Using SkyMiles with Alaska Airlines
Dec 16, 2009, 3:13 pm
#31
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This has been one of the things that has kept me from booking some AS/NW codeshares...while going MSP-SEA-SoCal is great for earning miles, I don't want to risk not getting any (and is a reason why I cancelled a BUR MR earlier this year).
Dec 16, 2009, 3:29 pm
#32
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: HSV
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/1.2MM, UA Premier gold/1MM, Choice diamond, Marriott gold
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Normally I'd agree 100%. But in this case it's a part of a business travel itinerary that turns out to be substantially cheaper when booked as all NW including the AS and DL segments. It's all in FC and everything else including DL codeshares is substantially more money since my company gets a good discount on NW. I'm hoping that NY-FLA is correct. But I'll pass on what Delta says if they reply to my direct inquiry.
Dec 16, 2009, 4:33 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Upstate NY or FL or inbetween
Programs: US former CP Looking for a new airline to love me
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Come to think of it, I did have to send in the request for mileage credit for my flight on AS, which was granted with little problem, ~ 3 weeks later. At the time, I attributed this to an invol reroute from a messed up itin due to wx in MSP. A segment on Horizon from the same itin did credit automatically, and fast. 
Dec 16, 2009, 4:42 pm
#35
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Michigan
Programs: Delta basic after Gold; HHonors, Diamond; Marriott/SPG Plat; IHG/PCR Plat; Avis, Hertz
Posts: 213
I booked thru NW and my PDX to SEA portion was Alaska Air. I got my miles without needing to request them, although it took several weeks (I was about ready to submit a request form). I wasn't too happy about having to pay to check my bag since Alaska was the first leg of my trip.
Dec 23, 2009, 1:58 pm
#37
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You can redeem miles on AS for tickets there - capacity controls do apply, but I have seen AS metal pop up several times on the DL.com award booking engine.
Dec 23, 2009, 2:01 pm
#39
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Dec 28, 2009, 8:09 pm
#40
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: HSV
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/1.2MM, UA Premier gold/1MM, Choice diamond, Marriott gold
Posts: 1,374
Well I received my answer from SkyMiles. The answer to my original question is "no". The response in part is as follows:
Dear Mr. Kwaj boy,
Thank you for your e-mail to Delta Air Lines.
Northwest codeshare flights operated by Alaska Air do not qualify for
mileage credit in the SkyMiles program.
We appreciate your interest in Delta Air Lines.
Sincerely,
Thomas Brown
Medallion Desk
Good thing I changed my reservation to all NW operated and coded flights...
Dear Mr. Kwaj boy,
Thank you for your e-mail to Delta Air Lines.
Northwest codeshare flights operated by Alaska Air do not qualify for
mileage credit in the SkyMiles program.
We appreciate your interest in Delta Air Lines.
Sincerely,
Thomas Brown
Medallion Desk
Good thing I changed my reservation to all NW operated and coded flights...
Dec 28, 2009, 8:25 pm
#42
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: HSV
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/1.2MM, UA Premier gold/1MM, Choice diamond, Marriott gold
Posts: 1,374
It wouldn't be the first time that an answer I received from an EMailed question was wrong. My wife received a response about a month ago regarding a missing flight that they couldn't credit her flight because the name on the ticket didn't match the SkyMiles account. That was, of course, totally wrong since she had already received credit for other flights in the same record.
Jan 4, 2010, 9:06 pm
#43
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9
Redeem Skymiles on Alaska Airlines
Hi. I'm planning to book a couple rewards tickets using Skymiles. Would like to book them on Alaska Airlines (flying to SEA, so they have NS flights, DL doesn't), which according to the Delta website, should be no problem. However, when I search for tickets, only DL and NW options come up (I didn't select the "Delta & Northwest flights only" checkbox). I know there are Alaska Airlines flights available for the dates I'm searching, as I can find them when I do an award ticket search on Alaska's website.
So... do I need to call DL to book a reward trip on Alaska? Or is there something else going on here -- like, do they only release Alaska airlines tickets to Skymiles members at the last minute?
Thanks!
So... do I need to call DL to book a reward trip on Alaska? Or is there something else going on here -- like, do they only release Alaska airlines tickets to Skymiles members at the last minute?
Thanks!
Jan 4, 2010, 9:08 pm
#44
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
I've used miles to get AS flights and my experience is that regardless of whether they come up or not (and often they do not) in an online award search, you can get them by calling in. The best way to find availability is to do a search on Alaska's site, any time there is standard (low) level availability on the AS sight, you are likely to find availability via SM.
Jan 4, 2010, 9:09 pm
#45
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: The best state in the USA - Florida!
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You can book them online, however I think there needs to be Saver inventory on the AS flights to be able to redeem miles - I don't think you can use them for higher award rates.