After American Airways and Alaska Airways expanded reciprocal improve advantages earlier this 12 months, we needed to see simply how far American Airways AAdvantage elite advantages may go when flying Alaska Airways. So I booked a flight from Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) to San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) to check out my AAdvantage Govt Platinum privileges.
Spoiler alert: Having American AAdvantage elite standing can dramatically enhance your Alaska Airways flight expertise.
All American Airways elite members are eligible for perks like upgrades and complimentary checked baggage on customary economic system fares on Alaska. Nevertheless, Alaska offers the very best first-class improve precedence to American AAdvantage Govt Platinum and Platinum Professional members — simply behind its personal Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K and MVP Gold 75K elite members and forward of its MVP Gold elites.
Together with an enhanced floor expertise and upgrades to the airline’s Premium Class or firstclass, right here’s a better have a look at what you’ll be able to anticipate as an American Airways elite touring on Alaska Airways.
American AAdvantage elite perks on Alaska Airways
As an AAdvantage elite member, you get further accomplice perks past the usual Oneworld elite advantages when touring on Alaska Airways. This is a have a look at a few of the revealed American Airways AAdvantage elite standing perks for journey on Alaska Airways.
| Advantages | AAdvantage Gold | AAdvantage Platinum | AAdvantage Platinum Professional | AAdvantage Govt Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precedence boarding | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Precedence safety | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Most well-liked seating (Not relevant on Alaska saver fares) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free checked baggage | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Precedence baggage tagging | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Complimentary same-day flight change | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Complimentary Premium Class seats (Not relevant on Alaska saver fares) | Y, B or H fares after ticket buy; all different fares at 24 hours earlier than departure | Y, B, H, Okay, M, L, V, S or N fares after ticket buy; all different fares at 72 hours earlier than departure | Shortly after ticket buy | Shortly after ticket buy |
| Upgrades to firstclass (Not relevant on Alaska saver fares) | As early as 24 hours earlier than departure | As early as 48 hours earlier than departure | As early as 120 hours earlier than departure | As early as 120 hours earlier than departure |
American elite members additionally obtain the usual Oneworld standing perks on Alaska, akin to precedence check-in and bonus mileage incomes. American Airways AAdvantage Platinum, Platinum Professional and Govt Platinum members can entry Alaska Lounges on eligible worldwide itineraries, too.
For those who’re an American Airways AAdvantage elite, you’ll be able to typically obtain these perks no matter whether or not you buy your ticket by way of American, Alaska or a web-based journey company. Nonetheless, you may not obtain these perks on specifically negotiated fares that some on-line journey companies provide.
I purchased my ticket by way of the Capital One journey portal; I charged the $278.90 airfare on my Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card (see charges and charges) to earn 5 miles per greenback on the acquisition.
My S-fare ticket earned 2,031 AAdvantage miles: 923 miles for 50% of the particular distance and 1,108 miles for the 120% Govt Platinum accrual bonus. Sure, American Airways AAdvantage members earn mileage primarily based on distance moderately than spend on Alaska Airways tickets.
Join our day by day e-newsletter
Associated: How I’ve benefited from being an Alaska MVP Gold 100K when flying American
Add your AAdvantage quantity to your reservation
Shortly after I bought my Alaska Airways flight, Capital One despatched me my Alaska Airways affirmation quantity. To make sure your AAdvantage quantity is on the reservation, you’ll be able to handle your reservation immediately on Alaskaair.com.
This is a crucial step — in any other case, you may not obtain your standing advantages. You can too add your Recognized Traveler Quantity (used for TSA PreCheck) right here.
Associated: Do you have to get International Entry or TSA PreCheck?
Deciding on Premium Class seating on the seating map
As an AAdvantage Govt Platinum member, I may choose a complimentary seat in Premium Class (Alaska’s model of extra-legroom coach with some premium economy-style perks) after I booked my flight. This could have been an additional $81 on my itinerary.
The primary advantages of Alaska Premium Class are 4 inches extra legroom than the usual most important cabin seats, precedence boarding (which is already a profit for AAdvantage elite members) and complimentary beer, wine and cocktails on flights larger than 350 miles.
AAdvantage Gold and Platinum members can choose Premium Class seats when reserving on some greater economy-class fares; in any other case, you will mechanically be added to the Premium Class waitlist, which Alaska begins clearing 72 hours earlier than departure.
I may additionally handle my reservation on the Alaska Airways app. To view your flight within the Alaska app, you will need to manually add it with the affirmation quantity. It is because you’ll be able to’t signal into the Alaska app together with your American AAdvantage account. Likewise, Alaska flights that are not booked by way of American do not seem within the American Airways app. Whereas it is a small ache level, it is value declaring, as you will need to maintain your affirmation quantity helpful to make the most of all of your advantages.
Associated: What’s Alaska Airways elite standing value?
Upgrades to firstclass
American Airways elite members of any tier and as much as one companion on the identical reservation are eligible for first-class upgrades on Alaska flights. This is how Alaska prioritizes upgrades:
- Alaska MVP Gold 100K
- Alaska MVP Gold 75K
- American AAdvantage Concierge Key, Govt Platinum and Platinum Professional members
- Alaska MVP Gold
- American AAdvantage Platinum
- Alaska MVP
- American AAdvantage Gold members
A couple of days earlier than departure, I observed two unsold first-class seats. To my nice shock, Alaska upgraded me to the final accessible seat in firstclass after I checked in for my flight about 24 hours earlier than departure. Since my Govt Platinum AAdvantage frequent flyer quantity was hooked up to the reservation, Alaska processed this improve mechanically.
Alaska has three rows of first-class recliner seats on the Boeing 737-800 I used to be flying, configured in a 2-2 sample.
This is how they stack up towards the economic system and Premium Class seats:
| Economic system class | Premium class | Top quality | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 3-3 | 3-3 | 2-2 |
| Seat pitch | 31 to 32 inches | 35 inches | 41 inches |
| Seat recline | 3 inches | 3 inches | 5 inches |
| Seat width | 16.5 to 17.3 inches | 16.5 to 17.3 inches | 20.45 inches |
The primary-class armchair on my flight was snug however dated. For a four-hour flight, it was completely effective however lacked the storage and privateness of the next-generation first-class recliner seats that you will discover on the Delta Airbus A321neo and a few of United’s reconfigured Airbus A319s.
The recliner was according to what American and United provide on the identical plane, though there was no seat pocket for first-row aisle seat passengers. On the service aspect, there have been no blankets accessible.
Associated: The last word information to getting upgraded on Alaska Airways
Pre-booked alternative of meal (if upgraded)
After my improve cleared, I may pre-order breakfast for my flight the following morning with a alternative of 5 entrees.
As soon as on board, the pinnacle flight attendant confirmed my pre-ordered rooster sausage breakfast bowl. The dish was salty however hearty. The recent seasonal fruit hit the spot. Nevertheless, I traveled this route final 12 months on American, the plain bagel with smoked salmon they served was rather more filling.
Associated: Finest home first-class flights and the right way to e book them
Identical-day flight adjustments
If accessible, AAdvantage Platinum Professional and Govt Platinum elites can change to an earlier or a later flight freed from cost by way of the Alaska app. While you change flights, you will be confirmed in your authentic cabin, which, in my case, would have been economic system.
Alaska requires you to maintain the identical origin, vacation spot and connection cities for same-day adjustments. Moreover, your new flight should depart on the identical calendar day as your initially scheduled flight.
You may request a same-day change whereas checking in in your flight on Alaskaair.com or on Alaska’s app.
Associated: The right way to keep away from airline change and cancellation charges
Baggage advantages
Oneworld Ruby (American AAdvantage Gold) and Sapphire (American AAdvantage Platinum) members are entitled to 2 complimentary checked baggage on Alaska flights. Companions on the identical reservation are topic to Alaska’s customary baggage charges.
Oneworld Emerald (AAdvantage Platinum Professional and Govt Platinum) members are entitled to a few complimentary checked baggage. As with the Ruby and Sapphire coverage, companions are topic to Alaska’s customary baggage charges.
As a Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald elite member, Alaska will place a precedence tag in your checked bag.
I wasn’t checking baggage on my flight. If I had been and did not have elite standing, I might have been charged $30 for the primary one, $40 for the second and a whopping $100 for a 3rd.
Associated: Earn bonus miles with checked bag ensures from Delta and Alaska
Precedence boarding
I arrived at my gate early whereas brokers have been closing the earlier flight.
In concept, Alaska affords precedence boarding to first-class passengers and all Oneworld elite members. Nevertheless, the location of the boarding signal and the small boarding space weren’t conducive to precedence boarding.
Nonetheless, the gate brokers successfully saved the boarding space clear till preboarding and precedence boarding passengers have been known as ahead. No matter your cabin, American Airways elites can make the most of precedence boarding with Teams A and B.
Associated: Which airline bank cards provide the very best precedence boarding perks?
How does this have an effect on my airline elite standing technique?
As a San Francisco-based traveler, the following time I am flying a United hub-to-hub route, I will remember to verify the Alaska Airways choices within the hopes of spending extra time in firstclass than I might be prone to get pleasure from on United.
Within the final couple of years, it has been frequent to seek out United flights with improve waitlists with greater than 100 passengers on wide-body, hub-to-hub United routes. At the same time as a Premier 1K, I’ve discovered upgrades to be few and much between.
Final 12 months, I solely obtained upgrades on about 15% of my eligible United flights. This led me to pursue American Airways standing by incomes status-qualifying Loyalty Factors to obtain extra upgrades. I am prone to proceed with American thanks, not solely to my elite perks on the airline itself, but additionally on companions like Alaska.
Associated: Why Premium Plus and better fare lessons are the key to United upgrades
Backside line
With the Alaska-American partnership, elite members with each airways’ frequent flyer applications obtain tangible value-added standing advantages with each airways.
I used to be thrilled with the perks I obtained on my Alaska flight because of my standing with American. Essentially the most notable was a first-class improve, particularly contemplating six different passengers on my Sunday morning departure weren’t cleared off the primary class waitlist.
Alaska elite members obtain related reciprocal perks on many American Airways flights. TPG’s managing editor for information, Clint Henderson, held top-tier Alaska MVP 100K standing final 12 months, and he loved frequent upgrades on American Airways. Moreover, Alaska’s higher elite members obtain American Airways systemwide improve(s), whereas American Airways elite members do not obtain Alaska Gold visitor improve certificates.
In the end, it is as much as you to resolve whether or not you need to earn standing with American or Alaska. Keep in mind that Alaska requires you to finish two, six, 12 and 24 Alaska-marketed and operated flights to qualify for MVP, MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K and MVP 100K standing, respectively — along with the annual standing necessities. However, American would not have any flight phase necessities to earn AAdvantage standing.
I am wanting ahead to maximizing my American standing on future Alaska flights.
Associated studying:
