By Mark Jackson
on April 05, 2021
Final week, Alaska Airways joined oneworld, the worldwide alliance of 14 airways. Beforehand, Alaska was a “free agent” with a stable awards program that featured a few of the finest redemptions and partnerships within the journey area.
Now that Alaska Airways has joined oneworld, let’s check out a few of the modifications to the airline’s operations, elite program, and awards program.
Desk of Contents
- The Greatest Influence: American Airways Frequent Flyers
- American Airways Options
- Alaska Airways Options
- Adjustments for Incomes Alaska Airways Miles and American Miles
- Adjustments on the Airport
- Conclusion
Earlier than Alaska joined oneworld, the airline was combating a protracted battle at its important hub of Seattle, Washington in opposition to Delta Airways. Delta has been flying increasingly more from the Pacific Northwest, so Alaska Airways joined in a partnership with American Airways. American introduced new worldwide routes from SEA, which seems to be to be a motion away from Los Angeles as their West Coast worldwide hub.
As well as, Alaska and American flyers will take pleasure in choose elite reciprocity between the 2 airways. This goes additional than the standard oneworld mutual elite advantages, like lounge entry, most well-liked seating, and free baggage.
Beginning right this moment, April fifth, the elite reciprocity for American Airways and Alaska Airways frequent flyers begins. As a refresher, listed here are the elite ranges for American and Alaska in addition to their respective oneworld standing ranges:
American Airways Options
- Gold Standing, which maps to oneworld Ruby
- Platinum Standing, which maps to oneworld Sapphire
- Platinum Professional, which maps to oneworld Emerald
- Govt Platinum, which maps to oneworld Emerald
Alaska Airways Options
- MVP, which now maps to oneworld Ruby
- MVP Gold, which now maps to oneworld Sapphire
- MVP 75K, which now maps to oneworld Emerald
- A brand new standing degree, but to be revealed, that will probably be earned with 100,000 miles flown and maps to oneworld Emerald
In the event you’re an Alaska frequent flyer on the MVP degree, you’ll be capable to choose Foremost Cabin Additional seats when flying American Airways as much as 24 hours earlier than your flight totally free. When not flying throughout the pandemic, these seats supplied free alcoholic drinks in addition to further legroom.
MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K members will obtain Foremost Cabin Additional seats on the time of reserving.
The craziest a part of this new profit is that MVP Gold 75K members will obtain top notch upgrades, if accessible on the day of journey after test in, on all routes within the US, Central America, Caribbean, and Mexico. Companions may be upgraded as effectively (which is nuts–Govt Platinums on American have this profit however want to make use of “500 mile” improve coupons to take action!).
For American frequent flyers, you’ll be capable to make the most of some standing advantages when flying Alaska as effectively. Govt Platinums can get Premium seats at time of reserving, which is mainly economic system with a blocked center seat and free alcoholic drinks (each good options!). Platinum Professional and Platinums can get Premium seats at time of reserving if booked in Y, B, H, Okay, M, L, V, S, or N fare courses. You may be cleared for an improve 72 hours earlier than departure if not in these fare courses. Gold members can get Premium seats at reserving if booked in Y, B, or H courses. In any other case, upgrades can clear as much as 48 hours earlier than departure.
Govt Platinums also can obtain top notch upgrades, however not on saver fares and never for companions as of but. These clear beginning at 120 hours out from departure.
Later within the 12 months, MVP Gold 75ks can even be robotically added to wait-lists (very like American flyers), prioritized after Platinum Execs on the improve wait-list. In the event that they requalify in 2022, they’ll obtain a systemwide improve to make use of on American flights.
In the event you’re usually crediting flying to Alaska Airways, you’ll have much more airways to earn on beginning now–all 14 oneworld airways are capable of be credited at the moment. There haven’t been any bulletins made as to pending modifications to Alaska Airline’s award charts, however I do anticipate some modifications to happen quickly. You received’t be capable to use Alaska miles for oneworld awards till someday in Summer season 2021, however American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airways, and Qantas had been already companions of Alaska earlier than it joined oneworld.
In the event you’re an American Airways frequent flyer, all flights on Alaska have some form of redeemable mileage element in addition to the potential for Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs). Right here’s a hyperlink to the chart.
In the event you’re an Alaska frequent flyer, you’ll now take pleasure in a variety of reciprocal advantages on oneworld companions, like:
- Airport Lounge entry when flying oneworld companions on worldwide itineraries (and domestically exterior the US)
- Precedence check-in and boarding
- Additional baggage allowance
- Quicker safety in some airports
As well as, American Airways flyers Platinum and above can now entry Alaska lounges when flying internationally on the identical day. Non-Alaska/American oneworld elites can use Alaska lounges when flying any oneworld itinerary on the identical day. Alaska MVP Gold and above can entry American and oneworld lounges when flying internationally on the identical day.
That is nice information for frequent flyers, although I fear that Alaska’s wonderful frequent flyer redemptions are usually not lengthy for this world. We’ll need to test again in Summer season 2021 for the brand new modifications to this system. Earlier than then, be at liberty to drop a remark under with any questions!