twitch76

So…. I’m San Diego based, and planning a couple of work trips to Anchorage (and surrounding) this year. In one instance, on the way home, buying F and flying the red eye is comparable or cheaper than renting the extra hotel room and flying coach during daytime hours. Work will let me decide what works best for my schedule and sleep.

Obviously there are significant trade offs… I will sleep better in a hotel room. I will get home quicker (and earn more miles) in F on the red eye. (Not for nothing, but I might be able to swing for 75k this year.) Lounge access would mitigate some of the trade offs… but then I realize that the lounges may not be open in the middle of the night.

What is ANC like after midnight? What’s SEA like before 6am? What are your experiences with this sort of plan? Any other pitfalls I should think through?

AKLifetimeFlyer

My last redeye out of ANC on AS they closed the lounge at 11PM. My flight was at 1:30 so I had to slum it with the Kettle for about an hour and 20 min at the gate.

Flying for Fun

You won't have Alaska Lounge access on a paid F ticket; neither flight is over 2100 miles.

James

Crazy Dave

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/ai...tion-and-hours

Anchorage closes at 1 am but as mentioned above unless you are a lounge member you will not have access since the flight is less than 2100 miles. Anchorage and Seattle, according to the website are not currently selling day passes.

AKLifetimeFlyer

The only exception is if OP is a Club 49 Member, which OP is clearly not. With Club 49 Membership there is no mileage limit so long as the member is traveling to/from the great state of Alaska.

twitch76

Well… alrighty then! I haven’t paid attention to those changes, because I never fly paid F. Thanks… that takes that factor out of the equation altogether.

Flying for Fun

Purchased First class tickets may be an exception. It does say that a discount day pass can be purchased for $30.00 for paid F itineraries or F awards where no flight in the itinerary meets the 2100 mile requirement on a space available basis.

Passengers traveling on a paid First Class or a First Class award ticket* where no single flights exceed 2,100 miles can purchase a discounted day pass** for $30.

*applies to fares booked in C, D, E, J, or I class.**Day pass access to an Alaska Lounge location is subject to space availability.


James

JayJ

Fly ANC to SAN via PHX using AA.

beckoa

Or just take the nonstop ANC-LAX. Lounge in both ANC and LAX. And long enough to get some sleep.

JayJ

Is there a way to fly LAX to SAN in the morning? I use to fly DL all the time, but that was 25 years ago.

be_rettSEA

I believe UA is still flying LAX/SAN routes. Not sure how early in the AM, and certainly won't be on the same AS itinerary, but it is possible.

Flying for Fun

Both UA & DL have LAX-SAN nonstop flights. UA at 9:00 am, DL at 9:45 am. Flying AS would be a one-stop via SJC. Not sure it is worth it for lounge access. However, ANC-LAX does get you lounge access at both ends.

James

AKLifetimeFlyer

I didn't realize AA stopped serving LAX-SAN. I used to travel to SAN semi-frequently from ANC and once did ANC-LAX (AS), LAX-SAN (AA, operated by American Eagle). It was all one itinerary. I remember the transfer from the AS gates to the satellite terminal to be a nightmare though, and I had issues with mileage credit for the AA portion, although with persistence I got them. That experience dissuaded me from ever transferring in LAX again for SAN trips.

PDXPremier

Not to get too OT but I always wished AS would throw a few E175 flights on the LAX-SAN route....seems like it would at least help increase connection opportunities.

Flying for Fun

Long gone are the LAX-SAN shuttles. UA, one morning, one late night, DL is the same but has a third at 4:20 pm.

ANC-SFO-SAN won't meet the 2100 mile restriction. ANC-PHX-SAN would but AS won't sell you the AA PHX-SAN codeshare; they will as a standalone on a separate PNR. AS will route you through SFO or PDX to SAN on their own metal. ANC-LAS would also work but LAS-SAN would also require a connection through SFO or PDX all of which defeats getting home early.

James