Seattlenerd

OK, one more variation on this fun topic. Has to do with the AS50 I wrote about earlier.

So I have this $342 + AS50 unused ticket in my son's name. He's not going to use it. It's under my control (I bought it) and, as an MVPG, I can reuse the full value without a change fee.

However, I also recall that no upgrades apply to AS50 tickets.

So, since the miles appear permanently adhered to this ticket value, it seems the only way to get into First with this value is to buy a ticket in First and get $250 off the First Class fare. (Perhaps just one way on a transcon to use the value most efficiently as $125 off the fare.)

Or: Can I use the existing ticket value to buy an immediately upgradeable H class fare or higher and upgrade right away, if U is available? Or does that violate the "no upgrades from AS50" rule?

I suspect it does.

Seattlenerd

No, but I've heard from someone that the odds are "astronomical." His ears were oddly shaped.

And on the former: guilty.

COpltASgldPHX

Your AS50 "award" ticket is like the B.O. car in Seinfeld. Once it has the "stank" of the AS50 attached to it, no amount of MVPG scented Febreeze will get rid of it!

Not sure either since it was issued as a R/T AS50 if it can be re-issued as a O/W AS50. Perhaps Missy in her infinite wisdom can enlighten us on that one. The first rule of Fizzbin is if you don't know all of the rules it's better not to play in the first place. I'll take may chances on the Dabo Wheel! Does anyone have any Latinum they can loan me?

jackal

You know you spin that wheel just to get a close-up look at the Dabo girls (not that that violates any Rules of Acquisition...).

My guess on the RT/OW reissue: no, since OW AS20s are half the mileage, remember (7,500 vs 15,000)? You can't simply redeposit the miles like a regular award, though? Sheesh, these AS20s are annoying little buggers, aren't they...

Seattlenerd

Sigh. I suspect you're right. I either have to pony up for a full RT FC ticket and take $250 off, or just be happy back in coach for less money and no chance of an upgrade.

Of course, if that bar of latinum were to be gold-plated, that would help.

wanaflyforless

Is this still correct?

If I am MVPG, can I combine say 3 $200 unused tickets into one new $600 ticket for myself or not?

maokh

I find it stupid that when i book award travel for someone im traveling with that has no cash value, or hell, my aunt's brother's cousin's alcoholic uncle flying alone, they are given MVPG status, a free drink, and free changes.

But the second i fly with my wife and kids as a Gold after paying for a ticket, I am stiffed with change fees you normally charge your non customers. Maybe Alaska doesn't expect MVP Golds to actually have family, wives, or children. You know how we gold value our changeable ticket luxury...

Why is it that you will also put my travel partner into first class, exempt baggage, etc. etc. but won't at least give me one person i can make changes with? I could understand if i packed about 30 people onto my PNR, but it would be nice to at least be able to change your wife's ticket without it costing $175 or whatever it is this week.

baliktad

Why don't you deal with this the same way suggested in the 2nd post in this thread:

You can avoid the change fee for your wife if you pay for the original ticket yourself (as a MVPG) and then use the credit yourself (as a MVPG). Presumably, you are doing more flying than your non-MVPG wife so using the occasional extra credit that results from a change shouldn't be a problem.

The change fee waiver on AS is quite possibly the single biggest benefit of being MVPG outside of upgrades. It's a broad swath of generosity that I'm very grateful for, and I don't really want to rock the boat. If AS ever changes/yanks this benefit my travel spend will probably be cut in half overnight.

CDKing

I think the policy may have changed. I paid for a ticket for me and my GF. Had to cancel her since she cant go and i had to pay $75 to add to my wallet.

baliktad

Missy addressed this some time back. I believe she advised to keep the original ticket number and just call AS Reservations when you wish to use the travel credit. As long as you paid as an MVPG and want to use it for your own travel as an MVPG, she indicated the change fee would be waived.

Such a courtesy may not apply if you wish to deposit the funds into your My Wallet account.

Seattlenerd

Yes. The issue is reusing the traveling partner's ticket under the MVPG's name requires a name change on the ticket, something the AS online My Wallet credit system isn't set up to handle. That's why the Gold needs to call to reuse the traveling partner's credit, citing the ticket number, so the name on the ticket can be changed.

There is a kind of complicated workaround that does deposit the value into the Gold's My Wallet account.

First, cancel the traveling partner's ticket, and make sure you have the ticket number (I usually do this by phone, though I recall there's an option online to simply cancel a ticket and have the ticket number emailed to you). Don't choose any online option to deposit the value into My Wallet. Yet.

Second, find a new AS/QX flight that is within a few bucks of the value of the canceled ticket. Call AS to apply the value of the old ticket to the new flight for yourself, as a Gold. At that point, you're doing the needed name change.

Third, cancel the new ticket online and deposit the value into My Wallet. Since the name change is done and the ticket is in the Gold's name, the value deposit into My Wallet should go smoothly without CSR intervention.

It's been a while since I've done it, but that's how I recall doing it. While the process is multiple steps, it avoids having to store the old ticket number and puts the value into My Wallet for reuse, plus takes care of the name change.

Seattlenerd

As I recall, you can't combine the value of multiple unused tickets, using their ticket numbers, and exchange them for a single new ticket.

However, if all of the tickets are in your name, you can cancel them, deposit the value into My Wallet, and combine them that way.

CDKing

Guess i should have waited a few days to cancel her from my ticket