I'm actually a lot more concerned about how our elevate points will convert to MP miles. For example, I booked a VX flight SFO-PSP-SFO yesterday. I checked AS and it would have been 20K miles vs. 10,605 points, and it wasn't the cheapest VX fare available.

You better get used to it. Most domestic flights seem to price out at 20,000 each way--if you can even find space available on your preferred flight. It is a totally different strategy with a mileage based program--another rude awaking for VX flyers.

Without knowing conversion ratios, etc., it is very difficult to know what to do. Given the number of months this has been in the works, it would be nice to have more information. It would be great if they would award bonuses for flights between January 1 and January 9 as if you officially had elite status as of January 1.

Not only that, but some of us are elites on other airlines too and trying to decide where to put our loyalty, and, in particular, with flights early in the year.

Exactly. I would have considered AS as a back up carrier. Now, I am not even sure about that. If they match me from VX Gold to a low tier, there is then absolutely no reason at all the fly them.

Related to status match, I'm really, really wondering how the upgrade would work on AS for VX elites.

Right now, all that was announced is that you get priority boarding.

Unless I've missed something, at the outset you'll need to join AS MP and get a match and use your AS # to be eligible for UGs. With your VX number, you'll just get a special check in line and board somewhat earlier.

This is about how I feel right now:

Edit: To clarify, the information is rather lacking. As I think I've said elsewhere, I took Mint last month and loved it. At this point, the only thing reason I'm really sticking with VX is that B6's map really doesn't work for me at all (I live in Virginia) and their booking system won't let me book RIC-BOS-SFO/LAX with Mint on the Transcon leg. So actually taking Mint is problematic for me. TrueBlue is also a comparatively weak and arcane program IMHO.

On the basis of hard product and soft product, my order at this point for a TCON is:
-JetBlue Mint
-VX First
-DL Delta One config

However, once convenience comes into play B6 drops to the bottom of the list with VX winning on product and the ability to use DCA and DL winning on the fact that I can fly out of PHF to connect.

On January 9th, an email will go out inviting you to link your accounts and automatically offer the status match, but in reality, there is nothing stopping you from joining Mileage Plan and requesting the status match now. AS has been granting matches to VX elites for a while now.

https://www.alaskaair.com/statusmatch

As for "given the number of months", I liken it to when I bought my house as a short sale. The time between the seller accepting my offer, and the bank approving it was 4 months. In between those months, I didn't own the house yet, or know when I was going to get the keys, so its not like I could schedule the movers, or finish packing, or get in the house to measure for drapes or hook up the internet.

I doubt that any "conversion" info is going to be discussed until the two airlines are much closer to the single operating certificate.

Uggghhh...looks like conversion will be to MVP Gold losing the benefit of free award changes. Guess I will have to burn my VX points more quickly and just forget about flying on AS next year.

How will you lose free award changes?

[QUOTE=missydarlin;27611854]
That is an interesting idea. If they do that, is it only for a limited period of time with a mileage challenge? Even if that were the case, that would not seem to be a problem after January 9 anyway.

As to the conversion ratio, they probably have to do that a lot sooner as it can take a very long time to get a single operating certificate.

I am an SPG elite and so far Marriott has done a very good job of merging the two programs and they announced the conversion ratio very early on.

I see it now...that is really the top benefit and it is hidden in the drop down under service benefits. Good to know that will be there so that I can use up the rest of my points next year.

AS seems to be an expensive option. I don't even know how that is going to compare with VX when VX is gone. No direct AS flights from NYC to SFO. I don't even know what to do with all the points I have with VX and the silver status.

As for the credit cards, I think BoA will take over and send out cards to people and give them a special bonus for us VX users?

I status-matched VX Gold to AS last year, before the merger talks came out, and was matched into MVP Gold only. I had about 74,000 status points for the year at the time (it was November 2015).

I did not end up flying AS a single time in 2016, so the status-match was pointless anyway. I often checked, but AS didn't fly non-stop any route that I needed all year (most of which was SFO to NYC, DC, Chicago, Dallas, and LA).

I did credit a couple of Delta One transcons to AS and got slightly better points as a result of the match, I guess.