flown. However, if the stopover from a partner award is to AS metal, those can be changed.

With the abolishment of change fees (formerly waived for MVPG+) it makes sense to create a stopover and tack on another segment sometime in the future. Essentially a free segment that can be changed to accommodate at a later time.

I always have a handful of segments in my pocket. They make great repositioning flights. Currently, ATL-SEA(E), JFK-PDX(E)-PHX(T), JFK-SEA(E)-HNL(E) & LAX-ANC(T)

I am off to Sweden this week. I have a revenue J itinerary out of LAX. I booked an AS award YLW-SEA-LAX for 20K. I added a LAX-ANC segment for a random date in November for 0K more. I will see what fall/winter bring and adjust accordingly. ANC doesn't have to be the final destination.

AS awards aren't limited to 3 segments domestically & 4 segments internationally like AA. I have had 6. My flights to HNL are in September after a JFK stopover for a 27.5K partner F award that started in LIR in April.

James

stephem

I have a subscription to expert flyer so I can see whether there is T class availability. I’ll go ahead and find dates where there is T5 (it’s me plus my family) and just call in to rebook. At this point I need to move it at least a week out and now that i look we’re not seeing dates with T=5 for a month or so.

BTW, your comment about the value of awards with stopovers and leaving additional segments for later is spot on. In fact, what we have found is that sometimes by using a stopover and adding another segment on we wind up creating a “city pair” that has a lower award rate than the one segment you were planning to fly. Then as you say, you leave these other segments out there and use them as part of future travel. All I can say is that it’s worth opening the desktop full version of the Alaska award search tool and playing around with the multi cities search any time you are thinking of doing a simple one way.

scklumb

Right now I'm on a stopover on a multi-segment award flight. I've changed my last segment 3 times now. its always been the same amount of miles.....

I'm on a PSP-SEA(stopover)-ORD. I flew PSP-SEA like 10 days ago. Today I fly SEA-ORD, and have changed the date on this segment 3 times (have to call to make change, since I traveled the first segment already). Total cost is 30k miles.

When I originally booked it, I checked each segment cost and the combined cost....
PSP-SEA = 12.5k
SEA-ORD = 30k
But PSP-SEA(stopover)-ORD = 30k, so I booked this.

I'm from MKE not ORD, so after I had flown the first segment and wanted to change SEA-ORD. I checked online and SEA-ORD is still 30k, but SEA-MKE was also 30k (when I originally booked it, it was 40K to go to MKE). I asked if I can change the last segment from SEA-ORD to SEA-MKE. She had to ask a supervisor and they came back with a no. She said they didn't know how many miles it would have been when I originally booked for MKE, so they can't make the change to MKE, but they can def change the ORD date.

VegasGambler

That's useful. Can you make the change online (like with a change before travel has started) or do you need to call in?

Flying for Fun

Yes!

My shortest post ever! 😁

James

Edit: I think this post needed to be a little bit longer! I didn't realize, given the qualifier in parentheses, it was a compound sentence with opposing questions. The "yes" was to the online changes. Sometimes it will "bark" at you and tell you to call. Usually it is an availability issue or if a change in the final destination would have required a higher redemption rate on the original booking. I play, I coax and usually find something. Other times, it just spits out generosity.

stephem

I have found some can be changed online, but interestingly when the math works like scklumb describes it and A to B (stopover) to C is LESS than A to C, then I tend to have no luck with online changes. Like James, I have found some sweet spots for using stopovers and we have ones sitting out there for the year that I sometimes lose track of (hence my original misstatement of the change history on this particular one). This one wont allow an online change, and I have never gotten to the bottom of whether it is class to class that is allowed or whether the amount of miles (e.g., sale vs nonsale) is what matters. To be honest, I haven't pushed, because I think some of the A-B-C award amounts can be maybe a little too good to be true and may reflect "boomerang logic" in the online award engine.

Flying for Fun

The award search engine is extremely lax on routings. I shouldn't be able to book a LIR-HNL award with a 5 month stopover in JFK. The "boomerang" effect is definitely in play but some of those have been tightened up. The classic LAX-SFO with a stopover in SEA for 5K was one. More recently, though, I was looking for an LAX-PVR award very last minute (<2 hours before departure) and LAX-SLC-SEA-PVR for 15K miles was offered. No non-stop option was available. The 15K miles would be more in tune with a low fare bucket dynamic award for LAX-PVR.

James

eponymous_coward

MEX-JFK/DFW-SEA(stop)-PHX still works.

I even see some MEX-DFW-LAS-SEA-PHX routings.

stephem

They are claiming this is a "one way" that cannot be changed ;-) I think they looked at the paltry amount of miles charged (it's a boomerang like what James alluded to) and just decided I should not be allowed to make a change for such a good deal ;-) Well, "you win some and then sometimes shouldn't protest too much" tends to be my motto

Flying for Fun

I "might" have changed the remaining segments after a stopover into a partner award. Or did I? A partner award fee was collected! Or was it? Foggy recollection here.

James