Sep 14, 2016, 5:47 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: Pat89339

For each request, please include the following information:

Departure Airport:
Miles Needed:
Required or Budget:
Available Travel Dates:
Required Metal or Codeshares okay:

Qualification requirements

Three ways to qualify for each level: miles on Alaska only (includes Alaska flights operated by Horizon or Skywest), combination of miles on Alaska or partners (no minimum on Alaska, can be 100% partners), or combination of segments on Alaska or partners (no minimum on Alaska, can be 100% partners).

MVP: 20,000 miles on Alaska/25,000 miles on any combination of Alaska and partners/30 segments on any combination of Alaska and partners

MVP Gold: 40,000 miles on Alaska/50,000 miles on any combination of Alaska and partners/60 segments on any combination of Alaska and partners

75K: 75,000 miles on Alaska/90,000 miles on any combination of Alaska and partners/90 segments on any combination of Alaska and partners

AS: 2016-2018 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed

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Sep 13, 2018, 5:02 pm

#256

qupasyd

Join Date: Apr 2016

Posts: 306

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonypg

Departure Airport: LGA/JFK or EWR(less desire)
Miles Needed: 11,930 miles
Required Spend or Budget: I don't know what budget would be realistic for this goal but less is better.
Available Travel Dates: Mostly weekends. Or Weekend plus Monday or Friday.
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: Yes. Could be partner flights as well.

I flew some Alaska partner airline international routes earlier this year. Now I am half way to MVP and want to make it happen for this and next year. I will be doing this mileage run with my partner so would require the same price for two tickets.

Highly appreciate the help!

A single trip to Hawaii might do it, if you can tweak the connections. The below is close but just slightly short.
JFK-PDX-SEA-KOA-SEA-LAX-JFK -- 11,742 miles for $588

Or how about two trips to Montana?
JFK-SEA-HLN-SEA-PDX-JFK -- 6,360 miles for $292

leland, tonypg and DrAlex like this.

Sep 13, 2018, 7:56 pm

#257

mr27

Join Date: Feb 2010

Posts: 801

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego1K

That would be two Hawaii turns. AS has flights to several islands from SAN.

Got it, thanks! Didn't think about the Hawaii turns. Wouldn't have minded BWI/BOSS but neither is a red-eye from SAN.

Sep 14, 2018, 12:08 am

#258

tonypg

Join Date: Mar 2015

Location: New York, NY

Posts: 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by qupasyd

A single trip to Hawaii might do it if you can tweak the connections. The below is close but just slightly short.
JFK-PDX-SEA-KOA-SEA-LAX-JFK -- 11,742 miles for $588

Or how about two trips to Montana?
JFK-SEA-HLN-SEA-PDX-JFK -- 6,360 miles for $292

It's insane how you can find the above two routes with such a cheap price!!! I really appreciate it! I would consider flying two trips to Montana at around 600$. Flying the first route would be insane cuz that's two days on air lol.

Sep 14, 2018, 11:13 am

#259

cmx

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: SAN

Programs: DL Diamond 1MM, AS MVP, SW ALP and CP, b6 Mosaic, UA Silver, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LT Gold

Posts: 223

Agree Hawaii is the best option.

You could do a same-day turn from SAN-BWI or BOS with a little over an hour on the ground (same plane), EWR with 4 hours. Looks like the SAN-MCO plane now goes on to SEA, so you couldn't do that in the same day.

Sep 14, 2018, 12:42 pm

#260

mr27

Join Date: Feb 2010

Posts: 801

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmx

Cool, I've given that some thought too. LAX-ANC prices are fair but times are pretty spread out.

Sep 16, 2018, 5:06 am

#261

tobikosan

Join Date: May 2009

Location: LAX

Programs: AS MVPG100, Hyatt Globalist, MGM Gold, Caesars Diamond

Posts: 636

Departure Airport: LAX BUR
Miles Needed: 10K
Required Spend or Budget: Cheap travel but can break up if interesting city and cheap hotels
Available Travel Dates: Very flexible,
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: AS metal, Partner
Have MVP Gold Status now considering going for next level for me and wife getting MVP Have companion fares, upgrades etc

Burbank easier but LAX good also. Like going through PDX, east coast, Tall and in 50s so not too much road warrioring :-) Would do international
THX for help

Sep 16, 2018, 6:43 am

#262

DrAlex

Join Date: Sep 2017

Location: Between SFO and STS

Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, United Serf, Delta Gold

Posts: 731

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobikosan

Departure Airport: LAX BUR
Miles Needed: 10K
Required Spend or Budget: Cheap travel but can break up if interesting city and cheap hotels
Available Travel Dates: Very flexible,
Required Metal or Codeshares okay: AS metal, Partner
Have MVP Gold Status now considering going for next level for me and wife getting MVP Have companion fares, upgrades etc
Burbank easier but LAX good also. Like going through PDX, east coast, Tall and in 50s so not too much road warrioring :-) Would do international
THX for help

I think the easiest routing would be 2 r/t to PHL/NYC/BOS. That's >5000 EQM per r/t currently going for $240-275 for select days (BOS wide open, EWR moderate, PHL more limited). There aren't any good sales currently, so holding off until one pops up soon might score cheaper fares by $10-30. If I had the chance to be "very flexible", I'd go see the fall colors - the Bay Area seems to have only 2 seasons: dry & wet...

Sep 16, 2018, 9:50 pm

#263

ezak

Join Date: Sep 2018

Posts: 561

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobikosan

You can also consider Hawaii. I believe LAX has direct flights to OGG and HNL (for KOA and LIH you'll have to go through SEA, SFO, or PDX). Especially if you have status, IMO you'd have a better chance for upgrades on Hawaii flights than transcons. Each way is about 2500 EQM, so two roundtrips should do the job. Late-September Hawaii fares are usually inexpensive.

Speaking of cheap hotels, I think Chicago fits that criteria (saw the Hilton on Michigan Ave going for $99/night in early-December), which makes it a somewhat ideal mileage run destination.

DrAlex likes this.

Sep 16, 2018, 10:04 pm

#264

ezak

Join Date: Sep 2018

Posts: 561

For those who might be interested, found PDX-MSP roundtrip in First Class (P) for $391, such as on 10/31 and 11/30. EQM should be 4973 with the 75% bonus. Definitely not the best mile value per dollar, as you could pay less than $300 to fly transcon for similar amount of EQM, but this can be done without overnight. (Leave at 7am and be back at 3:30pm.)

LHG and DrAlex like this.

Sep 20, 2018, 11:29 am

#265

cmx

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: SAN

Programs: DL Diamond 1MM, AS MVP, SW ALP and CP, b6 Mosaic, UA Silver, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LT Gold

Posts: 223

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr27

Hello folks,

I'm looking for suggestions for a mileage run on AS to earn MVP status by end of year. Have about 10k to go. Besides the usual transcon mileage run, any other suggestions or tips? I would like to keep it domestic if able due to time constraints. Thanks in advance.

Don't know if you saw this over on the MR forum: AS: LAX-PHL R/T $189/4,790EQM (3.94cpm) in late October

Sep 21, 2018, 1:41 am

#266

jjmpdx

Join Date: Apr 2015

Location: PDX

Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, Delta Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum Ambassador, Hyatt

Posts: 22

PDX-JFK is $236 r/t with same-day return. Good fare with lots of availability. I’m sucking it up and doing it two days in a row to keep Gold. Less than 5 cents per mile.

Sep 24, 2018, 2:06 pm

#267

Sky Dreamer

Join Date: Mar 2016

Location: USA

Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 100K/ One World Emerald

Posts: 257

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrAlex

You can even knock off $104 by signing up for a Fortune Wings account and booking through the Hainan website. I believe they are also offering Silver or Gold Elite status just for booking a biz ticket from the US (depending on fare class)!?

I wasn't able to find this booking- is it still available?

Last edited by Pat89339; Sep 24, 2018 at 4:00 pm

Sep 24, 2018, 5:23 pm

#268

zebes

Join Date: Aug 2016

Location: SEA

Programs: AS MVPG

Posts: 153

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharice SB

I wasn't able to find this booking- is it still available?

Be aware that AS changed the EQM earning on Hainan since I posted that fare (not sure whether it's still available). On/after 10/1, R fare will only earn 100% EQM instead of the current 200%.

EQM Earning on Hainan Airlines (HU)

Sep 24, 2018, 7:55 pm

#269

Sky Dreamer

Join Date: Mar 2016

Location: USA

Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 100K/ One World Emerald

Posts: 257

Quote:

Originally Posted by zebes

Thank you so much! I was about to almost book a flight because on Hainan b/c I thought I was going to get like 24K miles or something for January 2019 MVP. Doh.

So let's say that LAX-PVG is 6,468, round trip that's 12,936. So if I book in I biz class for Hainan that's all I get then for miles (12,936) for EQM? I assume it's because the Class of Bonus miles got eliminated for classes Is and Rs? Assuming I get an I or R biz fare for a trip in 2019- then currently flying BA, AA internationally would be the best bet for earning the most EQM on an AS partner? (100% Base Miles + 50% Class of Service Miles)

Sep 25, 2018, 11:20 am

#270

Sky Dreamer

Join Date: Mar 2016

Location: USA

Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 100K/ One World Emerald

Posts: 257

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoastieRob

(Backstory on why I am going for Gold: have Amex Biz Plat with a stash of MR points, and BofA Merrill+. Gold would allow us to book/cancel w/out penalty and help with same day changes for me and SO....

I just want point out that I believe for MVP Gold, waived cancellation/change fees only applies to the person with the MVP Gold status on the reservation. So if you book a reservation with your SO and your kids and you decide to cancel/change the reservation- you wouldn't pay any fees but the change/cancellation fees would apply to your SO's and kids' tickets.