Calling All Alaskans (Others Can Weigh In Too) (Anchorage, Petersburg: travel, costs)

[cobolt]

Okay guys,

Is this Alaska Airlines Credit Card as wonderful as it sounds? During my last several flights on AA, they were pushing this thing, with 20,000 miles from the start, a companion ticket every year for 50 dollars, etc--you probably know the drill. I took an application but have yet to fill it out. A lady from Idaho and her sisters who were traveling to AK had nothing but great things to say about the card.

So what I want to know from those of you who have the card, is if this thing is worth the 75 dollar annual fee. I would imagine it would come in handly to break those long winters with a sunny trip, and I need to know these things considering I am investigating moving to AK.

Thanks for your help
Cobolt

[courtneyOK]

Yeah, it really is a pretty good deal. Go to https://www.alaskaair.com/shopping/S...od=onlineaward. Check out the reward reservations and put in that you want to buy a reward ticket with miles. It will show you how many miles it costs to the destinations you want to travel on certain dates. That 20,000 will get you a round trip ticket to most places. Be careful of black-out dates, especially if traveling to Dutch Harbor. I have one and I love it! The $75 is nothing when traveling to Alaska.

[cobolt]

Thanks for the website. This is exactly the info I need to know, as well as feedback from actual cardholders.

Thanks again
Cobolt

[Xa'at]

I think it is. The companion tickets are a great deal- even though with taxes and fees they end up being about $100 dollars each. Still a bargain over the... gasp... $500-600 it is costing to fly roundtrip Juneau-Seattle...
Alaska Airlines has a monopoly and they know it. Nevertheless, the card helps. Almost everyone I know has one!

[Truesdale]

My wife and I each got one last year. Besides the direct benefit for us (round trip Seattle - Petersburg for free), we let our daughter and her boyfriend use a companion ticket. They went from Seattle to Petersburg, then a week later from Petersburg to Anchorage and a week later Anchorage to Denver; using the $50 companion ticket all the way. It was well worth the annual fee.

[cobolt]

Yes Alaska Air does take advantage of that Juneau/Seattle monopoly and others---but what are you going to do? Okay I 'm sold. Thanks guys.

[Tressa]

It's hard to cash in on the Saver awards many a times through out the year, they have black out dates but numerous times when I try to get a ticket they are requesting 40,000 miles versus the 20,000. I did fly in January on savers awards on an emergency that cost me 40,000 miles for each ticket fortunately I had the miles. The companion tickets are good but when you have to buy a posted fare sometimes it's more cost affective to buy two super savers fairs than to use the companion ticket. I tend to travel outside of Alaska 2-3 times a year, I have to pay $831.00 for a round trip to Oregon cuz I don't have the 40,000 required for the dates I want to go, not sure what is special about August 8th and I booked these over 10 days ago.

anyways been a card holder for over 20 years, not real happy with the idea or it may just be Alaska Airlines

[cobolt]

Tressa,

So are you saying that the miles reward requirements change according to time of year for the same destinations? That sounds off.

[Tressa]

yes it does often, the seats are becoming harder and harder to come by and when you think about it, you don't get miles for the awards that you are taking so over time it could cost you $40,000 to take that trip. Years ago they use to offer double and triple the miles but they not longer do that, you use to get a free boardroom pass but that is long gone too, I have two companion fares that I didn't use and the expired due to the expense of using them, it was cheaper to buy other published fares

[cobolt]

Yes I can see how that could become problematic and expensive. I know that if you have enough lead time, you can buy bargain fares at a pretty decent price. I guess that is why I am hesitant---I keep throwing the numbers around and don't know if it is a good deal. They say they partner with several other airlines, which is good if you are flying around in the lower 48 (and you aren't affected by blackout dates) but it doesn't matter much if AA is the only game in town to your destination, like alot of places in Ak.