citiflyerUK

Alaska Airlines is to join Oneworld from Summer 2021.

Newsroom - Alaska Airlines, American Airlines Announce New West Coast International Alliance: Alaska?s West Coast Network to Connect With American?s Long-Haul Flying to Create More Choice for Travelers - American Airlines Group, Inc.

AA will also fly SEA-LHR from March 2021.

Tafflyer

Just seen this on Twitter too. Great news. AS is a great outfit and their FFP is generous too.

Swanhunter

A niche US regional carrier isn’t much compensation for the loss of LATAM though.

VFRonTop

Alaska Announcement
Alaska have provided a timeline in the above news briefing.

Q1 2020: Earn Alaska miles on all AA flights
Q3 2020: AA launch SEA to BLR
Q1 2021: AA launch SEA to LHR
Q3 2021 Alaska a full OW member with associated benefits

VFRonTop

This isn't so much about replacing LATAM as it is about hurting Delta. And this will hurt Delta.

Swanhunter

Indeed / I was just being self interested 😉

Airprox

Excellent news!

T8191

This eventually presents some new options for TP-efficient routings to Hawaii. 😎

I’ll get my shorts ...

Tafflyer

That depends how much time one spends in South America as opposed to the US. And since LATAM is stopping selling the lovely 5th-Freedom MAD-FRA route, I welcome AS as a more than adequate replacement. Just think of that possible CAI-LHR-MIA-SEA-HNL TP-run.

Airprox

If AS keeps the front cabin as First fare codes instead of Business think of all the 210 TP transcons! I suspect eventually they will do the same as everyone else and align the fare classes to use business fares but just call it First.

rrgg

I hope there's some date in between where they restore AA-AS elite benefits (such as a free checked bag) and not have to wait for all of oneworld in late 2021.

Steve in Olympia

With AA launching SEA-LHR in March 2021, I certainly hope that their partner BA won’t be reducing the twice-daily BA flights on that route! That would be very bad news.

Behindthecurtain

Maybe so, but Air Europa joining IAG should give a fair few additional routings

ens100

Excellent news - another reason to visit Alaska

Yllanes

This is interesting, although I suspect it won't make much difference for me in practice unless they devalue their FFP. I fly a lot with Alaska Airlines and earn their miles (at least 1 per mile flown, plus elite bonuses and frequent promotions). Last year they had a 2x points on transcons promotion. I was earning 5000 miles (+elite bonus) on each $115 SFO-NYC flight. 5k was enough for a redemption inside California, even if you had a creative stopover. For instance SFO-SEA one day, SEA-LAX the next (an itinerary I needed a couple of times).

Or you can use 25k AS miles for a transcon on AA business class on their A321T.

So I think I'll keep using my AS membership when I fly with them (upgrades are another consideration).