Here is what is stopping me from visiting more often --- airfare

[bigsmooth]

Oh, and by the way Bigsmouth, you can get a card in your name and your sig other or spouse's name and have two companion fares a year! Also, the sign up mileage. That's what my DH and I did. Also check out the dining promotion going on right now.

Deb

Excellent suggestion, however guess what card my wife carries? The Disney card. She uses it for all work expenses, that way we can get some freebies during or Disney trip as well.

 

[Esmerelda]

bfrosty...yes I was referring to by the time we leave our house...get to the airport (the 2 hour suggestion by them)....check in...go thru security...board...then change planes....board again....we have spent 8 hours. My hubby and I did this last June to Orlando. We left our home at 4am and didn't actually land in Orlando until noon. By the time we got our bags and then p/u our rental (Emerald Aisle)...it was nearly 9 hours. We can drive there from where we live in around 14 hrs so for 5 more hours...we could have brought all that we would have liked too...and had our own vehicle. (I pack lightly when I fly) We will make minimal stops so it will be a quick trip driving. I feel blessed that we have this option because if we live out west (or across the pond)...it would definitely be an airline trip.

hope that help clear my statement up somewhat better...

PS...I just checked SW out of curiousity....its been 2 months since I last checked...airfare for the 4 of us to fly out of Columbus, OH....$1318.00 I know I will not spend even 1/3 of that driving...thank god...wheww

 

[rutgers1]

I am not familiar with how the air miles on credit cards work. If I were to get the Alaska card, how much money would I have to spend in a year in order to get tickets....and how many would I get? If I understood the Jet Blue card, I had to spend like $20,000 to get a single ticket. That didn't seem like a great deal.

 

[limace]

I am not familiar with how the air miles on credit cards work. If I were to get the Alaska card, how much money would I have to spend in a year in order to get tickets....and how many would I get? If I understood the Jet Blue card, I had to spend like $20,000 to get a single ticket. That didn't seem like a great deal.

Well, I use a combination of things. First, I have a frequent flier account with Alaska, so that accumulates miles. Check out their website (alaskaairlines.com); there are always promotions going. You get miles flown, sometimes double miles for certain destinations, miles on their partner airlines, miles for other places like car rentals.

Second, with an Alaska credit card, you get one $50 companion ticket every year-basically, buy one ticket, get the second for $50. That's a great deal-saves several hundred dollars, and it's very easy to redeem. Right now, in addition, the bonus for getting the card is ...20,000 miles, so there's your first ticket.

Third, this is my only credit card. You'll get a mile per dollar; two miles for every dollar spent on Alaska or Horizon tickets.If you're really good about paying off your card every month, do what we do: put as many regular bills onto your card, then have an automatic payment from your checking account in the same amount every month. I know folks who've paid mortgages and college tuition. Even if you just pay, say, utilities, cel phone, phone, groceries, you could easily accumulate 10,000 more miles a year and not have paid any interest.

I'd just add that I'd fly Alaska and Horizon whenever possible without being a member of their mileage plan. Their customer service is almost always head and shoulders above other airlines. And on Horizon, you even get a free glass of wine or microbrew!

 

[50 years Too!]

Limace,

Thanks for reminding me, even though the direct flight from Portland to Orlando is being cancelled, I'll get my glass of vino on the commuter to Seattle!
It's all good when you are flying to WDW.

Deb

 

[50 years Too!]

I know we PNW's sound like we all work for Alaska--but another good idea for those of you who have your children fly a couple times of year.

Make sure they have a frequent flyer #. It only takes 7,500 miles to get a one way ticket reduced $125. Alaska allows tickets to be purchased one way without paying a penalty charge. It is really easy to accumulate these within a family. Alaska also gives a minimum of 500 miles for commuter trips. So for us a flight to Seattle and then a change of plane to Orlando racks up approx 3250 miles. One roundtrip from Portland with web checkin and you have 7500 miles.

The first web check in is an automatic 1000 miles! I've also been known to order flowers for up to 25 miles per dollar for Mother's Day, etc. and use their flyer number for the points.

Deb

 

[rutgers1]

I was just reading the Alaskan site. They say 1 mile for each dollar spent. That sounded too good to be true, and then I found out that it was. My co-worker said that a mile isn't really a mile in the air. So, if that is not the case, how many "miles" do you need to get a free ticket?

 

[bigsmooth]

I was just reading the Alaskan site. They say 1 mile for each dollar spent. That sounded too good to be true, and then I found out that it was. My co-worker said that a mile isn't really a mile in the air. So, if that is not the case, how many "miles" do you need to get a free ticket?

Depends, as with most airline programs. Reason why Alaska is so highly rated is the flexibility they offer.

20,000 miles is 1 RT ticket. However, these awards are based on seats that are released to be available for frequent flyer redemption. During busy seasons, there may not be many. Key is to book early.

40,000 miles is 1 RT ticket- essentially same as cash. Meaning if none of the above awards is available, then you pay this amount. We regulary have been able to get the 20K awards, only time we have not was over the NY holiday period last year.

15,000 miles allows you to get 50% off the published fare for a RT ticket. This is nice because you still can earn miles on the trip. So from Seattle, the RT ticket flight earns over 5K miles, so the true cost of this award is then under 10K miles.

Then as others have discussed, if you have the credit card then each year you get a $50 companion fare coupon. You end up paying an annual fee, which is I believe $60 or $75, can't remember. So for our trips to Florida, we purchase 1 ticket full fare, one ticket for $50, and then use miles for the remaining two tickets. We spend everything on the card each year, paying the balance off in full each month.

I've been a member of the United and NW airline programs (travel a lot for work) unimpressed with the lack of flexibility with both. If you live in the Northwest, then Alaska offers a really good program with loads of flexibility.

 

[allison k]

We're flying first class this year!

Well, it's not because we can really afford it! It's because coach is soooo expensive.

We were hoping to use our 100K+ miles on AA for 4 tix, but no availability at the 25K level. DH was thinking of using the AAnytime for 50K each ticket and then buying 2 tix. Then we checked airfare. Ouch! From John Wayne, we were looking at a cheapest airfare of $500 and only slight improvement out of LAX. And these weren't great flights either. For a direct flight out of LAX, we were looking at 600+ each ticket. AA also has a 45K level for Business with restrictions. I realized that it cost about $100-200 over the cost of the coach seats if we buy the extra miles to get us to the level needed for 4 business class tickets. The only part that's not perfect is that I'll be going out 5 days early on my own with our 6 yo DD and 17 mo DS. I'm actually not too worried about it, DH is. I'm excited because I just extended my vacation by 5 days and will have some extra time to get the kids acclimated to the time change and weather by the time DH gets there.

I'm just happy I convinced the DH that we could actually do first class for once. I was able to fly business to Japan when I was 14 and always wanted to do it again!

 

[jenelope]

I get e-mail alerts from all the budget airlines, and I've gotten very flexible with my flights. For instance, on this trip, I'm flying down to Orlando and my parents are picking me up in their motorhome. I was going to fly down on a Thursday morning, but found out that I could save $40 by taking an evening flight the day before. Now my parents are picking me up at 12:30 AM and we're boondocking the first night before moving to Ft. Wilderness. I'm flying on Airtran for the first time on my brother's recommendation. Including taxes and fees, my RT fare is $169.50 from Detroit. It's not the most convenient time, but it works for me.

 

[rigsby25]

Excellent suggestion, however guess what card my wife carries? The Disney card. She uses it for all work expenses, that way we can get some freebies during or Disney trip as well.

Correct this right away. With the disney card you get dollar for dollar value. With the mileage card you get a ticket.

 

[50 years Too!]

I have both Alaska and Disney Card.

Actually, I usually get more value with Alaska. For instance, a trip home from Bellingham for my son would have been $168 one way. I was able to use 7,500 miles to bring it down to $43. I spent $7,500 to earn that. On Disney card $7,500 would net me $75. Alaska miles were worth $50 more in value.

I used 20,000 miles for my trip to Orlando in October. The fare was listed for over $400. Again, was worth $2 for every $100 put on the card. Disney would only be worth $1.

And yes, I probably could have found an inconvenient flight that transferred planes in the middle of the country on what I consider a less friendly in the skies airline for around $300, but the convenience of a coast to coast direct flight will always be worth it to me. I've been stuck in Texas and Minnesota more than once because of weather, and have missed my connection. Let's not even talk about Chicago connections!

Believe me, I've worked these numbers numerous times and it always comes out ahead. Especially with the $50 companion fare.

Deb

 

[50 years Too!]

Rigsby, I see you live in Illinois. An Alaska card wouldn't be worth it for you.
You have the luxury of living near a hub, where you have lots of choices of inexpensive airfare. We Pacific Northwesterners love our Alaska!

Allison enjoy your first class. I love it when I get to fly first class!