Gustavus is the gateway city to Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.
It’s a very small city with a population of only about 500 and there are no roads that go directly to the city.
But given its proximity to Glacier Bay National Park, many travelers find themselves trying to get to Gustavus either by air or by boat.
Below, I’ll break down the different options that you have for getting to Gustavus.
I’ll provide some details like pricing, scheduling, and also what you can expect from the different experiences so that you’ll be able to choose the best form of transportation.
Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines offers a single daily flight between Juneau (JNU) and Gustavus (GST) every day from about the middle of May to the end of August.
The flight departs Juneau at about 4PM and arrives in Gustavus at 4:40PM. It then departs Gustavus at 5:40PM and arrives in Juneau at about 6:15PM.
This means that you can depart on Alaska Airlines on the same day you are doing the Glacier Bay Boat Tour!
When we took this flight it was served by a Boeing 737-700 and the flight time was only about 30 minutes. It’s one of those flights that as soon as you get up in the air it’s time to come back down.
A one-way economy ticket may only cost you around $110 so it’s a pretty cheap flight. Even business class can be cheap at around $160.
The airport terminal used for Alaska Airlines at GST is very small. It’s basically one large room — no Centurion Lounge here.
Alaska Airlines terminal at GST.
Checking in can be a little bit hectic because there will be a long line for checking bags that fills the room (and extends outside). You’ll have people exiting and going to the bathrooms making it a bit cramped at times.
Then they will open up security (on the left) which makes things even more crowded since it all takes place by each other. Still, it’s pretty manageable if you remain patient (and hopefully dry).
Waiting to check our bags.
They don’t have a dedicated line for TSA Pre-Check at GST (no surprise) but if you have Pre-Check on your boarding pass they will offer you TSA Pre-Check Lite. Basically you can still get your Pre-Check privileges but you go through the normal line.
Because they don’t have the x-ray machines for your checked baggage, each bag will undergo a manual inspection.
This means that a TSA worker will be digging through your bag so if you have certain belongings that you don’t want “messed” with, you may want to put those in your carry-on.
Once you make it through security, you will hang out in a little secure area outside and then board the plane in small groups but not according to the typical Alaska boarding group order. It’s basically first come, first serve.
Waiting to board at GST.
When arriving at GST airport, here’s what you need to know.
First, sometimes the planes have to make multiple passes due to fog/low clouds. While we were there, one of the planes had to make three passes so just don’t be alarmed if that happens because it seems to be relatively normal.
Upon arriving, you’ll exit the plane and then head to the baggage claim area which is basically a window where workers will drop the bags off.
This works better than you would imagine given how many passengers there may be but if it is raining you and your bags might be getting pretty wet.
It seems that most of the hotels and lodges here provide transportation for you to and from the airport. So when you arrive, just look for someone holding up a sign for your lodge and approach them.
On our visit, we stayed at the Glacier Bay Lodge and they had a large bus that shuttled guests. By the way, if you want to stay at the lodge check out the full detailed review here.
Alaska Seaplanes
Alaska Seaplanes offers year-round scheduled flights between Juneau and GST.
During the peak summer season, they will fly as many as six scheduled flights a day between Juneau and Gustavus (there are both wheel and float planes). During the winter, they will be flying three planes per day.
The Alaska Seaplanes terminal building is located right next to the Alaska Airlines building. It looks like it might also be home to a small café called “Higher Grounds.” I’m not 100% sure where exactly the Alaska Seaplanes float planes land.
Alaska Seaplanes terminal at GST.
Flying Alaska Seaplanes is going to be a more expensive way to fly to GST but it is also the most scenic way to go. I was told you can get good views of the glaciers and whales when you fly.
I regret not booking with Alaska Seaplanes for that reason!
A base non-refundable fare from JNU to GST will cost you ~$160, which isn’t bad, especially compared to some of the other routes. Expect to pay about $170 to $180 for a refundable fare.
If you’re planning to take the Glacier Bay Tour Boat (full detailed review here), they have a special early morning flight that can get you out to the dock in time for the tour. It departs at 6AM.
This could be a great option for making the boat tour a day trip from Juneau but be aware that the weather can sometimes ground these planes. During our 8 day-long stay, the sea planes were grounded almost every day!
So this is not always a sure fire way to get there on any given day.
Juneau is the hub for Alaska Seaplanes so flights will always route through them but you can book special charter flights if you want a nonstop option from somewhere else. Obviously, expect to pay more for that.
The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) runs weekly sailings to the Northern SE Alaska community of Gustavus.
They receive ferry service two days per week most of the year. From Juneau, the ferry ride should take you about four-and-a-half hours.
It’s recommended to make reservations in advance especially if you have a vehicle. Prices without a vehicle can be as low as $60.
For an extra $30 you can add things like kayaks and bicycles.
If you have some type of motor vehicle it will be a lot more expensive. For example, a small car will probably cost around $160 although prices will vary.
Large cruise ships like Holland America, Norwegian Cruise, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, etc. do not dock anywhere in Gustavus/Glacier Bay National Park but many of them will spend a full day taking you through the park.
Final word
Getting to Gustavus, Alaska (GST) is relatively easy and cheap. If I could go back in time, I would have booked the seaplane for the scenic ride although it was a unique experience to fly a 737 into such a small airport.
And while you can cut things close with day trips to Gustavus for the boat tour, be mindful that the weather can ground these planes and you may not have enough time to make the boat tour if there is a delay.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Alaska Airlines offers some great baggage fee policies with some very reasonable prices compared to other major airlines. This article will show you what the Alaska Airlines baggage fees are for carry-ons, checked bags, and special items.
I’ll also show you different ways to avoid the baggage fees by using certain credit cards and memberships and what you can expect if you’re a military member.
What are the Alaska Airlines baggage fees?
Alaska Airlines will allow you one free personal item and one carry on. Your first checked bag will cost $30 and your second checked bag will cost $40. However, there are several ways that you can avoid fees with Alaska Airlines.
Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!
How can I avoid the baggage fees?
There are a few ways that you can avoid baggage fees on Alaska Airlines.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the hottest travel rewards credit cards. It earns 3X the points on dining and travel and comes with a host of valuable benefits. One of these perks is a $300 travel credit that can be used on anything that codes as travel, including baggage fees for Alaska.
American Express cards
Some American Express cards like the Platinum Card come with airline credits that can be used on Alaska Airlines. These credits cover various airlines incidentals, such as baggage fees and you can get credits up to $200!
Baggage fee waivers
Alaska offers baggage fee waivers for credit card holders and for a number of other people.
Eligible for their first bag checked for free:
Eligible Alaska Airlines Visa cardholders and up to 6 other passengers traveling in the same reservation.
Alaska Airlines Visa Business cardholders and up to 6 passengers traveling in the same reservation
Alaska Airlines World Elite Mastercard cardholders and up to 6 passengers traveling in the same reservation.
Eligible for their first two bags checked for free:
Tip: You can download a baggage ID tag and put in your carry-on so that if it gets lost the identification and return process will be much quicker.
Alaska Airlines checked bag fees
Alaska Airlines has some of the better baggage fees for checked bags.
First bag
$30
Second bag
$40
Third bag
$100 each
Compared to United’s policy, you’ll save $50+ on your third checked bag. Of course, Alaska’s policy can’t compete with Southwest’s baggage policy that allows you to bring on two free checked bags.
Alaska Airlines checked bag restrictions
Oversize or overweight baggage
Bags that weigh 51 to100 pounds: $100
Bags with linear dimension of 63 to 115 inches (linear): $100
If a checked bag falls into more than one fee category (piece number, oversize, overweight), only the higher, single fee is charged. This is different from some other airlines that charge you based on each category that you violate.
If you want all the tips on how to deal with checked baggage and how to avoid fees, be sure to check out the ultimate guide to checked luggage. Click here to check out that article.
Maximum weight and length
No single piece of checked baggage may weigh more than 100 pounds and or exceed 115 inches.
If you have luggage that is over that size then contact Alaska Air Cargo at 1-800-225-2752 for assistance with any items that exceed the checked baggage limitation.
During peak travel periods, Alaska may limit the number of bags that can be checked per passenger.
Below are some of the seasonal baggage limits. Click here to view the full list.
City
Date range
Limit
Barrow (BRW)
January 1 – December 31 (All flights)
No more than 2 checked bags per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage when it arrives.
Bethel (BET)
January 1 – December 31 (All flights)
No more than 2 checked bags per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage when it arrives.
Billings (BIL)
November 15 – March 1 (All flights)
No more than 1 checked bag per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage. (Refer to Sports Equipment Multipiece Exception if traveling with ski/snowboard equipment.)
Bozeman (BZN)
November 15 – March 1 (All flights)
No more than 1 checked bag per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage. (Refer to Sports Equipment Multipiece Exception if traveling with ski/snowboard equipment.)
Dillingham (DLG)
June 1 – August 31 (All flights)
No more than 2 checked bags per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage when it arrives.
Guadalajara (GDL)
November 15 – January 15, annually (All flights)
No more than 2 checked bags per person No excess, oversize, or overweight bags allowed.
Jackson Hole (JAC)
November 15 – March 1 (All flights)
No more than 2 checked bags per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage when it arrives.
Kalispell (FCA)
November 15 – March 1 (All flights)
No more than 1 checked bag per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage. (Refer to Sports Equipment Multipiece Exception if traveling with ski/snowboard equipment.)
King Salmon (AKN)
June 1 – August 31 (All flights)
No more than 2 checked bags per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage when it arrives.
Kodiak (ADQ)
June 1 – August 31 (all flights)
No more than 2 checked bags per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage when it arrives.
Kotzebue (OTZ)
January 1 – December 31 (All flights)
No more than 2 checked bags per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage when it arrives.
Nome (OME)
January 1 – December 31 (All flights)
No more than 2 checked bags per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage when it arrives.
Sun Valley (SUN)
November 15 – March 1 (All flights)
No more than 1 checked bag per person Additional baggage may be checked and accepted on a standby, space-available basis. You will be notified by Alaska Airlines to return to the airport to pick up standby baggage. (Refer to Sports Equipment Multipiece Exception if traveling with ski/snowboard equipment.)
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Special items
Sports equipment
Each checked piece listed below is subject to the Alaska Airlines standard checked baggage fees and waivers but Alaska will waive the oversize fee or overweight fee for the items listed in this section.
Archery
Bicycles
Boogie boards
Bowling
Fishing Equipment
Golf Clubs
Hockey/Lacrosse Equipment
Kiteboarding Equipment
Pole Vaults
Scuba Equipment
Skateboards
Skis/Snowboard
Surfboards/Paddleboards
Windsurfing Equipment
Musical instruments
Small musical instruments may count as your one carry-on bag and may exceed the Standard carry-on dimensions, as long as they can be safely accommodated in a proper storage compartment in the cabin of the aircraft.
If you don’t want to depart with your instrument, you can bring it on the plane with you by purchasing a seat for it. You can review the Alaska Cabin seat baggage information for details.
Instruments are subject to the following checked-baggage service fees and overweight/oversize fees:
63-115″ (linear)Alaska Airlines flights 2000-2999 and 3420-3499: $100 (USD)
Smart bags
“Smart bags” (luggage with charging devices or use a lithium battery powered electric motor) will only be accepted as a checked or carry-on bag if the lithium battery can be removed due to a potential safety hazard.
Alaska Airlines really takes care of military members.
Active duty US military personnel with a valid military ID are allowed five bags free and $100 for each additional bag. They also may bring bags that weigh up to 70 pounds and be up to 115″ without incurring overweight or oversize fees.
Active duty US military dependents with valid military ID and travel orders are given the same benefits.
Alaska will accept your checked bags at the airport from 4 hours before your flight time until approximately 1 hour before your flight time. View the ticket counter hours and specific Check-in cut-off time for your airport.
There are a couple of exceptions though (due to US Customs pre-clearance):
Vancouver (YVR) can only accept bags three hours prior to departure.
Calgary (YYC) can only accept bags two hours prior to departure.
Baggage for layovers
If your trip includes more than one flight on Alaska Airlines and or one of their airline partners, Alaska will check your bags to the final destination on your ticket as long as there are fewer than 12 hours between flights.
If your layover is for 12 hours or longer, you will need to claim and re-check your baggage and note that additional baggage fees may apply.
Lost or damaged baggage
If your bags are delayed at your arrival or if they are damaged, be sure to report the situation in person within 24 hours of arrival time.
If you fail to do that, you will likely be denied compensation.
You should be aware of the 20 minute baggage guarantee:
If your bags are not at baggage claim within 20 minutes of your plane’s arrival at the gate, Alaska will offer you a $25 discount code for use on a future Alaska Airlines flight, or 2,500 Alaska bonus miles.
Contact Alaska within 2 hours of your flight’s arrival for your discount code or miles.
Alaska has one of the cheaper baggage policies for checked bags. It also has a number of ways to avoid fees with credit cards or certain membership statuses.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Alaska Airlines Pet Policy Guide [2022]
Traveling with a pet is not always as straightforward as you might think due to the different rules and regulations that may apply. In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the Alaska Airlines pet policy including things like fees and the restrictions and limitations.
What is the Alaska Airlines pet policy?
You can travel with your pet as a carry-on, checked pet, or cargo on Alaska Airlines as long as you provide adequate carriers for your pets, supply any needed documentation, and pay the fees I’ll outline below.
Alaska Airlines pet policy fees
Alaska Airlines charges the same fees whether you are flying with a checked pet or a carry-on pet. In both cases, the fee is $100 per flight.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a good card for general travel expenses and its points can be used to offset airline pet fees since they will often code as travel.
Other cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve have a $300 travel credit that could be used on virtually any type of travel purchase including pet fees.
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Alaska Airlines carry-on pet rules
If your furry friend is going to accompany you as a carry-on, here are some things to keep in mind.
Cabin restrictions
Alaska Airlines allows one pet carrier in first class and a total of up to five pet carriers in main cabin per flight.
18 years old or older
In order to fly with a pet in the cabin, the passenger must be 18 years or older. (This means that unaccompanied minors cannot fly with pets.)
Counts as a carry-on
Your pet carrier will count towards your carry-on baggage allowance. This means that you can bring a pet carrier plus a standard carry-on bag or a pet carrier plus a personal item.
Maximum number of pets
You may travel with a maximum of two pet carriers in main cabin but only when the adjacent seat is purchased by you as well.
Can’t occupy seats
Pets are not allowed to occupy seats by themselves.
Also, the passenger traveling with the pet cannot sit in an emergency exit row, bulkhead, or any seat with an airbag safety belt.
Types of pets allowed
Pets that are allowed in the cabin include dogs, cats, rabbits, and household birds. Dogs and cats must be at least eight weeks old and have been fully weaned.
Same carrier
Up to two pets of the same species and similar size may travel in the same carrier as long as none of their parts protrude from the carrier and they are not in distress.
Must stay in the container
Your pet must stay in its container including its head and tail with the door or flap secured at all times in the boarding area, Alaska Lounge, and while on board the aircraft.
During taxi, takeoff, and landing they must be stowed under the seat.
Animals with offensive odors or those that are creating loud disturbances must travel as checked pets.
Space requirements
Pets must be small enough to fit and stay comfortably inside the kennel under the seat. If your pet is traveling in the cabin, the following kennel sizes apply:
Type
Kennel size
Dimensions (length x width x height)
Hard-sided
50
17″ x 11″ x 7.5″
Soft-sided
50
17″ x 11″ x 9.5″
In order for your carrier to be accepted, it must:
Be within the listed dimensions above
Be clean and leak-proof with absorbent bedding made of material that is safe and non-toxic to the animal
Alaska Airlines will accept most small domesticated pets in baggage and cargo compartments.
Pets that may travel in these climate controlled compartments include: cats, dogs, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, household birds, non-poisonous reptiles, potbelly pigs, rabbits, and tropical fish.
Dogs and cats must be at least eight weeks of age and weaned.
You cannot have more than one live dog or cat six months of age or older in the same kennel.
No more than one puppy eight weeks to six months of age and weighing over 20 pounds can be transported in the same kennel.
However, if a puppy or kitten is eight weeks to six months end of comparable size and weigh under 20 pounds each, you may transport up to two in the same kennel.
All pets traveling in the cargo compartment on Alaska Airlines (including flights operated by Horizon and SkyWest, must have a health certificate dated within 10 days of initial travel and 30 days of return travel, when the return flight is booked in the same record.
One more thing to note about pets flying in baggage or cargo compartments is that they are not allowed to fly that way on Alaska Airlines flights 2000-2999 or flights 3300-3499 during holiday travel times which include late November and December.
If your pet is traveling as a checked pet and you have a transfer to another flight operated by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, or SkyWest Flight Series 3300-3499, you are allowed a maximum connection time of four hours at the connection city.
If your itinerary includes the connection to another airline, Alaska Airlines will not transfer the pet for you. Instead, you will have to make sure that you leave enough time to recheck your pet.
Note: If your flight is delayed, your pet may be placed in a kennel facility until they can be transported and you will be responsible for the costs due to weather related delays.
Breed restrictions
Brachycephalic or “short-nosed” dogs and cats are not accepted for travel in the cargo compartment on Alaska Airlines flights (including flights operated by Horizon and SkyWest,).
These include the following breeds:
Dogs
American Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bull Mastiff, Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Chow Chow, Dutch Pug, English Bulldog, English Toy Spaniel, French Bulldog, Japanese Boxer, Japanese Pug, Japanese Spaniel, Pekingese, Pug, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Cats
Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian.
Sedation
It is not advised to sedate your pet before your flight since the effects of tranquilizers on animals at high altitudes is unpredictable. Check with your veterinarian for more guidance on this issue.
Airbus rules
On Alaska flights operated by Airbus aircraft, pets cannot travel in first class or in the baggage compartment.
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Temperature restrictions
When flying with your pet, be very mindful about the effects of the temperatures at your point of departure and arrival. It is recommended to fly early morning or late evening in the summer and mid day during the winter.
If the temperatures at your point of departure or arrival are too extreme or exceed certain limits, Alaska Airlines may decline to transport your pet for its own safety.
Alaska Airlines pet international restrictions
Before you choose to fly with your pet to an international destination, be sure to verify what type of documents and vaccinations may be necessary for your pet to enter the country.
Mexico
Only dogs and cats will be accepted for travel to Mexico.
Dogs and cats must have undergone a treatment against ectoparasites and endoparasites within 6 months of scheduled travel date.
If you do not complete this process, then government officials may require you to get in contact with a veterinarian and receive the treatment before you can enter Mexico. In that case, you will have to come out of pocket for the costs.
You are not allowed to use bedding or similar materials in the kennel. However, shredded paper and absorbent pads are acceptable.
You can pack food but only a day’s worth.
If you are traveling with three or more pets you will be subject to additional fees of approximately $1,600 pesos (approximately $150 USD) as mandated by the SAGARPA (Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock Production, Rural Development, Fishery and Food).
Be prepared to clear the commercial importation process at your destination if you go this route.
Alaska Airlines does not accept pets for Cargo or GoldStreak service to and from Mexico.
Costa Rica
Only dogs and cats will be accepted for travel. You will be required to show a valid certificate and specific documentation when traveling with your pets to Costa Rica. You can find out more details at one of the following resources:
Only cats and dogs can be transported into Hawaii.
Hawaii is the only rabies-free state in the US and as a result it has some heightened restrictions on bringing your pets.
If you don’t follow the guidance and arrive with proper documentation, your pet may have to be quarantined for up to 120 days at your expense.
Below are some seasonal restrictions on pets accepted as checked baggage.
February: No pets are accepted as checked baggage on flights to or from Hawaii.
November 1 – January 31 and March 1 – April 1: Only 1 pet is accepted per aircraft as checked baggage on flights to or from Hawaii.
For more on the specific requirements for flying to places like Honolulu, Kona, and Kahului click here.
Service and support animals (and notice)
As of January 11, 2021 Emotional support animals are no longer accepted as service animals and may travel under Alaska Airlines’ Pet Policy.
Service animals and emotional support animals have specific requirements but there is no additional charge for them if they meet all of the requirements.
The size of the animal must not exceed the footprint or personal space of your seat or foot area
The animal must be under the control of the owner at all times
Emotional support animals must be leased or in an approved kennel
Minimum age for service or support animals is four months
Animals are expected to be seated on the floor space below your seat or if larger than an infant seated in your lap
The fees that you pay will depend on the type of pet that you have (e.g., service animal) and the method of transportation (checked, carry-on, etc.).
Is traveling as a checked pet safe?
According to the DOT, over half a million pets flew in cargo in 2016 and of those animals, 26 died and 22 were injured. So the accident rate was 1 per 10,000 pets.
So if those stats are accurate, you have a one in 10,000 chance of something happening to your pet. Now those stats don’t account for the potentially stressful experience that your pet will have. For some people, a one in 10,000 chance is still too much risk with a pet while others will feel comfortable with those odds.
Personally, I would try to avoid shipping my pet in cargo if possible.
What is the checked and carry-on pet fees?
Alaska Airlines charges $100 per flight for both checked and carry-on fees.
You do not need a health certificate for travel if the pet is flying as a carry-on although some states have specific health and vaccination requirements.
All pets traveling in the cargo compartment will be required to have a health certificate dated within 10 days of outbound travel and 30 days of return travel.
Final Word
The Alaska Airlines pet policy is pretty straightforward. You are looking at paying $100 per flight. You just need to be mindful about restrictions on certain routes and destinations and you should be all set!
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Alaska MVP Gold Benefits Guide [2022]
Alaska MVP Gold offers a nice upgrade in benefits from the lower MVP level. You’ll get much better upgrade perks along with a better discount on lounge access among other perks. In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the Alaska MVP Gold benefits.
What is Alaska MVP Gold?
Alaska MVP is the middle-level elite status offered by Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
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How to earn Alaska MVP Gold
You can obtain Alaska MVP Gold by flying 40,000 miles on Alaska or 50,000 miles on partners or by flying 60 qualifying segments. Here is a breakdown of the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan elite levels:
If you had elite status as of January 1, 2021 and are unable to re-qualify by the end of 2021, Alaska will extend your status through April 30, 2022.
You will then have another opportunity to retain your status by flying January to April 2022.
Alaska MVP Gold status match
You can also earn Alaska MVP Gold status through a status match.
Here are all of the different elite levels that you can match to MVP Gold:
Aeromexico Platinum
Air Canada Altitude 50K
American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum
Delta Gold Medallion
Frontier Elite 50K
Hawaiian Pualani Platinum
Southwest A-List Preferred
United Premier Gold
In order to qualify for a status match, you will have to show proof that you earned elite status through the published requirements and not through alternative means such as through a promotion.
To process the status match, visit the online status match page and submit a screenshot of your online account showing your name, status, and your miles flown.
You will also need to provide your Mileage Plan number.
If your status match is approved, you will receive a confirmation email and your new status will be good for 90 days.
You can keep your status match by flying 10,000 miles during those 90 days.
If you start your status match by the end of June, you will keep your status through the end of the calendar year. But if you start your status match between July and December, you will keep the status through the end of next year.
Tip: A member may only receive one status match for the lifetime of their account.
Alaska MVP Gold benefits
100% bonus on base miles
Priority check-in, security, and boarding
Two free checked bags
Discounted Alaska Lounge membership
Access to preferred seating
Standby and waitlist for full flights
First Class upgrades (companion as well)
Four guest first class upgrades
Premium Class upgrades (companion as well)
Premium beverage for free when flying economy
Free same-day flight changes
Waived ticket change fees
Dedicated phone lines
Elite Leave for new parents
100% bonus on base miles
As an MVP Gold member, you will receive a 100% bonus on base miles.
For example, if you fly 1,000 miles you will earn 1,000 base miles plus 1,000 bonus miles. Note that bonus flight miles do not count towards the future elite status qualification.
If you want to earn even more Alaska miles, keep in mind that you can earn 3X Alaska miles on all your Alaska purchases with the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card.
So you have some nice savings potential here especially because you can also get free checked bags for companions in the same reservation!
Discounted Alaska Lounge membership
The annual price for an Alaska Lounge membership is $450. But as an MVP Gold member, you can get a $100 discount on the membership. Here’s a look at the discounts for elite members:
Elite Level
Price
Savings
MVP
$400
$50
MVP Gold
$350
$100
MVP Gold 75K
$300
$150
Alaska Lounges elite membership prices.
First Class upgrades
With MVP Gold status, you will be eligible for First Class upgrades at the time of booking.
You can obtain these instant upgrades by booking the following fares: Y, S, B, M or Z.
These are some of the more expensive fares that don’t require you to pay a cancellation fee if you need to make changes.
It’s very easy to find eligible fares for instant upgrades. When you were at the main booking page, simply look for the drop-down menu on the right hand side under “upgrade type.”
It is easy to find eligible upgrade fares on Alaska’s website.
Then select your elite status which in this case would be MVP Gold and you will then be able to see the available fares for instant upgrades.
If you purchase a fare that does not qualify for instant upgrades the process works differently.
In that case, you will be placed in a queue until your upgrade window begins. For MVP Gold members, your upgrade window will not open until 72 hours prior to departure.
At that point, the upgrades will clear in the order of fare class booked. If there are no upgrades available for your flight, you will be placed on the upgrade waitlist in order of fare class booked.
The fare class order for MVP Gold is the following: H, Q, L, V, N, K, G, T, R, W.
Once your upgrade window opens, if there is an upgrade available on your flight you’ll be upgraded immediately. But if there currently are no upgrades available, you will simply remain on the waitlist.
Once check-in begins, the waitlist is available to view either via the mobile app, the gate information display, or on alaskaair.com.
The waitlist will only display those passengers who have already checked in. So if you checked in before other passengers that were higher up on the waitlist, it’s possible that when they check-in you will move down on the list.
Alaska will continue to look for available upgrades and process them until about one hour prior to departure.
Saver fares (booked in X class of service) are not eligible for elite upgrades.
Companion upgrades to First Class
As an MVP Gold member, you will be able to upgrade one companion that is traveling with you on the same flight, on the same reservation, and in the same class.
The key thing to note here is that if your reservation includes more than one companion, it will not be eligible for a complimentary upgrade.
Four one-way First Class guest upgrades
One of the coolest benefits of obtaining MVP Gold is that you will be issued four first class guest upgrades.
These are electronic codes that you can use to upgrade friends or family members who are not traveling with you or for your own use when you don’t purchase an instant qualifying fare.
After you reach Gold status, your upgrade codes should be automatically deposited into your account profile.
To use these upgrades make your reservation online and select the link next to your confirmation code that says “MVP Gold guest upgrade.” If your flight is eligible you should be able to enter the upgrade code.
Be sure to choose MVP Gold guest upgrade from the upgrade type filter when searching for flights. After that you should be able to select “I want to apply an MVP® Gold guest upgrade code to one or more of my flights” during booking.
Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!
Premium Class upgrades
Premium class seating will get you a little bit of extra legroom (about 4 inches), complimentary drinks (where beverage service is normally served), and priority boarding.
These are seats in the front row (bulkhead) of the main cabin section and also in the emergency exit rows.
You can get instantly upgraded to a premium class ticket if you purchase one of the following fares: Y, S, B, M, H, Q, L, V, N, K, or Z.
These fares can be located the same way that the first class upgrade fairs can be found.
If you book an eligible fare for a premium class upgrade but there are no upgrades available, you will be put on a waitlist.
MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K members receive upgrades for two passengers – themselves, plus one companion.
If you purchased an eligible discounted fare that does not qualify for an immediate upgrade, you will be placed on the upgrade waitlist at the upgrade window which is 72 hours for MVP Gold.
Upgrades will then be processed by fare class and then order of purchase. The order of the fare class processing is: G, T, R, or W fares.
Saver fares (booked in X class of service) are not eligible for complimentary upgrades.
When premium class is not available, you may just be offered a seat with more legroom. Seats with more legroom are complimentary for Alaska Mileage Plan elite members.
Companion upgrades to premium class
Just like with the first class upgrades, you will get an upgrade eligible for one companion.
But if you are flying with more than one companion, you will not be eligible for the upgrades.
Complimentary premium beverage in Main Cabin
As an MVP Gold member, you’ll be given a complimentary premium beverage when flying in economy. These beverages may cost anywhere from $7 to $16 so that’s about what your savings will be per flight. Keep in mind that this benefit is only for your first beverage.
Complimentary same day flight changes
As an MVP Gold member, you will receive free same day flight changes. These same-day changes would normally cost $50 so it’s a great way to save on these fees. Read more about how these work here.
Waived ticket change fees
As an MVP Gold member, you can also get ticket change fees waived. Change and cancellation fees would normally cost you $125 per change, so this is yet another great opportunity for savings.
Alaska MVP Gold FAQ
What are the Alaska MVP Gold benefits?
100% bonus on base miles Priority check-in, security, and boarding Two free checked bags Discounted Alaska Lounge membership Access to preferred seating Standby and waitlist for full flights First Class upgrades (companion as well) Four guest first class upgrades Premium Class upgrades (companion as well) Premium beverage for free when flying economy Free same-day flight changes Waived ticket change fees Dedicated phone lines Elite Leave for new parents
Do MVP Gold members get upgrades for companions?
Yes, MVP Gold members will get an upgrade for one companion for first class upgrades and premium class upgrades. In addition, each year you will be issued four guest first class upgrades that could be used for companions.
Do MVP Gold members get free checked baggage?
Yes, you will be allowed two free checked bags.
Do MVP Gold members get priority boarding?
Yes, MVP Gold members get to board in “Group A” which is the first boarding group following first class.
Do MVP Gold members get lounge access?
MVP Gold members do not get automatic lounge access but they do receive a $100 discount on annual memberships.
Do MVP Gold members get waived fees?
Yes, you can get waived fees for ticket changes and cancellations as well as same day flight changes.
What bonus rate do MVP Gold members get?
MVP Gold members receive a 100% bonus on their base miles.
Final word
Alaska MVP gold has some great benefits to offer. It is a lot easier to get upgrades and you can use upgrade codes for yourself or others each year which is pretty cool.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Alaska Airlines Visa Annual Companion Fare Benefit Guide [2021]
One of the most valuable benefits for the Alaska Airlines Visa is the annual companion fare. If used properly, it is a way to not only offset your annual fee but to come out on top by a large margin (sometimes several hundred dollars).
In other words, it can make your Alaska Airlines Visacard worth holding onto in the long term.
In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about the Alaska Airlines Visa Annual companion fare.
What is the Alaska Airlines Visa companion fare?
The companion fare is a recurring benefit offered to Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card holders that allows you to book a discounted economy ticket for a companion every year.
It is also sometimes offered as a benefit in the form of a welcome bonus.
This is a single use companion fare ticket which is quite different from something like the Southwest Companion Pass which you can use multiple times.
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
Arrival time
If your account is open with active charging privileges on your account anniversary date, you will receive the Companion Fare code within the first 2 billing cycles after the Anniversary date each year.
The Alaska FAQ states that, “[t]ypically, your account anniversary will fall approximately 6 to 8 weeks after the date on which you originally open your credit card account.”
This means that you could be waiting quite some time for that benefit to arrive after your true account anniversary date.
In reality, you may receive the companion fare much quicker than that, as it may show up only a couple of weeks after your account open date.
Once the companion fare code arrives, it should be directly credited to your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan account. I’m not aware of notifications that go out for this benefit so you will just need to be on the lookout for it.
There is also a companion fare that often is attached to the welcome bonus.
To earn that, you will have to meet a minimum spend requirement such as spending $2,000 in the first 90 days after opening up your account but this requirement could change.
If you are earning a companion fare with your welcome bonus, it will likely appear shortly after the statement closes that you hit your minimum spend in.
Restrictions
You can use this code for a round-trip or one-way coach companion fare on Alaska Airlines.
The big take away here is that you must book a coach fare ticket and that you cannot use the code for partner airlines like American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, etc.
(In the past you could use your pass to purchase first class tickets.)
Booking
You’ll need to be traveling with another guest on a paid published ticket on the same itinerary and the ticket will need to be booked at the same time on alaskaair.com.
Routing
You can use the companion fare for one way or round trip travel and can even book open jaws or multi-city itineraries.
Booking multi-city itineraries is a great way to expand the value of your benefit. In some cases, you could be adding on a few hundred bucks in savings.
Just note that multiple stopovers are not allowed.
I have seen some reports of people getting the companion fare to apply to itineraries with multiple stopovers but that goes against the terms of the benefits so you can’t expect that to always work.
Fees
You will be responsible for paying the $99 base fare plus the taxes and fees which may total to $121. (Other fees such as baggage fees may apply as well.)
The annual fee for this credit card is $75 so if you are able to find a companion fare that totals $196 or more, you are coming out on top with this card.
That should not be difficult to do when flying across the country with Alaska Airlines. However, if you are looking to book shorter flights around the West Coast it may be much more difficult to find a deal that makes sense.
Note:There have been special offers in the past where the $99 base fare is waived so be on the lookout for those.
This companion fare has great flexibility when it comes to the eligibility of the travelers using the perk.
That is because the cardmember who receives the companion fare code does NOT have to be a traveler on the reservation.
The Alaska Mileage Plan member who owns the companion fare code must be either: 1) one of the travelers or 2) simply the purchaser of the reservation.
That makes using this perk substantially easier for a lot of people.
Note:If you are the companion fare holder and not traveling then your name must match the name on the credit card used to purchase the reservation.
Credit card used
You will need to purchase the primary ticket and also the companion fare with your Alaska Airlines credit card.
This is super important for people considering canceling their card.
Some people might consider canceling their Alaska card right after they receive the companion fare benefit but if you do that then you will not be eligible for the benefit since you won’t be able to use your card for the purchase.
This was not always the case so if you used this benefit prior to October 2019 just note that this was a recent change.
Expiration
You must redeem your companion fare code online within 12 months of the date of issue. (Your companion fare code must be redeemed by 11:59 pm PT on the expiration date.)
Once you have received your ticket, the travel date may occur after the expiration of your companion fare code.
So let’s say that your companion fare code expired October 15, 2021. If you booked your ticket prior to October 15, 2021 for a flight the next month, that would be allowed by the rules.
According to the terms and conditions, the expiration date cannot be extended and if your companion fare code expires it cannot be restored or exchanged.
One possible work around here is that you could book a full fare economy ticket which allows for maximum flexibility with changes.
You can purchase tickets for up to 330 days in advance so you could purchase a full fare ticket almost a year in advance and then change the ticket once you know your exact travel plans.
You should be able to change the ticket type and also the destination. If your new ticket is cheaper than the initial ticket then you can be refunded the difference.
Finding your companion fare discount code
To locate your companion fare discount code log into your Alaska account and look under the “discount and companion fare codes” section.
As long as you are the primary cardholder, you should be able to find it here.
In order to use your code, from the “discount and companion fares codes” section simply click on “shop” next to your discount code. This is also where you can view the expiration date.
After you select “shop,” the companion fare code will be automatically copied into the discount or companion fare code field as you search for flights.
Just make sure that you select only two travelers because that is the only way to book a flight with the discount code.
(If you are trying to fly with more than one individual, you will need to make a separate booking for them.)
As you proceed to check out you should see the breakdown of your itinerary and under the total price you should see the companion price set at $99.
Note that you will also have to cover the fees which will typically total at least $22.
Yes, you and the guest can earn mileage credit for the flights.
Can I use the companion fare code on award tickets?
No, unfortunately you cannot use the companion fare code on award tickets.
When will I receive my annual companion fare?
Alaska states that it could take a couple of billing cycles for you to receive the companion fare but some people receive the companion fare within just a few weeks after the anniversary of the account open date.
Does the cardholder have to travel on the companion fare?
No, if the cardholder is not traveling they only have to use their card to purchase the revenue ticket and the companion fare ticket.
Can you upgrade the companion fare?
If there are two upgradable seats available, you may be able to upgrade your companion fare using miles, elite + companion upgrades, guest upgrades, or paid upgrades that may be offered at check-in.
What airlines can I use the companion fare on?
The companion fare is valid on flights operated by Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air and on PenAir between Anchorage and Dutch Harbor. It is not valid on codeshare flights.
Final word
As you can tell, this could be quite a lucrative benefit for those who fly Alaska Airlines. If you can utilize it on a ticket costing $196 or more then you will be in the clear for completely offsetting the annual fee of your Alaska Airlines credit card.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Alaska MVP Benefits: Ultimate Guide [2020]
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has a pretty solid loyalty program for frequent fliers, even at its lowest level of MVP. In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the Alaska MVP elite status level.
I’ll cover all of the benefits and how things work like the upgrades to first class and premium class.
What is Alaska MVP?
Alaska MVP is the bottom level elite status offered by Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!
How to earn Alaska MVP
You can earn Alaska MVP status by flying 20,000 miles on Alaska or 25,000 miles on partners or by flying 30 qualifying segments.
Here is how the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan elite levels stack up against each other:
In order to qualify for a status match, you will have to show proof that you earned elite status through the published requirements and not through something like a promotion.
To process the status match, visit the online status match page and submit a screenshot of your online account showing your name, status, and your miles flown. You will also need to provide your Mileage Plan number.
If your status match is approved, you will receive a confirmation email and your new status will be good for 90 days.
You can keep your status match by meeting a certain requirement of flights during those 90 days:
MVP status – fly 5,000 miles
MVP Gold status – fly 10,000 miles
MVP Gold 75K status – fly 20,000 miles
If you start your status match by the end of June, you will keep your status through the end of the calendar year. But if you start your status match between July and December, you will keep the status through the end of next year.
Tip: It’s good to know that a member may only receive one status match for the lifetime of their account.
What are the Alaska MVP benefits?
50% bonus on base miles
Priority check-in and boarding
Two free checked bags
Discounted Alaska Lounge membership
Access to preferred seating
First Class upgrades
Premium Class upgrades
Dedicated phone lines
Elite Leave for new parents
50% bonus on base miles
On Alaska, you’ll earn one mile per actual mile flown. And as an MVP member, you will receive a 50% bonus on base miles. So if you fly 500 miles, you will earn 500 base miles plus 250 bonus miles.
This is different from a lot of other airlines that have switched to different types of earning structures based on your spend. This means that Alaska Airlines is one of the few airlines where it’s still possible to do a good old-fashioned mileage run.
If you want to earn even more miles, keep in mind that you can earn 3X Alaska miles on all your Alaska purchases with the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card.
Group B (MVP members and guests in Premium Class seats)
Group C (Main cabin in the back)
Group D (Main cabin in the front)
Group E (Saver)
So as you can see, with MVP status you will be boarding before main cabin which should allow you to easily find overhead storage bin space.
Two free checked bags
On Alaska Airlines, checked baggage will cost you $30 for your first bag and $40 for your second bag. But with MVP status, you won’t have to pay for your first two free checked bags so you can look at savings of up to $70 per flight!
You can also get free checked bags for companions in the same reservation. So that’s potentially a lot of savings just on checked baggage alone.
Discounted Alaska Lounge membership
An annual price for an Alaska Lounge membership is typically $450. However, if you have elite status with Alaska you will receive a discount according to the chart below:
Elite Level
Price
Savings
MVP
$400
$50
MVP Gold
$350
$100
MVP Gold 75K
$300
$150
Alaska Lounges elite membership prices.
So as an Alaska MVP member your savings for an annual lounge membership will be $50.
First Class upgrades, when available
With MVP status, you will be eligible for First Class upgrades at the time of booking. You will only be able to get these instant upgrades with booking: Y, S, or Z fares.
These are the most expensive fares that don’t require you to pay a cancellation fee if you need to make changes.
Alaska makes it really easy to find the prices for these fares when booking. Simply navigate to the main booking page and then look on the right hand side for the drop-down menu under “Upgrade type.”
You will then select your elite level status which in this case would be MVP and that will allow you to see the available fares for instant upgrades.
You can view upgrade fares by selecting your elite status and booking.
If you were looking for available upgrades, the dark “F” icon shown below indicates available upgrades.
And the “First Class Upgrade” fare will show you the price.
First class upgrade prices may be higher than standard first class tickets.
You will notice that the price of the upgrade may be higher than the price of a first class ticket. That is just a matter of the different types of fares available.
If you are searching for a refundable fare, it would be more likely that you find a first class upgrade price cheaper than a business class ticket though it all just depends on what inventory is currently available.
If you have purchased the qualifying fare for your elite level, and upgrade space is available on your flight, you will be upgraded immediately.
If there are no upgrades available for your flight, you will be placed on the upgrade waitlist, and cleared in the order placed on the upgrade waitlist as upgrade space becomes available.
If you purchase a fare that does not qualify for instant upgrades the process works differently.
In that case, you will be placed in a queue until your upgrade window begins. In the case of an MVP member, your upgrade window will not open until 48 hours prior to departure.
At that point, the upgrades will clear in the order of fare class booked. If there are no upgrades available for your flight, you will be placed on the upgrade waitlist in order of fare class booked.
The fare class order for MVP is the following: B, M, H, Q, L, V, N, K, G, T, R, W.
Once your upgrade window opens, if there is an upgrade available on your flight you’ll be upgraded immediately. But if there currently are no upgrades available, you will simply remain on the waitlist.
Once check-in begins, the waitlist is available to view either via the mobile app, the gate information display, or on alaskaair.com.
The waitlist will only display those passengers who have already checked in. So if you checked in before other passengers that were higher up on the waitlist, it’s possible that when they check-in you will move down on the list.
Alaska will continue to look for available upgrades in process them until about one hour prior to departure.
Saver fares (booked in X class of service) are not eligible for elite upgrades.
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
Premium Class upgrades
Premium class seating will get you a little bit of extra legroom (about 4 inches), complimentary drinks (where beverage service is normally served), and priority boarding.
These are seats in the front row (bulkhead) of the main cabin section and also in the emergency exit rows.
You can get instantly upgraded to a premium class ticket if you purchase one of the following fares: Y, Z, S, or B fares. Again, you can search for these fares in the same way you can for the first class upgrades shown above.
If you book an eligible fare for a premium class upgrade but there are no upgrades available, you will be put on a waitlist.
And you should note that for MVP members, the premium class upgrade is only available for themselves.
If you purchased an eligible discounted fares that does not qualify for an immediate upgrade, you will be placed on the upgrade waitlist at the upgrade window which is 48 hours for MVP.
Upgrades will then be processed by fare class and then order of purchase. The order of the fare class processing is: M, H, Q, N, L, V, K, G, T, R, or W fares.
Saver fares (booked in X class of service) are not eligible for complimentary upgrades.
When premium class is not available, you may just be offered a seat with more legroom. Seats with more legroom are complimentary for Alaska Mileage Plan elite members.
If you receive a complementary upgrade to a suite with more legroom, you can also bring one companion traveling with you on the same reservation.
Dedicated phone lines for reservations and customer service
As an MVP member, you can take advantage of a special phone line for your reservations and customer service issues.
Elite Leave for new parents
Alaska Airlines will allow you to keep your elite status when you are on parental leave or while pregnant for up to an extra year.
They will then make a determination on whether or not to extend your status an additional year.
Alaska MVP FAQ
What are the Alaska MVP benefits?
50% bonus on base miles Priority check-in and boarding Two free checked bags Discounted Alaska Lounge membership Access to preferred seating First Class upgrades, when available Premium Class upgrades, when available Dedicated phone line Elite Leave for new parents
What kind of upgrades can I get with Alaska MVP?
As an MVP member, you are eligible for upgrades to first class and to premium class. Depending on the fare you purchase, you may be upgraded immediately or you may be placed on the waitlist.
What type of priority boarding do I get?
As an MVP member, you will board with “Group B.”
Can I status match to Alaska MVP?
Yes, you can status match one time to Alaska MVP. The following elite levels will match you to MVP:
Aeromexico Gold Air Canada Altitude 25K (Prestige) and 35K American Airlines AAdvantage Gold Delta Silver Medallion Frontier Elite 20K Hawaiian Pualani Gold JetBlue TrueBlue Mosaic Southwest A List United Premier Silver and Premier Associate
Do I get free checked baggage with Alaska MVP?
Yes, you will get up to two free checked bags for you and for companions on your reservation.
Do I get lounge access with Alaska MVP?
No, you do not get lounge access but you do receive a $50 discount on an annual lounge membership.
Final word
Alaska MVP status is a pretty solid lower tier elite status. I like how simple the upgrade system is and how easy it is to confirm instant upgrades by purchasing the right fare. There also are some nice perks like free checked baggage and a discount on lounge access.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
20 Best uses of Alaska Airline Mileage Plan Miles [2020]
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is without a doubt one of the best miles and points programs.
One of the biggest reasons is that they have a ton of sweet spot redemptions and a lot of the taxes and fees that you have to pay are very minimal.
You also can search and book flights online with a lot of partners which makes things very easy. And lastly, you can take advantage of stopovers on one way flights.
In this article, I’ll give you 20 of the best uses for Alaska Airline Mileage Planmiles.
I focused largely on first class and business class redemptions since those are where the most value is but in a lot of cases main cabin redemptions can be lucrative on those same routes as well.
Earning Alaska Airline miles
Alaska Airlines is not a partner with a major transferable program such as Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, or Citi ThankYou Points.
However, they are a partner of Marriott Bonvoy and you can transfer your Bonvoy points at a ratio of 3 to 1 and receive a 5,000 point bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer over.
So 60,000 Marriott points would translate into 25,000 Mileage Plan miles.
This means you can use cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless to supplement your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan balances.
But there are also two great options to go with from Bank of America. There is the personal Alaska Airlines credit card and also the business version.
You can find these cards with bonuses around 40,000 points so it’s not terribly difficult to earn around 70,000 to 80,000 miles pretty quickly.
If you combined those earnings with a Marriott card you could quickly be working with over 100,000+ Alaska Airline miles. And as you’ll see below, that amount of miles could take you pretty far.
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
Alaska Airlines booking fees
When you make an Alaska Airlines booking, in many cases you can avoid high surcharges. But you will have to pay certain types of fees in some cases.
First, there is a $15 fee for booking over the phone. You should be able to book most partners online but some will have to be booked over the phone.
There also is a $25 fee for booking partner awards.
If you need to change or cancel your booking after 24 hours, you have to pay a $125 change/cancellation fee.
Your miles will be redeposited and you will be refunded any taxes/fees on the award booking except for phone booking fees and the partner award fee.
Best uses of Alaska Airline miles
Cathay Pacific First Class (US to Asia)
70,000 miles one-way
Cathay Pacific first class is widely regarded as one of the top first class experiences in the world. It’s an ultra-luxurious flying experience with a super spacious seat and arguably the most comfortable bed in the sky.
The suites are not fully enclosed but have partitions that extend out pretty far offering tons of privacy. When dining, you can choose to join a companion and eat right across from each other while in the sky.
Speaking of the dining experience, you’ll enjoy fine champagne, caviar, and some other amazing dishes during your flight.
The first class cabin is also very intimate with only six suites located at the front of the plane.
Tip: Try to sit in “Aisle A” For maximum privacy.
If you are flying out of Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), you can experience the highly reviewed lounge known as The Pier. It’s an elegant lounge with quality dining, a beautiful bar area, day beds, a spa, and really nice showers.
Just like Cathay Pacific first class, the suites are not fully enclosed. However, they are quite spacious. You’ll enjoy top amenities like ETRO amenity kits, Bose headphones, and comfy pajamas.
The dining and drinking experience on JAL first class will be top notch. In the past, they have served up Cristal champagne and Salon 2007, the latter of which goes for $600 a bottle.
Tip: If you are flying from Japan, consider flying out of Haneda (HND) instead of Narita (NRT) for Red Suites.
The Red Suites are located in the Japan Airlines first class lounge at HND and are very private. The experience is almost like a Japan Airlines AvGeek (aviation geek) museum, complete with features like an adult game room, shoe shining, and champagne sake room.
If you don’t want to shell out for first class or if you can’t find availability, you can get to Asia for only 60,000 miles in JAL business class and around $30 in fees.
JAL First Class.
Singapore Airlines First Class (US to Asia)
130,000 miles one-way
One of the best changes that came to the Alaska Airlines mileage program is that you can book first class on Singapore Airlines.
If you’re flying from the contiguous US to Southeast Asia, you can redeem at 130,000 miles one way. But you may want to look into flying between other destinations where you can enjoy the Singapore Suites.
Singapore Suites are definitely one of the top three first class products currently available and some might even put them at number one. You’ll enjoy a ridiculously spacious suite along with some of the best service you will probably ever encounter anywhere.
And then there is the champagne and dining. You’ll be offered premium champagne like Dom Perignon and Krug along with elaborate dishes and fine caviar.
Singapore Suites on the A380.
Cathay Pacific Business Class (US — Asia)
50,000 miles one-way
If you want to conserve your points a little bit better, consider flying business class on Cathay Pacific from the US to Asia. At 50,000 points one way, it is one of the best sweet spots to get to Asia in business class one-way.
In my experience, the Cathay Pacific business class product is pretty solid. It offers a fair amount of privacy with a privacy shield that extends out a little bit and has a fair amount of legroom with fully lie flat seats.
I would definitely feel okay with crossing the Pacific in Cathay Pacific business class.
Business Class on Cathy Pacific A350.
Emirates Business Class (US — Asia)
105,000 miles one way
Flying Emirates in business class to Asia is going to be an expensive trip at 105,000 miles one way. So this is not the way to go for people trying to conserve their miles.
However, some people may want to try out the highly respected business class on Emirates and make a trip through Dubai out of it. Fees for this route could be as low as $29 so it’s not quite as bad as it seems.
So if you are in the aspirational crowd, you might want to give this redemption consideration.
Cathay Pacific Business Class (Intra-Asia)
22,500 miles one-way
If you need to travel within Asia, using your Alaska miles can be one of the best ways to get around. At only 22,500 miles one way, it’s definitely a sweet spot. So if you needed to get between say Hong Kong and Bangkok, you could fly on Cathay Pacific.
Just note that stopovers are no longer allowed on intra-Asia flights.
Cathay Pacific First Class (US — Middle East)
70,000 miles one-way
One of the best ways to fly first class on Cathay Pacific could be flying between the US and the Middle East because 70,000 miles is a steal. Having a layover or stopover in Hong Kong would also be awesome.
Even though it is quite the long distance from the US to Hong Kong to the Middle East, I would be okay with flying such a long-haul in first class on Cathay Pacific any day of the week.
Dining on Cathay Pacific first class.
British Airways First Class (US — Middle East)
80,000 miles one-way
If you are planning a trip to the Middle East, your natural inclination might be to use Alaska miles on Emirates. But there is a sweet spot if you choose to book first class on British Airways at only 80,000 miles.
First class on British Airways doesn’t get a whole lot of respect to be honest. However, I feel that it is a tad bit underrated.
It may not blow you away like some of the top airline products out there but I think it is still good enough to woo someone not completely spoiled by the likes of things like the Etihad Apartment.
The major drawback to booking British Airways first class is that you will have to fly through London and pay some massive surcharges and fees. So while the mileage requirement is very low be prepared for some sky-high fees.
For example, for the one-way flight from SFO to DXB via LHR, your fees could be a minimum of $930!
British Airways First Class on the 747.
Emirates First Class (US — Middle East)
150,000 miles one-way
If you don’t mind shelling out miles then Emirates First Class could be a good use of your points.
The Emirates first class experience is something that you will never forget. It’s known for its amazing showers in the sky and the popular in-flight bar which is one of the best bars in the sky.
But it’s also a great hard product with a fully enclosed suite and in my experience: top-notch service.
Some might not even think about spending so many points on a redemption but Emirates is a bucket list experience that some people will feel okay splurging on.
The good thing about going with Alaska miles is that your fees will be very minimal although Emirates did recently lower their fees across several bookings. For example, I saw one-way flights with fees as low as $20 for first class!
American Airlines business class (US — South America)
30,000 miles one-way
If you want to head down to northern South America which would include countries like Columbia and Peru, using Alaska miles on American Airlines business class is a great sweet spot.
Fees for these redemptions are as low as $34 so it’s a very cheap redemption all around.
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
LATAM business class (US — South America)
45,000 miles one-way
If you want to head to southern South America, meaning places like Brazil or Chile, the price goes up to 45,000 miles one-way in business class but it’s still a pretty great offer.
If you don’t mind shelling out more miles, you could head down in first class on American Airlines with 57,500 miles one way and fees as low as $19!
LATAM dreamliner.
LATAM business class (Intra-South America)
25,000 miles one-way
If you want to get around South America comfortably in business class, then using Alaska miles can be a smart choice. Once again, you’ll be flying on LATAM.
Sometimes flights within South America can be quite expensive, especially in business class so you can also net a lot of value with your miles this way.
LATAM business class (Easter Island — South America)
35,000 miles one-way
If you want to explore the mysterious island of Easter Island and all of the cool ruins, Alaska miles are a great choice.
You might also think about using a different program like British Airways Avios for this route as it is one of the best sweet spots available for Easter Island.
Qantas business class (US — New Zealand)
55,000 miles one-way
If you want to head down to New Zealand and explore things like Hobbiton and the glowworm caves, using your Alaska miles on Qantas is a super efficient way to get there.
A business class redemption will only require 55,000 miles one way which is a great sweet spot.
Availability may be an issue with this redemption so it could require a lot of persistence.
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour.
Qantas first class (US — New Zealand)
70,000 miles one-way
Qantas is known for having a pretty solid first class product and for only 15,000 more miles, you could fly down to New Zealand in first class. Once again, availability can be tough.
Aer Lingus business class (US — Europe)
60,000 miles one-way
If you know anything about using miles and points to get to Europe, you know that the fees can be outrageous sometimes.
However, if you use your Alaska miles to fly on Aer Lingus your fees can be under $20 on a one-way flight from JFK to DUB!
60,000 miles is not super cheap but considering that the fees can be so low it can be a good option for people who don’t want to come out of pocket when flying to Europe.
Alaska Airlines (Flights across the US)
Using Alaska miles can be a great way to get around the US. The prices will change depending on the distance and specific fare you take (the highest prices hard for refundable awards).
Here are some prices you can expect:
Main cabin less than 700 miles: 5000 to 30,000
First class less than 700 miles: 15,000 to 40,000
Main cabin 701 miles to 1,400 : 7,500 to 30,000
First class 701 miles to 1,400: 25,000 to 60,000
Main cabin 1,401 miles to 2,100 miles: 10,000 to 40,000
First class 1,401 miles to 2,100 miles: 25,000 to 60,000
If you book a first class flight, just like on other airlines, you won’t have to worry about paying for your checked baggage for your first couple of bags. And something unique about Alaska Airlines is that they will grant you lounge access even on domestic first class flights.
Also, if you are an Alaskan resident you may want to look into a Club 49 membership that can save you in different ways.
American Airlines business class (Flights across the US)
25,000 miles one way
If you want to fly around the US in first class then using Alaska miles on American Airlines can be a great option. The price is not heavily discounted but it is pretty standard at 25,000 miles one way.
American Airlines first class.
Cathay Pacific First Class (US to Canada)
35,000 miles
If you are not planning on making the long-haul trip over the Pacific to Hong Kong but you still want to experience the awesome first class feeling on Cathay Pacific consider using your Alaska miles to fly from Vancouver to New York for only 35,000 miles.
It’s not going to give you the full experience where you will be dozing off for hours but for many people this is a great way to test out or just experience one of the best first class products while not having to leave North America.
Update: This route is no longer available.
American Airlines business class (US — Mexico)
27,500 miles one way
Alaska Airlines has a tiered award structure for flights down south to Mexico from the US. Depending on the type of fare booked and the length of your trip, your price will fluctuate.
But you can find flights in first/business class for some great rates like 27,500 miles and only around $44 in fees even when flying from destinations like Northern California to San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico.
If you are okay with flying main cabin, you can get down there for only 10,000 miles!
Alaska Airlines FAQ
What are the Alaska Airlines booking fees?
There is a $15 booking fee for bookings made over the phone and also a $25 fee for all partner awards.
Where can I transfer points to Alaska from?
Alaska is a transfer a partner of Marriott but they are not a transfer partner of a major flexible rewards program like Chase, American Express, or Citibank.
Can I book a stopover on a one-way flight?
Yes, Alaska Airlines allows you to book a stopover on a one-way flight.
What are the Alaska airline partners?
American Airlines Aer Lingus British Airways Cathay Pacific Condor EL AL Israel Airlines Emirates Fiji Airways Finnair Hainan Airlines Icelandair Japan Airlines Korean Air LATM Airlines Qantas Singapore Airlines
Final word
As you can tell, Alaska Airlines has some pretty amazing redemptions to offer. The only drawback to the program is that it can be difficult to accumulate miles outside of the Alaska credit cards. However, if you can rack up some miles then you have some of the best sweet spot redemptions to take advantage of along with low fees.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card Review [2020]
The Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card is a superb airlines credit card. You can earn a lot of valuable miles with this card and utilize perks like free checked baggage and a discounted companion fare. The welcome bonus isn’t too shabby, either!
In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card.
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
Welcome bonus
The bonus for the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card will change over time but you might encounter one of the standard offers like 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 or more in the first 90 days after opening up your account.
Alaska has one of the best frequent flyer programs because you can use their miles on some pretty fantastic partners including:
American Airlines
British Airways
Cathay Pacific
Emirates
Japan Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Korean Air
If you fly economy, 40,000 miles is enough to get you all the way over to Asia! But if you are staying put in the US, you could use 40,000 Alaska miles to book a few domestic flights and get you around the US.
Tip: Sometimes you can find offers that come with an additional $50 to $100 statement credit. These offers can sometimes be found by clicking through banners on the Alaska Airlines website.
If you find an offer with an additional statement credit, such as a $100 credit, you will usually receive your credit after you meet the minimum spend requirement.
For example, if the minimum spend requirement is $2,000, after you reach that you will qualify for the mileage bonus and the $100 statement credit. (It may take up to 8 to 12 weeks to receive the credit.)
An example of an offer with a $100 statement credit.
Applicants with a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened seven or more credit cards in the past 12 months.
Applicants without a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened three or more credit cards in the past 12 months
In addition, you have specific rules related to the Alaska Airlines credit card, which state:
This card may not be available to you if you currently have or have had the card in the preceding 24 month period.
The last thing that I will mention is that Bank of America likes to approve customers who hold a bank account with them. So if you don’t have a relationship with them, consider opening up a checking or savings account to improve your approval odds.
So there are a lot of rules to keep in mind when going for this card. I just suggest for you to use the free app WalletFlo so that you can automate your eligibility for credit cards and boost your approval odds!
Bonus categories
3X on Alaska Airlines purchases
1X on all other purchases
3X on Alaska Airlines purchases
You can earn 3X miles on virtually any Alaska Airlines related purchases including:
Alaska Airlines tickets
In-flight food and beverage purchases
Lounge memberships
In-lounge food and beverage purchases
Cargo purchases
Vacation packages billed by Alaska Airlines as the merchant of record and booked directly through Alaska Airlines.
Eligible Alaska Airlines Vacation Packages must be booked via the Alaska Airlines website or by calling the Alaska Airlines Vacation Packages toll free number.
Earning 3X on Alaska Airlines purchases is pretty solid. Many other co-branded airline cards will limit you to only 2X on the airlines so this has other cards beat from that perspective.
I’ve never been big on earning 1X on all purchases considering that cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited offer 1.5X on all purchases.
Still, if it is Alaska miles that you are after, at least you can continue to build that balance up with 1X earnings.
Alaska Airlines travel benefits
Free checked bag
With this card, you can get a free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation. (Just make sure everybody is on the same itinerary to get this benefit.)
You will also need to be on a qualifying flight which means that you will need to fly on flights marketed by Alaska Airlines and operated by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, SkyWest or PenAir (codeshare flights operated by other carriers are not eligible).
Some co-branded airline cards limit the free checked bag to only one companion so getting up to six guests is a nice perk.
A checked bag on Alaska will normally cost you $30 so if you were to use this for six people, you could be saving up to $180 on a one-way flight.
So for many people, this perk alone could justify the annual fee which is already on the lower side at $75.
When you use your Alaska Airlines credit card, you can get discounts on certain purchases. You can use the in-flight purchase discount on things like beverages, food, and internet.
Getting 20% back on in-flight purchases is pretty solid although it is not as good as the JetBlue Plus Card which offers 50% back.
Getting 50% off day passes at Alaska Lounges is really nice because a day pass will normally cost you $50 which means that you’ll be saving about $25 per visit. Not bad.
Tip: If you are really interested in airport lounge access, you might want to consider a card like the Platinum Card that has one of the best lounge access benefits you’ll come across!
Annual companion fare
Each year, you will be issued Alaska’s “Famous” companion fare. This is a one time companion pass that allows a companion to fly with you for only $99 plus fees.
The fees are usually about $22 so the total price for this companion ticket comes out to about $121 each year.
You can use this perk for valid round-trip or one-way coach Companion Fares when traveling on a paid published coach airfare on the same itinerary, booked at the same time on alaskaair.com.
So this is a nice benefit but to get the most out of it you need to find a decently expensive coach fare. Otherwise, your savings could be minimal.
By the way, if you were looking to save on airfare with Alaska Airlines and you reside in the state of Alaska, you might look into Club 49.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Dining
Your card will be automatically enrolled in Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Dining, a dining rewards program where you can earn 1 mile for every $2 spent at participating restaurants.
Additional benefits
“Museums on Us” Program
The Bank of America “Museums on Us Program” is a special program that allows Bank of America customers to visit museums all around the US free of charge on a select weekend each month. Find out more about it here.
Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection
The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection consists of over 900 hotels around the world and offers you special privileges when you use the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection portal to book your hotel stay. Here are some of the perks you can get:
Best available rate guarantee
Automatic room upgrade when available
Complementary in room Wi-Fi when available
Complementary breakfast for two
$25 food and beverage credit
VIP guest status
Late checkout upon request when available
As long as you get approved for the Visa Signature version, you will have this benefit.
Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card FAQ
Does the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card come with MVP elite status?
No, the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card does not come with MVP elite status.
Does the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card come with free checked luggage?
Yes, you can get one free checked bag for you and up to six companions.
Do I have to pay with my Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card to get the free checked bag?
No, you do not have to use your Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card to receive the free checked baggage benefit.
Does the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card offer lounge access?
No, the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card does not provide you with free lounge access but it does offer a 50% discount on day passes to Alaska lounges.
Does the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card have foreign transaction fees?
No, it does not have any foreign transaction fees.
Who issues the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card?
Bank of America is the issuer of the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card.
What is the difference between the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature and Platinum Plus?
In the past, Bank of America would approve customers for the Platinum Plus version of this card if they had a lower credit score. That card came with a lower bonus and less benefits so the Visa Signature is the version that you most likely want to pursue.
Can I get the personal and the business version of this card?
Yes, you can get approved for the personal and the business version of the Alaska Airlines credit card.
Final word
Overall, I am a big fan of this credit card because you can use your miles on some fantastic partners. I also think that it has great earning potential on Alaska Airlines purchases along with solid free checked baggage benefits.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Alaska Airlines buy one get one free sale
If you’ve been considering flying then right now might be a great time to look into the most recent Alaska Airlines buy one get one promotion.
For a limited time, whenever you book one coach class ticket for travel through October 31, 2020, to anywhere that Alaska Airlines flies, you can get one ticket on the same flight for just the taxes and fees.
Since the middle seats are blocked right now, this means that you can get the entire row for yourself and a companion which will make a lot of people feel a lot safer when flying.
You can use this promotion for one-way or round-trip travel but it does not apply on saver or first class fares.
Travel to Hawaii or Mexico is valid Sundays through Wednesdays, travel from Hawaii or Mexico is valid Tuesdays through Fridays, and travel between all other cities is valid Mondays through Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Remember that masks are required and that Alaska Airlines has implemented enhanced cleaning in the aircraft.
To take advantage of the promotion, just follow the steps below:
In the booking form on this page, enter your departure and arrival cities, dates, and 2 travelers.
Enter GETYOURROW into the discount code field, and then click “Find flights” to start your search.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Alaska Airlines Change and Cancellation Policy [2020]
Alaska Airlines has some of the best mileage programs for no fuel surcharges and inexpensive redemptions for premium cabins. However, if you need to change a ticket or cancel, it might cost you.
In this article, I will discuss Alaska Airlines change and cancellation policies for saver fares, refundable, and non-refundable tickets for economy, premium class, and first class. I will then show you step-by-step how to make a change to your Alaska flights and how to cancel your flights.
Alaska Airlines flight change policy
Alaska Airlines is one of the airlines that are cheaper to change a flight, but still not free. I still think the change fees are expensive, but at least it’s cheaper than airlines like Delta. Sadly it’s still not as cheap as Southwest Airlines which has no fees.
Service/fee type
Standard fee
First class (purchased) passenger
First class (award) passenger
First class (upgrade) passenger
Mileage Plan MVP
Mileage Plan MVP Gold or 75K
Same day confirmed changes
$50
$50
$50
$50
$50
Free
Same day confirmed changes for flights entirely within the state of California or in our shuttle markets
$25
$25
$25
$25
$25
Free
Change/cancellation fee
$125
Free for refundable first
$125 for non-refundable first
Free for refundable first
$125 for non-refundable first
$125
$125
Free
Change fee for changes made to travel wholly within the state of Alaska
Free for purchased tickets
$125 for award tickets
Free
Free for refundable first
$125 for non-refundable first
Free
Free for purchased tickets
$125 for award tickets
Free
You may have noticed that main (economy) and first class are shown, but saver is not on the chart. Saver fares aren’t eligible for changes inside or outside of the complimentary 24-hour change/cancellation policy. However, saver fares can cancel within the 24-hour cancellation policy.
Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!
24-hour change/cancellation
Any ticket is eligible for free changes and cancellations within 24 hours of the flight purchase date. Basically, Alaska holds the ticket for 24 hours and then charges you once the 24 hours is up. Therefore, your purchase will post to your credit card statement with a 24 hour delay. However, Alaska will hold the funds on your credit card.
Changing a main or first class ticket can only be changed once during the 24 hour period. You are also responsible for paying the fare difference and taxes.
Do note, tickets made through travel agencies like Expedia, Priceline, Orbits, etc. will have to go through the travel agency’s 24 hours change and cancellation policy.
Prices
Alaska Airlines prices differ based on market, region, flight, and cabin. Please refer to the table above.
Deadline
Saver fares changes are not permitted, but you can cancel the ticket within the 24-hour cancellation policy. Otherwise, you aren’t allowed to make any more modifications to your saver ticket after 24 hours.
Non-refundable tickets changes without fees must be made within the 24-hour change/cancellation policy. Changes made past 24 hours of the ticket purchase are subject to change fees. Changes within 24 hours of the departure are eligible to change the time of the flight leaving the same day with the same departure and arrival airports.
Refundable tickets changes can be made anytime until 24 hours before the departure of your flight. Changes within 24 hours of the departure are eligible to change the time of the flight leaving the same day with the same departure and arrival airports.
Award tickets changes without fees must be made within the 24-hour change/cancellation policy. Changes made past 24 hours of the ticket purchase are subject to change fees. Changes within 24 hours of the departure are eligible to change the time of the flight leaving the same day with the same departure and arrival airports.
Price changes
Flight changes will be subjected to price differences if the value of the new ticket is higher than the original, no matter if you have a refundable or non-refundable ticket, you will have to pay the difference in ticket value. Ticket values that are less in price than the original ticket value, you will receive as an eCredit if your ticket is non-refundable. Refundable tickets will receive a refund of the fare difference.
For example, if you hold a refundable ticket that originally cost $500 and change the flight that now costs $400, you will be refunded $100. However, if you change the flight that costs $600, you will be charged $100 since the value of the new ticket is higher. (The same concept applies to non-refundable tickets, but you have to take into account the change fees.)
Alaska Airlines cancellation fees are a thing compared to Southwest, but still cheaper compared to other airlines. It’s going to be a little similar to fees you see for changing tickets.
Service/fee type
Standard fee
First class (purchased) passenger
First class (award) passenger
First class (upgrade) passenger
Mileage Plan MVP
Mileage Plan MVP Gold or 75K
Change/cancellation fee
$125
Free for refundable first
$125 for non-refundable first
Free for refundable first
$125 for non-refundable first
$125
$125
Free
Cancellation fee for changes made to travel wholly within the state of Alaska
$125
Free for refundable first
$125 for non-refundable first
Free for refundable first
$125 for non-refundable first
$125
$125
Free
You may have noticed that main and first class are shown, but saver is not on the chart. Saver fares can be canceled within the 24-hour cancellation policy, but once it’s out of the 24-hour cancellation policy, you cannot cancel a saver fare ticket.
24-hour change/cancellation
Any ticket is eligible for free changes and cancellations within 24 hours of the flight purchase date. Basically, Alaska holds the ticket for 24 hours and then charges you once the 24 hours is up. Therefore, your purchase will post to your credit card statement with a 24 hours delay. However, Alaska will hold the funds on your credit card.
Changing a main or first class ticket can only be changed once during the 24 hours period. You are also responsible for paying the fare difference and taxes.
Do note, tickets made through travel agencies like Expedia, Priceline, Orbits, etc. will have to go through the travel agency’s 24 hours change and cancellation policy.
Prices
Alaska Airlines prices different from market, region, flight, and cabin. Please refer to the table above.
Deadline
Saver fares allow you to cancel the ticket within the 24-hour cancellation policy. Otherwise, you aren’t allowed to make any more modifications to your saver ticket after 24 hours.
Non-refundable tickets cancellations without fees must be made within the 24-hour cancellation policy. Cancellations made past 24 hours of the ticket purchase are subject to cancellation fees.
Refundable tickets cancellations can be issued anytime up to the flight departure time.
Award tickets cancellations without fees must be made within the 24-hour cancellation policy. Cancellations made past 24 hours of the ticket purchase are subject to cancellation fees.
Refunds
Non-refundabletickets refunds issue as a credit certificate or credit deposit into My wallet. Therefore, you can only use it with Alaska, similar to how one would use a gift card.
Refundable tickets issue as a refund to your original payment method. If you used a credit card, the return would go back to your credit card.
If you have any trip extras or seats that you have purchased as add-ons, some of those will not be refunded, and it depends on each itinerary. Some pre-paid optional services can be refunded like: checked baggage, upgrades (paid or mileage), unaccompanied minor service, pet travel, or therapeutic oxygen.
No-show and missed flights
Alaska’s no-show policy is not lenient at all. If you don’t cancel your ticket before your flight departs, Alaska will apply their no-show policy to your reservation. Meaning, all other flights will be canceled, and you will not get any money credit back if you have a non-refundable ticket.
For refundable tickets, you will get your money back if you do not show.
Alaska Airlines same-day flight changes policy
Within 24 hours of the original departure of your flight, you are able to change your flight to an earlier flight on the same day. Same-day flight changes are only available with non-refundable or refundable tickets in any cabin. Savor fare tickets cannot have same-day flight changes.
The fee is $25 or $50 (check the change section above for fees) for same-day confirmed and same-day standby changes to tickets. Same-day changes are subject to availability for seats in the same cabin. Doing same-day changes won’t always work as it’s based on the availability of open seats.
For example, changing to earlier flights aren’t possible all the time as there might not be an earlier flight or no seats available. However, if there are multiple flights from the airport and you want to change to an earlier flight, the chances are better especially on less business traveled days.
I recommend checking how many seats are available on earlier flights.
The good thing about same-day changes is the fact that you will only be charged the fee if you get a seat. If there is no availability, you won’t be charged for being on same-day standby.
From the homepage, you can type in the confirmation code that you got from booking under the “manage” tab at the top of the website.
If you’re logged into your account, you can select your name at the top of the webpage and access your reservations under “my trips”.
Once on the trip details page, you will select “change” to make any changes to the flight.
On the change a reservation page, you will be shown the options of changing the flight or use the value of this trip to a purchase a new trip. If you wanted to use the value of your ticket on a new purchase, select “Use the value of this trip to purchase a new trip” bubble. That option is great if you want to get rid of your old itinerary and have a totally new one.
Once you click the bubble “make changes to this flight”, you will see the options “keep flight”, “change flight”, and “cancel flight”. Keep flight is self-explanatory, while change flight and cancel flight can change or cancel specific legs on the itinerary.
Since we want to change the flight, you will select “make changes to this trip” and then “change flight”.
Whatever changes you put into your search the next webpage will show the price difference corresponding to your original flight and the new flight.
Once you select the new flights, your new itinerary will be generated with the prices per passenger and the total. Fees and the price differences will be shown on this webpage, but in my example, I have no fare difference as it’s within the 24-hour change/cancellation policy window.
Once you confirm your itinerary, click “proceed to checkout” and that’s when you will provide a method of payment.
You will instantly receive an email confirming the changes and the changes will show up in your trip details.
How to cancel a Delta flight online
From the homepage, you can type in the confirmation code that you got from booking under the “manage” tab at the top of the website.
If you’re logged into your account, you can select your name at the top of the webpage and access your reservations under “my trips”.
Once on the trip details page, you will select “cancel” to make any changes to the flight.
On the next webpage, you will see the flight that you’re about the cancel along with two options. Each option bubble will let you know if you’re eligible for a refund or not.
In this example, select “refund to original form of payment”.
Once you have select confirm, you will be directed to the next screen with your cancellation confirmation along.
As I canceled the flight within the 24-hour cancellation policy window, I was able to avoid the fees. If you had fees, it would show up again on the confirmation page.
You will instantly receive an email with the cancellation confirmation.
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
Canceling or changing an Alaska Airlines flight on the phone
You can make changes or cancel a flight over the phone with Alaska.
How to get Alaska Airlines change and cancellation fees waived
When things go wrong, it’s always best to call. If you have to cancel and want to try to avoid the fees, I really suggest calling.
If you have a specific reason to cancel the flight like you or an immediate family members death or sickness, Alaska might waive the fees. You might have to provide proof. If you don’t fall into either of those categories above, you can call Alaska and ask politely to get the fees waived. That will usually be up to the representative’s digression, but sometimes they waive the fees for being nice and having a good reason.
If you’re an MVP Gold or 75K elite member, all fees will be waived. So, you won’t need to pay any change or cancellation fee, no matter what. If you aren’t an Alaska elite but have status with another airline, you can status match to Alaska airlines for that calendar year.
Third-party ticket change or cancel
If you bought your flight through a travel agency like Expedia and want to change/cancel the ticket. Then, additional fees may apply. The third-party ticketer might charge an extra fee. I recommend always booking with the airline directly unless a third-party agency has a better price with no added fees.
Additional Alaska Airlines tips
I find Alaska Airlines miles some of the best miles for redemptions between North America and Asia for premium cabins on Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. Here are another 7 reasons why Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is a powerhouse program.
If your flight is delayed and need compensation, check out Daniel’s article on flight delay compensation for US carriers like Delta.
Final word
Alaska Airlines is no Southwest Airlines when it comes to free changes and cancellations. However, compared to the big three US airlines, Alaska has cheaper fees with elite benefits that allow one to change and cancel without paying those pesky fees.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
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