Alaska Airlines Credit Card?

[squirrel]

Is it worth getting?

I travel once a year to WDW. All of the AA credit cards have an annual fee. I don't have any credit cards that I pay an anual fee on.

I noticed that you don't have to pay for baggage if you have a card. Any other perks? I take my niece with me on my trips would she also get free baggage? Neither of us would have more than 2 pieces.

 

[aristocat65]

Is this the card you're talking about?
https://wwwa.applyonlinenow.com/CACCapp/Ctl/entry?sc=CJWM&lc=en_CA

I have this card an I love it, but I'm not aware of free baggage with it. They have a sign up bonus of 25000 miles (enough to get to MCO in off season) and you get a companion ticket for $99.00. The neat thing about the companion ticket is that you can use it with a first class ticket which is an awesome deal. DH and I recently used this for a Bellingham to Las Vegas trip and were in first class for $600 total for both of us. It would have cost us that much to fly coach out of YVR. (and bags ARE free in first class).

Like you I used to be against paying for CC's, but this card is such a great deal and the benefits outweigh the fee. AND similar AEROPLAN cards have a $120 fee, so it is the best of the bunch for west coasters. I put absolutely EVERYTHING on this card, even groceries and accumulate a lot of miles this way. Of course I also pay the bills in full every month and never carry a balance. These cards are not suited to people who do carry balances as they have high interest rates.

If you DO decide to get the card, make sure you sign up for Alaska's Mieage plan first, and sign up for all their newsletters, etc and you'll get bonus miles for doing so.

If you do have info about the free baggage thing, please tell me where it is as I'd be really happy about that

 

[squirrel]

I believe it was on the website that I saw MVP or MVP Gold members received two free bags. Here's a link to what I saw http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/help/faqs/CheckedBaggage.asp

Does anyone know what the board room passes are? I found out that it is a lounge and is available if your flight is delayed.

I don't have a problem with a high interest rate as I also always pay the amount in full when I get the bill.

Sounds like it may be worth paying the $75 annual fee. I will have to check it out a bit more. It looks as though this card doesn't come with the free baggage.

 

[squirrel]

With the approval of the Credit Card you get 25,000 miles.

If I'm reading the correct chart I can get 50% off my return flight and use 20,000 miles. The round trip cost is $356 before taxes/fees. Or if the flight is classed as a supersaver I can use all of the 25,000 miles and get a free flight.

 

[aristocat65]

I believe it was on the website that I saw MVP or MVP Gold members received two free bags. Here's a link to what I saw http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/help/faqs/CheckedBaggage.asp

Does anyone know what the board room passes are? I found out that it is a lounge and is available if your flight is delayed.

I don't have a problem with a high interest rate as I also always pay the amount in full when I get the bill.

Sounds like it may be worth paying the $75 annual fee. I will have to check it out a bit more. It looks as though this card doesn't come with the free baggage.

Unfortunately I have no hope of ever being MVP on leisure travel, so no free bags for me.

The Boardroom is the Alaska Airlines private lounge (similar to Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge) They have big screen TV's, snacks (not nearly as much as Maple Leaf Lounge), free booze, coffee, tea, washrooms, work stations, etc. Your flight doesn't have to be delayed to use it. You do get 2 passes on approval with the card (unfortunately a one time thing)which get you into the lounge once only. A lot of frequent travelers buy annual passes. It is a nice quiet place to pass the time waiting for your flight.

Unfortunately the Boardroom at YVR closed at the end of Dec, but the one in SEA is very nice.

You are right about the miles. When I'm planning a trip I usually go here:
https://www.alaskaair.com/shopping/SSL/shoppingstart.aspx?ShoppingMethod=onlineaward
and choose flexible dates, because like cash tickets the amount of miles needed can very depending on the day you travel. They also change sometimes, so if it looks like 40000 now, it may change depending on how the flight fills up.

Also if you are using miles the amounts needed are usually the same whether you fly from YVR or SEA even though the ticket would cost you a lot more if you were to pay for it.

As you can tell, I'm a little obsessed with mileage points. I love FF miles.

 

[squirrel]

It was hard talking to the Customer Service agent on the phone as there was a delay.

Still not sure if I want to pay for a credit card.

How do you become a MVP? I thought that it was to do with the credit card that you got.

Would I be allowed into the Board Room with a child? I travel with one of my niece's when I go to WDW-they take turns. Too bad they don't offer that every year along with the $99 companion ticket.

The link you posted was better to figure out prices. If the flight prices don't change before I get approved for the credit card my grand total for 2 people return should be about $373.40 US. Not sure if they charge any extra fees on the $99 companion ticket and I included the annual fee into the amount. I also calculated with using the 50% off the ticket prices as I wouldn't have enough miles to get my flight for free. They do allow me to use a discount on my ticket and use the $99 companion ticket at the same time right? I also have a $20 voucher from our last trip as they lost my niece's bag for the first day. I can use that too can't I?

It's looking like I should apply for the credit card.

 

[aristocat65]

It was hard talking to the Customer Service agent on the phone as there was a delay.

Still not sure if I want to pay for a credit card.

How do you become a MVP? I thought that it was to do with the credit card that you got.
MVP is frequent flyer status earned by the number of miles or segments FLOWN. Although you will get miles with your credit card, they won't count toward this status. I've never achieved it and I am a pretty loyal Alaska flyer. Mostly business travellers would get MVP status. This chart explains it:
http://www.alaskaair.com/as/mileageplan/mvpstatus.asp

Would I be allowed into the Board Room with a child? I travel with one of my niece's when I go to WDW-they take turns. Too bad they don't offer that every year along with the $99 companion ticket.
Children are allowed in the boardroom. You might have to use one of the passes for the child, depending on the age

The link you posted was better to figure out prices. If the flight prices don't change before I get approved for the credit card my grand total for 2 people return should be about $373.40 US. Not sure if they charge any extra fees on the $99 companion ticket and I included the annual fee into the amount. I also calculated with using the 50% off the ticket prices as I wouldn't have enough miles to get my flight for free. They do allow me to use a discount on my ticket and use the $99 companion ticket at the same time right? I also have a $20 voucher from our last trip as they lost my niece's bag for the first day. I can use that too can't I?
You can only use the companion ticket with a paid ticket. You cannot combine it with a mileage discounted ticket. You can combine it with other discounts though. For example they emailed me a 10% discount code once and I used it with the companion ticket. You can also use your $20 credit with it. You will pay taxes on the companion ticket of about $50-60 from YVR or about $20 from SEA. If you are planning to book with miles remember there's no need to rush. They often have the whole summer at 40000 miles this far ahead, and reduce some flights (especially the red eyes to 25000 closer to the time. On the other hand if you book one paid ticket and use the companion ticket for the second, remember that Alaska will credit you back if the price on your paid ticket goes down.

It's looking like I should apply for the credit card.

Hope this helps

 

[mkmommy]

I use my Alaska points from this credit card to book AA flights, and I never have trouble getting flights like I do with my aeroplan points.

 

[aristocat65]

I use my Alaska points from this credit card to book AA flights, and I never have trouble getting flights like I do with my aeroplan points.

I agree, availability is way better, and taxes and fees are lower on the flights than Aeroplan. I actually gave Aeroplan a try last year, and went back to the Alaska Card.

OP: Your companion ticket can only be used on Alaska flights, but your miles can be used on any partner such as AA or Delta. You have to search specific dates for the partner fares to show up though; flexible dates will only bring up Alaska flights

 

[squirrel]

Not so sure it's worth it if I can't use the 50% off my ticket and use 20,000 miles and the companion ticket at the same time. I will have to check the prices again and see.

Since I really only travel once a year, I don't see how I would use the miles. The companion ticket helps but if you can't combine them I'm not sure it's worth paying for a credit card.

With the credit (if the flight price decreases) do you have to use the credit within the year that you get the credit or just book another flight within the year? That makes a difference to me as I only go on vacation once a year.

 

[aristocat65]

You usually have a year from the date you got the credit to use it to purchase something else which can then be 335 days in advance. This is my understanding. Also you have a year to make a purchase with the companion ticket, which can then also be 335 days out. So, if you got the card this year and didn't think you wanted to renew it next year, you could use the miles one year and the comp ticket the next even if you no longer have the card.

If You were going to do that, I would use the companion ticket this year, and save the miles for next year's trip as you'd have accrued miles by then to add to what they'll give you by travelling this year and anything you'd have earned on the card. You could quite likely have 40000 by next year if you add the 25000 to the 5000 you'd earn for this year's trip, bonuses earned by purchasing the tickets on Alaskaair.com, signing up for emails, and of course your CC spend.

For me the card is worth it, but it may not be for everyone.

 

[squirrel]

With the cost of the credit card, the $99 companion ticket and my ticket it will be a bit more than what I paid last year for both of us to fly to Orlando. Even if I take off the $20 discount from the luggage that went missing for a day.

Right now the flight I want is $178 US each way.

 

[visitingapril09]

Not so sure it's worth it if I can't use the 50% off my ticket and use 20,000 miles and the companion ticket at the same time. I will have to check the prices again and see.

Since I really only travel once a year, I don't see how I would use the miles. The companion ticket helps but if you can't combine them I'm not sure it's worth paying for a credit card.

With the credit (if the flight price decreases) do you have to use the credit within the year that you get the credit or just book another flight within the year? That makes a difference to me as I only go on vacation once a year.

Yes, we did this for our flights coming up in March. We opened two windows and started two seperate transactions, but wait, how many people do you have going? We had six, so we did three seperate transactions to make use of the 20000 points discount and the companion fair. Worked very well for us. We also have a $140 credit in our 'wallet' as the flight price went down just slightly after we bought them. It must be used within one year of booking. If I am not going to end up using it, I will try and see if I can donate it to Make A Wish or somewhere like that.

 

[visitingapril09]

Another huge benefit, All Alaska's flights from Seattle are direct/nonstop! Even if it costs a tiny bit more, I find that worth it.

 

[squirrel]

Yes, we did this for our flights coming up in March. We opened two windows and started two seperate transactions, but wait, how many people do you have going? We had six, so we did three seperate transactions to make use of the 20000 points discount and the companion fair. Worked very well for us. We also have a $140 credit in our 'wallet' as the flight price went down just slightly after we bought them. It must be used within one year of booking. If I am not going to end up using it, I will try and see if I can donate it to Make A Wish or somewhere like that.

I just have myself and my niece. From what Aristocat posted I can't combine the 50% off using points and the companion rate for my niece.

When you say used, does that include just booking a flight or does it require you to have actually gone on the trip?

One more question, when I logged into the Alaska Airlines website it has my flights from last trip (sep & oct), the miles totalled there don't count as mileage points, they are there to see if I ever get MVP status right? They are the miles flown.

 

[aristocat65]

One more question, when I logged into the Alaska Airlines website it has my flights from last trip (sep & oct), the miles totalled there don't count as mileage points, they are there to see if I ever get MVP status right? They are the miles flown.

If you decide to get the card, the miles will be added to the miles already in your account. They DO count as mileage points (and also as you said count toward MVP status) and are yours to use.

 

[squirrel]

Thanks! I didn't think they counted, but the Credit Card is looking good for one with an annual fee.

NowI just hope I get accepted and that the flight prices don't go up anymore than they are right now.

 

[Seaera]

Does anyone know if you can you get a supplementary card with this credit card? And, if so, how much is it?
If I do decide to get it, it would be nice to get my husband a card too so we can add up those points faster! Thanks...

 

[aristocat65]

Does anyone know if you can you get a supplementary card with this credit card? And, if so, how much is it?
If I do decide to get it, it would be nice to get my husband a card too so we can add up those points faster! Thanks...

You can get supplementary cards and they are free

 

[Seaera]

You can get supplementary cards and they are free

That's great! Thanks for the info.