Mileage Plan, the carrier’s loyalty program, receives high marks
Alaska Airlines is unique among US carriers. It is not a member of one of the global airline alliances (Oneworld, SkyTeam, or Star Alliance), yet several major carriers partner with Alaska Airlines: American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, and Hawaiian from North America; Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, KLM, LAN, and Qantas from international gateways. As a result, Mileage Plan has an extensive menu of domestic and global mileage earning and redemption possibilities.Why this program?
Now here’s the kicker: You don’t have to fly Alaska to get in on the advantages, because the airline sells its miles and puts no limit (highly unusual) on the amount you can buy. The cost is about $27 (tax included) per 1,000 miles and there are no service charges for online purchases. Go to: https://buymileageplanmiles.points.com/buy/init.do (You can also get Alaska Airlines miles via Diners Club points and Starwood Starpoint transfers.)Additional perks
Mileage Plan has some great award values with its partner airlines. While many awards require the same or just slightly more miles than the partner award level, in several cases Mileage Plan partner awards for international travel can be redeemed for significantly fewer miles than the partner airline requires of its own frequent flyer members.Here are some gold nuggets from the Mileage Plan award tables:
Asia awards
1. The Mileage Plan partner award for Northwest Airlines to Asia in Business Class is 90,000 miles—while Northwest charges 120,000 miles for the same award.2. Alaska Airlines’ partner award for Cathay Pacific between North America and Asia is 90,000 miles for Business Class, and 120,000 miles in First Class. Cathay Pacific, on the other hand, offers awards based on flight miles, with a round-trip New York-Hong Kong Business Class rate of 120,000, and First Class at 180,000 miles.
Australia/New Zealand
3. Alaska offers First Class travel on Qantas between North America and Australia for 140,000 miles, and Business Class for 110,000 miles. Qantas (if you can believe it) charges its own frequent flyers 384,000 points for a New York-Melbourne round-trip in First Class, 192,000 miles for Los Angeles-Sydney round-trip in Business Class.4. As a bonus, one more Australian city can be added for 40,000 miles in Business, or 25,000 miles in coach, when flying Qantas on an Alaska Airlines mileage ticket.
5. Mileage Plan offers a Cathay Pacific award to Australia for 100,000 miles in Business Class, 135,000 miles in First Class. This is an opportunity to see Asia and continue Down Under on a single award.
6. Another partner award between North America and Australia, this one on British Airways, is only 150,000 miles in First Class; a savings of 270,000 miles over BA Executive Club’s own program. British Airways raised its own award redemption level in 2003 by one-and-a-half times for premium economy, two times for Business, and three times for First Class. This increased the cost of a North America to Australia First Class award from 150,000 miles to 420,000 miles. Alaska Airlines just raised the redemption levels of a British Airways North America to Europe award on May 1, 2006, while leaving the BA award levels the same from North America to Africa, Asia, and Australia. It may take some diligence to secure a First Class award on BA with your Mileage Plan miles. Also, keep in mind that BA allows an award stopover each way, making possible side trips to London, Singapore, or Bangkok.
Africa, the Middle East, and India
7. A Mileage Plan partner award on British Airways from North America to Africa or India is 140,000 miles in Business Class, 160,000 miles in First Class. BA Executive Club charges 180,000 miles for Business Class, 270,000 miles for First Class.8. Mileage Plan’s Cathay Pacific partner award to Africa, the Middle East, and India is 125,000 in Business Class; the 140,000 miles in First Class is even less than the BA partner award. New York-Hong Kong-Delhi would be 210,000 miles in First Class using Cathay Pacific Asia miles.