Feb 13, 2020, 8:29 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Alaska Airlines is expected join the oneworld Alliance as a full member summer 2021 end of 2020, pending regulatory approval*.
link to earning EQM, EQD, EQS and Award Miles flying Alaska Airlines as AS marketed flights. (If flying as AA marketed flight (codeshare), earnings are as if flying AA.) As of April 1, 2020.
Seattle’s first-ever direct flight to BLR will be available for purchase later this month, with daily flights beginning October 2020. Daily service between SEA and LHR will be available for purchase in May 2020 for flights starting March 2021.
link to full release, 13 Feb 2020
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Alaska Airlines route map (including Virgin America)
- Alaska Airlines intends to join the oneworld® alliance, the world's fastest growing and most highly rated global airline alliance, by summer 2021, which will connect Alaska guests to more than 1,200 destinations worldwide.
- American will launch the first service from Seattle (SEA) to Bangalore, India (BLR) beginning October 25 2020. A new American route from SEA to the global business hub London Heathrow (LHR) will begin flying in March 2021.
- The airlines will continue their domestic codeshare that offers customers hassle-free booking and travel between the two networks. The codeshare will expand to include international routes from Los Angeles (LAX) and SEA.
- Alaska and American loyalty members will enjoy benefits across both airlines, including the ability to earn and use miles on both airlines’ full networks, elite status reciprocity and lounge access to nearly 50 American Admirals Club lounges worldwide and seven Alaska Lounges in the U.S.
link to earning EQM, EQD, EQS and Award Miles flying Alaska Airlines as AS marketed flights. (If flying as AA marketed flight (codeshare), earnings are as if flying AA.) As of April 1, 2020.
Seattle’s first-ever direct flight to BLR will be available for purchase later this month, with daily flights beginning October 2020. Daily service between SEA and LHR will be available for purchase in May 2020 for flights starting March 2021.
link to full release, 13 Feb 2020
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Alaska Airlines route map (including Virgin America)
Alaska / AS joining oneworld 31 Mar 2021, AA launching SEA-BLR/LHR
Feb 13, 2020, 9:56 pm
#121
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It's 75k EQMs on AS metal (even codeshares don't normally count; I think it's only AS*/AS, not even partner marketed AS metal), which given that AS has no long haul flights is not that trivial. Upping the AS+partner minimum from 90k to 100k would bring it exactly in line with AA EXP for AS+partner earning. That seems easy, and upping the own metal requirement to 100k EQMs would be a lot for an airline like AS that doesn't have long haul flights.
Feb 13, 2020, 10:18 pm
#122
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Of course, a traveler who is flying nearly exclusively on AS won't be taking advantage of benefits on partners that much anyway; with the thresholds only 20-25% higher (I'm suggesting 33% for 75K/oneworld Emerald to bring the AS+partner EQMs in line with AA EXP), the most a pure-AS qualifier could be "mooching" benefits off of oneworld partners is roughly 20-33% of their flights. (I suppose a few people could earn miles as an AS elite, burn them for coach flights on oneworld partners, and then take advantage of oneworld benefits, but that doesn't seem likely to appreciably dilute benefits. And an AS elite burning miles for oneworld premium cabin benefits gets most of the benefits of status based on cabin anyway, so isn't mooching so much there either.)
All that said, I agree that it's early and who knows what AS will do; as has been much speculated in the AS forum, them going revenue based isn't far-fetched. But given their network, I would think AS would want to reward their own customers (especially, for example, their high-fare intra-Alaska customers) in a way that the current, separate AS only and AS+partner thresholds does nicely.
Feb 13, 2020, 11:08 pm
#123
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I have to say this was a total shock to me. When I saw the email by AA in my inbox, I thought it was to inform me that AA and AS were going to sever all ties. As that's how it seemed things were heading. But this is definitely not what I was expecting. Although, I did think that AS would become a OW Connect memeber, as they were cutting ties to non-OW carriers these past couple of years. However, coming out of the box as a full member is kind of big surprise. Then there's the really major shock that AA will be starting SEA-India/LHR service....
What a day!!!
What a day!!!
Feb 14, 2020, 2:53 am
#124
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: Delta Diamond , Marriott Ambassador, Alaska MVP Gold, American Airlines Gold
Posts: 77
This is interesting. I’m a loyal Delta DM based out of Seattle, but I hold medium status with Alaska on and off too. Alaska’s OneWorld status opens up some interesting earning options — such as Qatar — which night make it worth pursuing both Delta Diamond and AA Executive Platinum next year.
Feb 14, 2020, 3:59 am
#125
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
None* of the other OW airlines have a minimum spend requirement, why would AS have to have one, just because they’re joining OW and AA has it too? (Hell, BA, IB and QF use tier points/elite points/status credits, an entirely different system.)
Mind you, AS going revenue based wouldn’t be crazy, since that’s the status quo in the US market, but it doesn’t have anything to do with AA.
*Of the ones I’ve flown with.
Last edited by Djokison; Feb 14, 2020 at 4:05 am
Feb 14, 2020, 5:21 am
#127
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So my questions are:
- when does the earning scheme start
- when will AA FF be able to select MCE equiv seats on AS metal
- how tight will this partnership be? Will AA FF be eligible for CPU?
need to fly from EUG to LAX in Sept ‘20, would consider AS.
- when does the earning scheme start
- when will AA FF be able to select MCE equiv seats on AS metal
- how tight will this partnership be? Will AA FF be eligible for CPU?
need to fly from EUG to LAX in Sept ‘20, would consider AS.
Feb 14, 2020, 5:52 am
#128
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That's a 1 hour flight. I wouldn't worry too much about things like upgrades and seating.
Feb 14, 2020, 7:32 am
#130
Join Date: Jul 2004
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from aa.com:
Alaska Airlines
Special notice
Mileage redemption on Alaska Airlines is ending effective February 29, 2020. All award travel must be booked and ticketed by February 29, 2020. Travel is valid for 1 year after ticketing date and must be flown no later than February 28, 2021. Ticket changes will not be allowed after February 29, 2020.The Right hand has not met the Left hand @ AA HQ.
Feb 14, 2020, 8:41 am
#131
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With no crew base in Seattle, I wonder where they will crew the flights from?
LAX? DFW?
I think the SFO base is too small to poach from there and opening a new base without knowing just how well the flights will do seems foolish (but it is AA we are talking about).
It'll be a long trip: Day 1: Base to SEA (either working a flight or deadheading); Day 2: SEA to BLR, arriving on Day 3; BLR-SEA most likely on Day 4 or maybe Day 5; SEA to Base on Day 5 or 6.
Going to be worth a LOT of time.
LAX? DFW?
I think the SFO base is too small to poach from there and opening a new base without knowing just how well the flights will do seems foolish (but it is AA we are talking about).
It'll be a long trip: Day 1: Base to SEA (either working a flight or deadheading); Day 2: SEA to BLR, arriving on Day 3; BLR-SEA most likely on Day 4 or maybe Day 5; SEA to Base on Day 5 or 6.
Going to be worth a LOT of time.
Feb 14, 2020, 8:47 am
#132
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Noticed yesterday how quick AS updated their AA partner page to reflect the new changes, as you noted, AA is still updated nothing; even a "! - Note benefits changing, more information will be shared later in the first half of 2020" - or something like that would suffice
Feb 14, 2020, 9:28 am
#134
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Interestingly after reading through this thread - I didn't think of the LAX angle before - where AA has actually been winning thanks to their transcon contracts with Hollywood (UA really regrets the pullout of JFK I imagine). Just as much as this is a play at Delta in Seattle and shoring up the west coast network (as an AA SFO flyer, this is huge - because I don't need to think twice about AS flights down to SNA, or up to PDX/SEA, or even over to DEN anymore). This is just as much a play at winning LAX - where AA is in the plurality but they've just gained access to AS' west coast feed for their international and cross-country flights and leisure destinations like Cabo, etc. Got to think this will improve the bottom line of some of AA's Asia routes
Regarding BLR lasting one season - maybe. But we've seen AA stick to unusual destinations (leisure like PRG) or cut and run (Bologna) depending on performance. I'd have to think they carefully considered the economics of this route - doesn't seem to be a throwaway route just to have presence (like some of those ORD to Asia routes that lost money for years) and India only works if you have premium demand so they must've have figured there's enough of a direct need from Seattle. Interestingly, I think JonNYC posted the employee note that suggested that this route isn't currently possible from LAX - so some of it has to be feed on the west coast too - from the Bay Area / LA.
Regarding BLR lasting one season - maybe. But we've seen AA stick to unusual destinations (leisure like PRG) or cut and run (Bologna) depending on performance. I'd have to think they carefully considered the economics of this route - doesn't seem to be a throwaway route just to have presence (like some of those ORD to Asia routes that lost money for years) and India only works if you have premium demand so they must've have figured there's enough of a direct need from Seattle. Interestingly, I think JonNYC posted the employee note that suggested that this route isn't currently possible from LAX - so some of it has to be feed on the west coast too - from the Bay Area / LA.