Last edit by: Joeykins
AS is a long standing BA partner and, as of 31st March 2021, a full member of oneworld. You can book AS flights using your Avios through BA: prior to AS joining oneworld this was only possible on the phone through your local service centre, but it is now possible to book online with some caveats, specifically that at this time (August 2022) it's not possible to retrieve the AS PNR via ba.com - the chat function on alaskaair.com is staffed by helpful and responsive agents though who can get your AS PNR issued quickly. You can book flights up to 330 days in advance.
It has been reported that flights operated by Skywest "Skywest operating as Alaska Airlines" for flights like SEA-SLO are not possible to book with Avios. The system may initially allow agents to grab inventory but then will send back an error message when going further even with the telephone booking.
Avios Cost
The cost should be in line with the normal BA reward price banding. To get an idea of what your flight may cost check the distance with the BAEC flight calculator or using gcmap, and then have a look at the avios banding here.
Note that all AS flights (just like any other non-BA flights) are priced at the peak avios rates. Also note that from 2 February 2016, redemption rates for travel on American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and TAM will start at 7,500 Avios rather than 4,500 Avios, effectively pricing Distance Band 1 flights as Band 2.
If the flight includes a number of stops under the same flight number then the avios charge is for a non-stop flight from the departure point to the destination. For example, for Seattle to Juneau AS65 the service makes three stops enroute. However, the avios rate charged is as if it were non-stop Seattle to Juneau flight (7,500 avios) and not the avios total for four segments.
Taxes, Fees, and Charges
As with other non-BA reward bookings you need to pay the taxes, fees, and charges. You should be able to predict what this will be by having a look at the taxes, fees, and charges on the AS website or on itamatrix.
BA policy is to charge £15/US$25 for offline award tickets but there has been consistent and sustained reports for years of agents waiving fees. As recently as 1/2017, there have been confirmatory reports that the telephone fee has been consistently waived. When initially calling the call center let your first sentence be, "Can you help me with an Alaska booking that I cannot complete online." The agents have all proactively waived fees in every circumstance. If they do not, HUCA (hang up and call again - or ask supervisor to waive)
Can I Check Reward Availability Online?
You can attempt to make a booking on ba.com and this should at least show Alaska mainline routes. You can also check AA website and the AS website. If AS reward flights show as available on aa.com, then they should be bookable with BA using avios. Check MileSAAver availability not AAnytime availability. AA may be better to check as this should show partner reward availability.
Checked Bags?
AS charges for checked bags on all economy fares, however oneworld ruby & sapphire members are entitled to 2 free bags and emerald members to 3 free bags. Note that oneworld elite baggage allowance is only applied to the passenger with the elite status: 1 GCH and 3 blue members on the same booking only provides 3 bags free, not 12. See the baggage information here. Note that you can only add bags at OLCI, at the airport, or on the phone no earlier than 24 hrs before the flight. Baggage fees are also waived for Alaska Credit Card holders and up to 6 companions on the same booking.
Redemptions in First include 2 checked bags per passenger as the base entitlement.
oneworld Benefits?
AS joined oneworld on 31st March 2021: priority check-in, priority boarding, baggage allowance* and lounge access for passengers with status all apply per the normal oneworld/AS policies. Alaska's table is here.
(* see the Checked Bags question above for an important detail)
Does the 24 hour Cooling Off Period Apply?
Yes it does. However, you must cancel by phone - it is not possible to do it online. Miles are refunded immediately into your Avios account, taxes (if returned) just take a few days to be credited.
Can I Amend the Booking?
Yes, subject to fees and reward availability on the flight you want to move to. You need to do it on the phone. Fees (both the offline fee and change fee) are shown here.
Because of the fee structure of BA Avios - it is often beneficial to book two one ways instead of one roundtrip if you are unsure about either your departure or return dates.
Can I Cancel the Booking?
Yes you may subject to the usual fees here Fees (both the offline fee and change fee) are shown here. If the taxes, fees, and charges you paid were less than the cancellation fee due then you simply forfeit the taxes and fees paid and that serves as your effective cancellation fee. If taxes, fees, and charges you paid were more than the cancellation fee then you would pay the cancellation fee USD55 but get back your taxes in full as well as your miles. (Rather they debit USD55 from your taxes and fees and return to you the balance remaining to your form of payment.)
Can I SDC Same Day Confirm on an AS Avios Ticket?
Yes, AS Avios tickets are eligible for AS same day confirmed change benefits as detailed on the AS website. If AS agent tells you differently HUCA. But AS website should allow you to do this regardless.
Are AS Avios tickets upgradeable with cash?
Yes, AS Avios tickets can be upgraded by paying a fee at 24hr check in, "U" inventory allowance, space available. Please note upgraded U fare class tickets are not eligible for lounge access.
Do AS Elite Benefits apply to AS Avios tickets?
Yes, if you are AS MVP Gold for instance your AS Avios ticket is eligible for Complimentary Upgrades and as long as your AS FFN is in the reservation, you will be automatically added to the AS complimentary upgrade list (AS in 12/05/16 changed policy to allow complimentary upgrades to apply to award tickets - including Avios awards) Gold Guest Upgrades, however, have never been allowed to be applied to AS Avios tickets.
Can I book Virgin America flights now using avios?
As of 25 April 2018, Virgin America no longer exists as far as reservations systems are concerned. Former VX flights are now AS flights and can be booked with Avios.
Booking Alaska Airlines with Avios
#796
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,082
Hence the "in theory" phrase in my reply ... I'm curious about this as well, as I might be trying to book some AS flights using Avios soon. Would you mind sharing an example where you see the mismatch between aa.com and ba.com? I have an EF subscription and can cross-reference there, too.
#797
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 30
Hence the "in theory" phrase in my reply ... I'm curious about this as well, as I might be trying to book some AS flights using Avios soon. Would you mind sharing an example where you see the mismatch between aa.com and ba.com? I have an EF subscription and can cross-reference there, too.
Try dates 12-17 or 19-24
#798
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 30
I've got the same questions and issues. You can check almost any date in Sept. I see there are flights on AA and BA for nonstop AS for SEA to OGG but not return from OGG to SEA where i only see it show on AA. Same for PDX/OGG pairs. To ogg but not from ogg
Try dates 12-17 or 19-24
Try dates 12-17 or 19-24
#799
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Seattle, WA (US)
Programs: Oneworld (Emerald)
Posts: 127
I've got the same questions and issues. You can check almost any date in Sept. I see there are flights on AA and BA for nonstop AS for SEA to OGG but not return from OGG to SEA where i only see it show on AA. Same for PDX/OGG pairs. To ogg but not from ogg
Try dates 12-17 or 19-24
Try dates 12-17 or 19-24
2021-09-08, PDX-SEA (AS direct), per ExpertFlyer award search:
- No flights with economy saver (T=0)
- 5 flights with business ("first") saver (E>0)
- alaskaair.com showing 5 flights with business ("first") at the 15K saver level
- aa.com showing 5 flights with business (25K Advantage miles)
- ba.com showing 3 flights with business (15K Avios)
- ba.com is missing the last 2 flights of the day with E>0 (AS455, AS2457). Of the 3 that it shows (AS602, AS409, AS2551), 2551 is operated by Horizon Air -- so it doesn't appear to be an issue with Horizon Air operated flights.
Maybe there's a bug with BA's website, since AS availability showing online is still so new... or maybe those CSRs are on to something. 🤷♂️
#800
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 30
Thanks for looking! Something definitely strange which doesn't make sense. I'm wondering if it has only brought over flights from certain originations. Which would explain why I can see flights TO OGG from PDX and SEA but not FROM OGG.
Not sure about the missing flights to/from PDX and SEA that you found though
Not sure about the missing flights to/from PDX and SEA that you found though
#801
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,082
#802
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Seattle, WA (US)
Programs: Oneworld (Emerald)
Posts: 127
In addition to what I posted earlier, it does seem that ba.com is having trouble combining multiple AS segments. For example, I can see BOI-SEA and SEA-OGG on a random date (Sep. 10th) if I search each one independently, but nothing for BOI-OGG. A quick glance at EF confirms that multiple flights BOI-SEA-OGG that day have saver space (T=7).
#803
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 30
Give it a try! Good luck!
#804
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX|AKL|AMS|GVA|AGP|CPT - or somewhere in between
Programs: DL DM; 2MM
Posts: 2,418
From the 17 daily non-stop AS flights that are currently available between PDX and SEA, I get only 6 to show on the BA website - the morning flights until 12:50 pm for every day I've searched.
In the past I've booked many BA and IB flights on the website and sometimes there was a "continue" click necessary.
Is there some sort of a secret trick that one needs to apply here ?
In the past I've booked many BA and IB flights on the website and sometimes there was a "continue" click necessary.
Is there some sort of a secret trick that one needs to apply here ?
Last edited by Travelomania; Apr 23, 2021 at 2:07 pm
#805
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,578
From the 17 daily non-stop AS flights that are currently available between PDX and SEA, I get only 6 to show on the BA website - the morning flights until 12:50 pm for every day I've searched.
In the past I've booked many BA and IB flights on the website and sometimes there was a "continue" click necessary.
Is there some sort of a secret trick that one needs to apply here ?
In the past I've booked many BA and IB flights on the website and sometimes there was a "continue" click necessary.
Is there some sort of a secret trick that one needs to apply here ?
#806
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,595
From the 17 daily non-stop AS flights that are currently available between PDX and SEA, I get only 6 to show on the BA website - the morning flights until 12:50 pm for every day I've searched.
In the past I've booked many BA and IB flights on the website and sometimes there was a "continue" click necessary.
Is there some sort of a secret trick that one needs to apply here ?
In the past I've booked many BA and IB flights on the website and sometimes there was a "continue" click necessary.
Is there some sort of a secret trick that one needs to apply here ?
Depending on what you want to view you can re-arrange the results in various ways.
Not sure what type of device you're accessing from but BA's IT is clunky at best and I wouldn't be at all surprised if this wasn't a feature on all platforms.
#807
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX|AKL|AMS|GVA|AGP|CPT - or somewhere in between
Programs: DL DM; 2MM
Posts: 2,418
On my mobile app (Android) you get the option to sort your results at the top of the initial results screen.
Depending on what you want to view you can re-arrange the results in various ways.
Not sure what type of device you're accessing from but BA's IT is clunky at best and I wouldn't be at all surprised if this wasn't a feature on all platforms.
Depending on what you want to view you can re-arrange the results in various ways.
Not sure what type of device you're accessing from but BA's IT is clunky at best and I wouldn't be at all surprised if this wasn't a feature on all platforms.
I needed a flight on May 16th, but there are only 3 flights showing - all biz class.
I tried my iphone, macbook, ipad and desktop and discovered that only as of August 1st, there are two more daily flights showing, both with an afternoon departure - for a total of 6 daily flights.
Then, as of September 1st. 2021 there is only one or two daily flights total - afternoon only - for the whole month showing availability with Avios.
I will give it some more time, but dread the calls to the UK with the long hold times (and horrible music) as in before Covid.
I can book any of the 17 available daily AS flights easily with AS miles, but am sitting on a ton of Avios, hence the persistence.
#808
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 1
Alaska OneWorld Partnership - no reward flights available
Hi folks.
I've previously booked Alaska flights from Seattle to Maui using Avios, booking direct with BA over the phone. When I tried to do this again last month, BA told me that Alaska were imminently joining OneWorld and that from April 1st I would be able to book Alaska flights with Avios, direct from ba.com - but I would need to wait until then.
Nearly a month later and so far I haven't found a single Alaska flight available on ba.com - either for cash or for Avios, and every person I've spoken to at Executive Club seems to have a different view on what's going on. Mostly the story seems to be that there have technical issues in loading the Alaska flights into the BA system, but one person at Executive Club simply told me there just weren't any reward flights available. This doesn't seem to fit however with the fact that I can't find any Alaska flights direct from SEA to OGG, on the ba.com website.
Does anyone have knowledge of what's going on or suggestions about best way to proceed? I'm hoping to book several reward seats in Feb 2021 and right now it's not clear if I should just wait longer or if these seats will never actually emerge.
I've previously booked Alaska flights from Seattle to Maui using Avios, booking direct with BA over the phone. When I tried to do this again last month, BA told me that Alaska were imminently joining OneWorld and that from April 1st I would be able to book Alaska flights with Avios, direct from ba.com - but I would need to wait until then.
Nearly a month later and so far I haven't found a single Alaska flight available on ba.com - either for cash or for Avios, and every person I've spoken to at Executive Club seems to have a different view on what's going on. Mostly the story seems to be that there have technical issues in loading the Alaska flights into the BA system, but one person at Executive Club simply told me there just weren't any reward flights available. This doesn't seem to fit however with the fact that I can't find any Alaska flights direct from SEA to OGG, on the ba.com website.
Does anyone have knowledge of what's going on or suggestions about best way to proceed? I'm hoping to book several reward seats in Feb 2021 and right now it's not clear if I should just wait longer or if these seats will never actually emerge.
#809
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 30
Hi folks.
I've previously booked Alaska flights from Seattle to Maui using Avios, booking direct with BA over the phone. When I tried to do this again last month, BA told me that Alaska were imminently joining OneWorld and that from April 1st I would be able to book Alaska flights with Avios, direct from ba.com - but I would need to wait until then.
Nearly a month later and so far I haven't found a single Alaska flight available on ba.com - either for cash or for Avios, and every person I've spoken to at Executive Club seems to have a different view on what's going on. Mostly the story seems to be that there have technical issues in loading the Alaska flights into the BA system, but one person at Executive Club simply told me there just weren't any reward flights available. This doesn't seem to fit however with the fact that I can't find any Alaska flights direct from SEA to OGG, on the ba.com website.
Does anyone have knowledge of what's going on or suggestions about best way to proceed? I'm hoping to book several reward seats in Feb 2021 and right now it's not clear if I should just wait longer or if these seats will never actually emerge.
I've previously booked Alaska flights from Seattle to Maui using Avios, booking direct with BA over the phone. When I tried to do this again last month, BA told me that Alaska were imminently joining OneWorld and that from April 1st I would be able to book Alaska flights with Avios, direct from ba.com - but I would need to wait until then.
Nearly a month later and so far I haven't found a single Alaska flight available on ba.com - either for cash or for Avios, and every person I've spoken to at Executive Club seems to have a different view on what's going on. Mostly the story seems to be that there have technical issues in loading the Alaska flights into the BA system, but one person at Executive Club simply told me there just weren't any reward flights available. This doesn't seem to fit however with the fact that I can't find any Alaska flights direct from SEA to OGG, on the ba.com website.
Does anyone have knowledge of what's going on or suggestions about best way to proceed? I'm hoping to book several reward seats in Feb 2021 and right now it's not clear if I should just wait longer or if these seats will never actually emerge.
#810
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 42
It definitely seems to me that ba.com does not have the full range of AS inventory (T class) available/loaded.
looking in expertflyer at AS flights, many are = T7 but do not show up at all on ba.com.
Anyone else experiencing this?
I am going to call in and see. Maybe the agents are able to access all inventory? (T)
looking in expertflyer at AS flights, many are = T7 but do not show up at all on ba.com.
Anyone else experiencing this?
I am going to call in and see. Maybe the agents are able to access all inventory? (T)