This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). If you select a valid itinerary, you can even upgrade to first class for just 15,000 miles. Savor a complimentary premium beverage or a jcoco-branded chocolate bar. Mokulele Airlines + Southern Airways Express. Ill include the ways you can earn Alaska Airlines miles, discuss Alaskas routing rules and some (surprising) sweet spots, and cover the destinations served by JAL. Every year, MVP Golds and higher receive four Gold guest upgrades. You have two options: Book with Alaska Airlines or American Airlines. It helps to know that not every seat thats shown on our seat map is eligible for an upgrade even within the upgrade window and sometimes upgrade space is not available until closer to departure. Find the right card for you. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. All American AAdvantage elite members are eligible for upgrades to extra legroom seating as well as first class when flying with Alaska (find all the terms here). An easy way to earn Alaska miles is to add an Alaska Airlines credit card to your wallet. If a flight has upgrade inventory available, any Mileage Plan member can use miles to upgrade their ticket. American allows 70lbs for each bag. I cover travel rewards, my trips, and products. You can redeem Alaska Mileage Plan miles on Oneworld partner airlines, including Oneworld connect airline Fiji Airways. Why were Alaska Airlines credit card miles subtracted from my Mileage Plan account? Further changes may also be on their way but the airlines have not given any further details. Before joining NerdWallet's content team, she had spent more than 12 years developing content strategies, managing newsrooms and mentoring writers and editors. Upgrade your Alaska Airlines flight to first class for 15,000 miles and get a Purchased. In early 2021, Alaska Airlines joined the oneworld alliance, which was a major development for the Seattle-based airline. Some partners require you to book your car rental using a special code or exclude some rental locations. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Currently, you can only earn redeemable miles when booking JetBlue codeshared flights on American's website. When I booked us on Alaska Air flights last year we were both automatically upgraded to premium economy at booking (even when we used an Alaska Airline credit card companion certificate). Unlike Alaskas Premium Class, Main Cabin Extra does not have a waitlist if these seats are full. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Redeem miles for any seat in Main Cabin, or use your miles to upgrade to First or Business Class. Elite members who already have CLEAR can get 1,250 miles Alaska only allows 50lbs for each bag. As an Alaska Mileage Plan member, earn miles when you fly with British Airways, as well as all other one world Alliance member airlines. Your complete guide to earning and redeeming with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Alaska Mileage Plan publishes a new partner award chart, Maximizing redemptions with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, use Alaska miles to book a Ravn Alaska award, How to book free stopovers with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Alaska removed its Cathay Pacific award chart, first-class award availability on Cathay Pacific, How to plan a trip to Fiji without breaking the bank, 5 ways the TPG staff would redeem 70,000 Alaska miles, Link your Alaska Mileage Plan and Lyft accounts, How to earn miles with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. These benefits include the following: Alaska Airlines and American Airlines offer reciprocal upgrades, which is a fantastic benefit. As youd expect, there are some restrictions associated with this: Note that Alaska MVP Gold 100K and MVP Gold 75K members now also receive confirmed upgrade instruments on American, which are valid for long haul flights. One of the absolute stupidest things about AS is not applying the One of the absolute stupidest things about AS is not applying the elite baggage allowance to companions booked in the same reservation, whether AA or OneWorld. All our elites are eligible for complimentary access to select extra legroom seats known as Main Cabin Extra on American Airlines when theres availability. All Mileage Plan members who enroll in CLEAR Plus for the first time can get an additional 1,000 miles. While members can currently earn and burn miles on both networks, American and Alaska are working together to offer enhanced mileage accrual an opportunity to earn even more miles next year, with more details to come. And the note at the bottom of the international award chart states you'll need to search using your origin, destination and dates to view pricing for awards to and from points outside the U.S. and Canada. Her previous experience includes being an executive editor at the American Marketing Association and an editor at news and feature syndicate Content That Works. I was not, it seems to be targeted. When you can select these seats depends on your status and the type of fare you book: These premium seats can be selected directly on alaskaair.com, shortly after ticketing a reservation. Members are now eligible for upgrades whether the flight was booked with us or on American Airlines. Miles And some partners only provide miles for rentals in select countries. For example, if you purchase a First Class ticket on Alaska, youll earn 200% of your total flown miles as EQMs. To search for award availability and pricing, go to the Alaska Airlines website, log in to your Mileage Plan account and select the "Use miles" box before searching. I have no status with my AA number. It offers a sign-up bonus of 50,000 bonus miles plus a $100 statement credit plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare; from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. You can redeem Alaska Mileage Plan miles on Oneworld partner airlines, including Oneworld connect airline Fiji Airways. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of In addition to the total eligible EQMs or total segments flown, theres a minimum number of trips required on flights marketed and operated by Alaska in order to earn or keep your status. Want more Thrillist? my loyalty to American Airlines Alaska's upgrade waitlist now lists all passengers standing by for a first-class seat, regardless of whether they're checked in. Emirates Skywards has a mileage calculator on its website, where you can search a specific route and find out how many miles youd need for an upgrade, award ticket, etc. First Class upgrade. Request a free stopover. Here's how to redeem miles for maximum value: Learn more: Your complete guide to Alaska Airlines mileage plan. . For example, moving from economy to business class or from business to first. You can redeem Alaska Mileage Plan miles on Oneworld partner airlines, including Oneworld connect airline Fiji Airways. When traveling on an eligible paid Alaska fare, you can use 15,000 Alaska miles to upgrade to First Class each way. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on the award prices and cash prices of hundreds of economy routes. In particular, Id say American AAdvantage members are in a pretty good spot for domestic flying, as they get reciprocal elite perks on both Alaska and JetBlue. Related: Maximizing redemptions with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. Now that you have used the miles for purchase, if you talk to customer service they should be able to change the FF number to your AS number. Best Ways to Upgrade to Business Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members will get a discount on Clear Plus memberships plus bonus miles via a new partnership. However, this does not influence our evaluations. As an Alaska Mvp I was required to pay for luggage in Cincinnati. 1 because you happened to check in first, but then drop five spots as others with higher priority start checking in. (Photo by Tayfun CoSkun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images). Alaska While updating this story, we found no first-class award availability on Cathay Pacific between the U.S. and Hong Kong. You also can use your Alaska miles to upgrade paid tickets to first class, but I dont recommend it. I didnt think that class eligible for instant upgrade to Premium seats but that flight and all others on the itinerariy automatically assigned me seats in Premium cabin at no extra charge. What airline fare classes tell you about your ticket, continue to enjoy space-available first-class upgrades, getting upgraded on Alaska Airlines flights, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Use your AAdvantage number when booking. 7 ways to make the most of your Mileage Plan elite status - Alaska So, no, you can't transfer miles from Alaska to American or from American to Alaska. While Alaska is changing three elements of the waitlist process, the airline isn't (currently) making any other adjustments. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. AA Gold allows one free bag. Doing so allows you to take advantage of discounted redemption levels, meaning you can book hotel stays with fewer miles, leaving more miles to use elsewhere. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members will get a discount on Clear Plus memberships plus bonus miles via a new partnership. My Oneworld status is not reflected on the AS app or the site either. To coincide with that, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines also rolled out reciprocal upgrades for elite members, as part of a strategic partnership between the two airlines. Get more smart money moves straight to your inbox. One-way upgrades are available for a flat rate of 15,000 miles and include connecting flights separated by no more than four hours. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. One partnership hole that has caught me out a few times - AA EXP flying an AA operated / Alaska Airlines marketed codeshare. If you've banked a significant number of Alaska miles, then it pays to know how to make the most of them. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. Earn and use Mileage Plan miles while you travel to over 1,000+ destinations around the world with Alaska, our one world Alliance and Global Partners. What airlines can I use my Alaska miles on? I updated the post to remove the reference to no companion upgrades, so let me do some more digging. 7 ways to make the most of your Mileage Plan elite status Top-tier MVP Gold 75K members are eligible for complimentary upgrades when flying American Airlines. A 10,000-mile flight in first class (F) will earn 30,000 elite-qualifying miles (10,000 miles + 20,000 class of service miles), enough for instant MVP status. WebMileage Plan members of all tier levels will earn an additional 1,000 bonus miles for enrolling in CLEAR Plus for the first time at the $179 rate during the limited time offer period of Going forward, any members added to the waitlist between 24 hours and 60 minutes before the flight will have the exact same priority as prior to the day of travel namely, elite tier, fare class and time of the request. In addition to Alaska Mileage Plan elites, American's top-tier Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro members will continue to enjoy space-available first-class upgrades on Alaska flights. Alaska Japan Airlines. Our Mileage Plan offers the fastest path to elite status in the United States. I am opposed to companion upgrades; they should pay a surcharge or be given lower priority. Alaska Airlines is making 3 big changes to the upgrade process When shopping at alaskaair.com, select "Mileage" from the Upgrade fare type selections, under Filter Results, and you'll only be shown fares that qualify for an upgrade. MVP Gold 75K and 100K members are eligible for space-available complimentary business or first-class upgrades on American Airlines in the U.S. and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda and Central America, with confirmation as early as 72 hours before departure if seats are available. On board, we like to pass along special somethings to our MVP Gold members and higher when theyre with us in the main cabin. @ Ghostrider5408 -- While first class upgrades are only in eligible regions, it's my understanding that Main Cabin Extra seating is available globally for eligible Mileage Plan elites. All that gets filled is my Alaska FF number. Our MVP Gold 100K members are also offered a light snack in the main cabin, such as popcorn, potato chips or chocolate almonds. Cathay Pacific (This assumes that there wasnt any confirmed upgrade space available at the time of purchase. While the majority of the changes are good news across the board, one is a little bit more complicated. From there, you can compare which one will offer the most value. In this article, well arm you with all the information you need to increase your chances of sitting in business/first class on 4 major domestic airlines by covering: How elite status helps you score upgrades. Note that American AAdvantage elite members arent eligible for Premium Class seating when booking Saver fares (in the X fare class). For details about upgrade priority, read our full guide to American and Alaska reciprocal benefits. As youd expect, there are some restrictions associated with this: Note that American AAdvantage elite members arent eligible for first class upgrades when booking Saver fares (in the X fare class). Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. Flight awards as low as 7,500 miles one-way for travel within Hawaii, or 20,000 miles between Hawaii and the West Coast. Or, you can opt to earn Alaska miles on car rentals and rides with the following Mileage Plan partners: Before you opt to earn Alaska miles on your car rental, read the linked partner page. Alaska WebDOMINATED The competition 1 Get a head start on your bucket list. Explore Mileage Plan Rating This offer is available through July 16, 2023. I became an AA gold elite about 5 weeks ago, but since then I have put my AA number in an Alaska reservation and I do not have the ability to select preferred seats or anything. This is a welcome change for everyone, as you'll no longer have a situation where you see yourself as No. Earn and use miles. "Our frequent flyers are already big fans of Clear Plus. We cleared at the gate. Here are the details of this new partnership. Alaska Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. I'm curious, what status tier do you have with AA? Our opinions are our own. Alaska According to our most recent valuations, Alaska miles are worth ~1.8 cents each. Mileage upgrades to I'm not eligible for an upgrade on the flight due to not being marketed by AA, whereas an Alaska 100K booked on the same ticket is. upgrade How To Upgrade to First Class on Alaska Airlines [2023 Alaska If no upgrade space is available when you book, visit the Manage Reservation page closer to your trip since upgrade availability may change. That said, you can add Alaska Airlines flights to a partner itinerary. Hello Everyone! Sure, you can use Alaska miles for flights on Alaska Airlines, but the real sweet spots of the Alaska Mileage Plan program lie in its wide selection of partners. Each guest upgrade code is valid for one-way travel for one person. Related: 5 ways the TPG staff would redeem 70,000 Alaska miles. For international partner award bookings. Was successfully added to an Alaska upgrade list with AA status and a companion at airport check-in this weekend. American & Alaska Reciprocal Elite Upgrades Guide, Alaska Mileage Plan elite upgrades on American, American AAdvantage elite upgrades on Alaska, Other reciprocal elite perks through oneworld, markets eligible for complimentary upgrades, receive confirmed upgrade instruments on American, Alaska Mileage Plan Coast To Elite Status Promo, You Can Now Redeem Alaska Miles On Iberia, Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners, Upgrades could clear starting 72 hours before departure, and can clear any time up until departure; MVP Gold 100K and MVP Gold 75K members are prioritized behind AAdvantage Platinum Pro members (up to 72 hours out), MVP Gold members are prioritized behind AAdvantage Platinum members (up to 48 hours out), and MVP members are prioritized behind AAdvantage Gold members (up to 24 hours out), One companion traveling on the same reservation as the Alaska Mileage Plan elite members is also eligible for a complimentary upgrade; the exception is that MVP members dont receive a, Upgrades arent available on basic economy fares, Flights can be marketed by Alaska or American, meaning an Alaska codeshare on American is eligible for first class upgrades, Concierge Key and Executive Platinum members can select Premium Class seats at the time of booking, Platinum Pro and Platinum members can select Premium Class seats if booked in the Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, S or N fare classes, you can select them at the time of booking, while otherwise you can select them within 72 hours of travel, Gold members can select Premium Class seats if booked in the Y, B, or H fare classes, you can select them at the time of booking, while otherwise you can select them within 48 hours of travel, Upgrades can be confirmed as early as 120 hours before departure, all the way up to departure; AAdvantage Platinum Pro members and above are prioritized behind MVP Gold 75K members (up to 120 hours out), AAdvantage Platinum members are prioritized behind MVP Gold members (up to 72 hours out), AAdvantage Gold members are prioritized behind MVP members (up to 48 hours out), AAdvantage elite members are prioritized first by fare class and then by the request date and time, Since Alaska and American have aligned elite tiers, I expect that upgrades will be prioritized more closely between tiers at the two airlines, I expect well also eventually see consistency when it comes to companion upgrades. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. So we can't confirm these awards are still bookable for 70,000 Alaska miles each way. Alaska Airlines and CLEAR have announced a new partnership to give travelers a quicker experience through airport security. What was your experience like? We know changes happen. Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan is one of the, around, with plenty of ways to earn miles. You want a travel credit card that prioritizes whats important to you. Miles dont expire and can be redeemed anytime without blackout dates. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. If upgrade space is available on your flight and you book one of these fare classes, youll be upgraded immediately. It is discriminatory to solo travelers. Check here before booking an award fare. How much does Alaska charge for first class upgrades? Alaska You can redeem your miles on any of Alaskas partner airlines, including Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Condor, EL AL Israel Airlines, Emirates, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Hainan Airlines, Icelandair, Japan Airlines, Korean Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Qantas and Singapore Airlines. This comes months after Alaska joined the Oneworld alliance , of which Qatar is also a member. Check here before booking an award fare. Alaska And while our site doesnt feature every company or financial product available on the market, were proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward and free. The airline and CLEAR are giving Mileage Plan members a preferred rate on CLEAR Plus services. WebEnjoy a higher cabin of service. The annual Companion Fare available through the Alaska co-branded credit cards is one of the best perks of any branded airline credit card. Alaska Mileage Plan miles can also be a great way to get to Fiji. As a Mileage Plan elite, youll enjoy added benefits when flying on American Airlines on top of your oneworld Priority privileges: Our guests love our Lounges. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. For more about Alaska's tie-up with American, read our detailed guide here. When shopping at alaskaair.com, select "Mileage" from the Upgrade fare type selections, under Filter Results, and you'll only be shown fares that qualify for an upgrade. When you can select these seats depends on your status: MVP Gold 100K, MVP Gold 75K, and MVP Gold members can select Main Cabin Extra seats at the time of booking To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account. Technically, you could use the stopover option for any destination where it's available, but it's typically most valuable on international flights. WebIn order to upgrade with miles, your ticket has to be booked in a certain fare category. Use your AAdvantage miles to upgrade on American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia flights for yourself or anyone you designate.*. I recall in 2019 booking a couple of AA flights with a companion and being able to select MCE seats at no extra cost thanks to OWS thru IB, so ever since I had been under the impression that this was a OW benefit Is this a recent change? You can get a free stopover per one-way ticket, which is basically a way to visit two cities for the price of one. When you call Alaska Airlines reservations at 1-800-252-7522, you can upgrade from economy to first class using your miles. Earn miles; Use miles; Award charts; Deals; Mileage Plan? So, how many miles do you need for an upgrade? Redeem 15,000 miles to upgrade eligible Alaska flights to First Class. Off-peak flights or dates may likely have more availability for instant upgrades using a guest upgrade. I had the same problem. Qatar Airways flights with Alaska Mileage Plan miles Doing so allows you to take advantage of discounted redemption levels, meaning you can book hotel stays with fewer miles, leaving more miles to use elsewhere. All JAL flights with award seats are bookable via AlaskaAir.com using Mileage Plan miles. One of the best uses of Alaska miles is to book business or first class awards on Cathay Pacific. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Alaska Mileage Plan has some extremely valuable partners. Another way to extend the value of your Alaska miles is by booking a free stopover. Its an amazing way to rack up EQMs and get you to elite status faster. WebDOMINATED The competition 1 Get a head start on your bucket list. Finally, you can find Alaskas upgrade inventory using tools like ExpertFlyer. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members can now enroll in a CLEAR Plus membership for a preferred rate of $179. The specific benefits vary depending on the airline youre flying on, and its helpful to know that you will not necessarily receive the exact same benefits youd receive on Alaska. It lets you book one Upgrade with miles Redeem 15,000 miles to upgrade eligible Alaska flights to First Class. You can also tack on a stop in Hong Kong for free before continuing somewhere else in Asia (like Bali) for the same miles as ending your trip in Hong Kong. If youre a part of Alaskas rewards program or have one of their credit cards, you can upgrade your ticket to first class for 15,000 miles. Plus, with award travel starting at just 5,000 miles 2, check off more trips on the bucket list with miles that never expire. Upgrades are subject to capacity controls. Previously, members who booked a flight within 24 hours of departure or made a same-day change within 24 hours were prioritized on the waitlist by tier and check-in time without factoring in the fare class. How to use Mileage Plan airline miles - Alaska Airlines Additionally, for $70 each, Mileage Plus members can add up to three family members or friends to their account. You can, of course, earn miles when you fly with Alaska Airlines. @ Nate -- Hmmm, that's strange. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Alaska limits the first class cabin to one pet and requires confirmation of "pet space" prior to upgrading One other note on Alaska upgrades that was new to me as an AA elite - travelling with a pet in cabin precludes one from the automatic upgrade list. Can I still get premium seats?