jb2001

Question - with the AS Visa Spend 10K, get 2K EQM promotion, the EQMs are stated to post 8-12 weeks after the promotion is over (so into Jan or Feb 2024) Does anyone know how that gets applied to your 2023 qualifying year for 2024 status?

chrisl137

My first 2K EQM showed up 7 days after the cc closing date in which I reached the first $10K. I'm watching for the second batch, which I expect to show up within a week or so.

I also just got the email for this EQM purchase offer in my inbox - they actually highlight at the top of the email that it's a greener alternative to a mileage run:
So they're managing year end EQM boosts in a way that looks fair and doesn't fly a bunch of people around just to accumulate BIS miles.

AKLifetimeFlyer

More like they figured out how to generate cash flow without actually having to provide a service.

chrisl137

Is taking someone in an airplane back to their original point of departure without any appreciable time on the ground at the halfway point a service?

AKLifetimeFlyer

I guess it depends how you define service; but, the point is that mileage runs incur a cost for AS, whereas this option does not (to the same extent). In the airline industry, net profit margins for airlines are between 1 and 2%. So if you spend $100 on a ticket, between $1 and $2 goes to the airline's bottom line. The net profit margin for AS when a passenger simply pays for miles is significantly higher. All this program does is subsidize aviation fuel costs. Who knows if they are actually going to use this money to buy the sustainable aviation fuel, which is not exactly financially sustainable (or they would be buying it already). Bottom line: this may be a green initiative, if green means money.

StevenSeagalFan

Does it really matter though? At the end of the day most of us who buy this are buying it for the EQM and our personal gains. They could say that .00000000001 of every dollar goes to sustainable fuel and the rest into ALK stock buyback. I still get my EQM

chrisl137

Exactly. If the buyer thinks the EQM are worth the price, what does it matter what it costs AS to provide them?

As far as "green" goes, for anyone who cares - the biggest benefit is keeping you from doing the MR in the first place. Whether they're spending it on "green" fuel is a smaller impact.

JC5280

To put this all in perspective…this is nothing new for airlines. Over at United, there is the PassPlus program. Wherein, you prepay your travel and become an elite immediately before you’ve even stepped on a plane.

If you don’t want to pre-pay in the mid-five-digits, on a smaller scale, you can do premier accelerators that allow you to buy EQMs as a multiplier of your proposed earnings on an upcoming trip, again…earning before you even take the flight. The hack that bloggers promote is doing this purchase on a refundable ticket and then cancelling the flight.

if you think airlines are naive to frequent travelers that will throw money at them, for nothing more than to retain their status, well…you probably think the airline is being loyal to you in the loyalty program. They are not.

diver858

Bottom line is that AS has come up with a fair and equitable solution for the endless stream of posts about being XXX miles short of a status threshold, looking for special consideration. It is much better than the common practice of simply setting an arbitrary price - with $$ going directly to the airline.

Visconti

If I were 500 - 1000 miles short of MVPG, 75K or 100K, I'd choose this over flying a RT MR. To each his/her own, but no brainer for me, if only a little shy of the next tier.

mtofell

I think it's a win/win for AS... they make some easy money while looking good to those folks that love to bash airline mileage programs that encourage people to fly for no reason other than to maintain status. I'm personally going to have to take an extra trip to reach 75K and this is really nice to not need to cross completely. Living in Maui it's kind of a hassle to need 200 miles

lensovet

Sure it’s nothing new, but Alaska’s whole shtick was that their program was different.

This “opportunity” together with the award chart devaluation nicely aligns them with the other carriers without bringing any of their other benefits like lie flat business or a true national network. So…a win I guess?

QT31415

200 miles short of requalifying for 100k, thanks to the new tiered pricing of QR's J. Was just about to do a mileage run to OAK; this is much easier!

isaacchambers

This is just a horrific way to continue this perpetual "Catholic Indulgences" in terms of offsets. The projects say nothing about actually expanding or making any meaningful quantitative role in providing a reduction in carbon at all. SAF still generates carbon and is not a complete OFFSET. Meanwhile, the projects dont actually carbon capture in terms of expanding thier capabilities. So how many times can they sell the same plant for CO2 offsets.

i think this is a horrific idea from AS. Its greenwashing and frankly destroys my opinion of the green initiatives they have been spearheading. Do the actual hard work....make all supply chain items fully compostable and reduce waste along with emissions. Make SAF part of thier SOP to buy as a company....dont ask for offsets.....

mtofell

Oh yeah, I don't actually think this money is doing any good for any meaningful cause.... it's just a (lame) attempt by AS at appearing caring.