AA vs Alaska: Which miles are more valuable? | Coffee Break Ep30 | 10-22-24
Oct 22, 2024
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Discover the intriguing similarities and differences between American Airlines and Alaska Airlines loyalty programs. Uncover why each has its own merits, from unique redemption opportunities to award availability. Dive into the future enhancements of Alaska’s Mileage Plan, highlighting advantages like free stopovers. Explore which airline miles might give you the best value for your travels. The debate unfolds on the ideal choice for frequent flyers, blending practical tips with insightful analysis on maximizing your rewards.
American Airlines miles offer a competitive award chart and better availability, making them a strong choice for immediate bookings.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan provides unique value through its hybrid award structure, potentially offering cost-effective options for shorter flights and future enhancements.
Deep dives
American Airlines Advantage
American Airlines miles offer significant advantages due to their competitive award chart, even after the removal of their own award chart for flights on American. The airline has a strong representation with awards ranging from under 30,000 to 80,000 miles for long-haul international flights, such as 57,500 miles to Europe and 75,000 miles to Africa. Additionally, American Airlines has better availability for booking its own flights and allows users to mix and match multiple partners on a single award. This flexibility, combined with the lack of booking fees for partner awards, positions American Airlines as a strong contender for travelers seeking maximum travel value.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Strengths
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan demonstrates unique value through its hybrid distance and zone-based award chart, which can lead to substantial savings, particularly for shorter flights. For instance, travelers can redeem as few as 4,500 Alaska miles for flights under 700 miles, showcasing the program's potential for cost-effective travel. With attractive awards to Europe starting at 22,500 miles in economy and 45,000 in business class, Alaska offers compelling options for East Coast travelers. Furthermore, the upcoming ability to combine partners on a single award and the flexibility of earning elite credits on awards positions Alaska for future growth and value.
Future Outlook and Conclusion
The discussion highlights a nuanced perspective on the value of both American Airlines and Alaska Mileage Plan. Currently, American Airlines proves more useful for immediate bookings due to its route network and award availability, especially for travelers needing to book quickly. However, there is a prevailing sentiment that Alaska's program is poised for enhanced value as it rolls out new features, thus becoming more competitive over time. Both programs have their respective strengths, but as Alaska continues to evolve, travelers may find its miles increasingly advantageous in the long run.
In a lot of ways, American Airlines and Alaska are similar programs - both in the One World alliance for example, with some reciprocal elite benefits as well. But they're plenty different as well. We'll discuss how these programs differ and why you mind find one better than the other.
(00:26) - Comparing AA to the new Alaska program (starting 1/1/25)
(00:34) - American Airlines and Alaska are Similar programs in a lot of ways...
(01:48) - Why AA miles might be more valuable...
(05:30) - Why Alaska miles may be more valuable...
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Music Credit – Beach Walk by Unicorn Heads
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