Question about flight to Alaska

[uvasag]

My cruise sails on july 13th 2015 . I will probably arrive in Alaska a week before to do the land portion. We are a family of 4 flying from Detroit to Anchorage or Fairbanks and departing from Seattle back to Detroit. I'm trying to use my frequent flier miles but they are scattered all over and I don't have enough in one airline to book 4 tix. This is what I'm thinking. If anybody has better suggestion please let me know.

 

1. Sign up for US Airways credit card. For an annual fee of $89 I get 40,000 miles, 2 companion tix for $99 with one paid tix. So if I were to buy one tix, I get 2 tix for $99 each and the 4th tix could be redeemed with my award miles. What do you think ?

 

2. I have the following miles with various airlines. Any possibility of getting free tix out of them. I need atleast 2 tix in one airlines as our children cannot fly alone.

 

US Air - 35,000 in mine and 35,000 in my husband's

Delta - 49,000 in mine and 31,000 in my husbands

United - 64,000 in mine and 12,500 in my husbands

American Airlines - 26,000 in mine

[JosieRhodes]

My cruise sails on july 13th 2015 . I will probably arrive in Alaska a week before to do the land portion. We are a family of 4 flying from Detroit to Anchorage or Fairbanks and departing from Seattle back to Detroit. I'm trying to use my frequent flier miles but they are scattered all over and I don't have enough in one airline to book 4 tix. This is what I'm thinking. If anybody has better suggestion please let me know.

 

1. Sign up for US Airways credit card. For an annual fee of $89 I get 40,000 miles, 2 companion tix for $99 with one paid tix. So if I were to buy one tix, I get 2 tix for $99 each and the 4th tix could be redeemed with my award miles. What do you think ?

 

2. I have the following miles with various airlines. Any possibility of getting free tix out of them. I need atleast 2 tix in one airlines as our children cannot fly alone.

 

US Air - 35,000 in mine and 35,000 in my husband's

Delta - 49,000 in mine and 31,000 in my husbands

United - 64,000 in mine and 12,500 in my husbands

American Airlines - 26,000 in mine

 

 

In August 2013, United opened up their AK routes for summer 2014, and I was able to get four "super saver" award seats for 100,000 miles total - 25,000 for each round trip ticket. However, it took me about two weeks monitored what was available and ended up flying from nearby airport vs normal home airport. I knew my whole budget was based on getting super saver awards so I booked the first routing that would work for us/could live with. By the time we actually flew in June 2014, ended up with much better routing due to calling united every time they made a change to scheduling which allowed me to modify route to our advantage, no additional cost.

 

The round trip 25,000 ticket covered flying to Anchorage from Albany and from Vancouver back to Albany.

 

Also, think united offers credit card deal with miles bonus plus free one bag (no luggage charge) per trip for card holder and companion, etc.

 

Good luck

 

Karen

[uvasag]

In August 2013, United opened up their AK routes for summer 2014, and I was able to get four "super saver" award seats for 100,000 miles total - 25,000 for each round trip ticket. However, it took me about two weeks monitored what was available and ended up flying from nearby airport vs normal home airport. I knew my whole budget was based on getting super saver awards so I booked the first routing that would work for us/could live with. By the time we actually flew in June 2014, ended up with much better routing due to calling united every time they made a change to scheduling which allowed me to modify route to our advantage, no additional cost.

 

The round trip 25,000 ticket covered flying to Anchorage from Albany and from Vancouver back to Albany.

 

Also, think united offers credit card deal with miles bonus plus free one bag (no luggage charge) per trip for card holder and companion, etc.

 

Good luck

 

Karen

 

Karen,

 

I've read about the great tix using super saver awards. But as per their site it is available only from certain cities and Detroit is not one of them. Come to think of it neither is Albany. How did you get them ?

 

Thanks,

 

Rita

Edited July 28, 2014 by uvasag

[Italy52]

There are a couple of options that we have used in the past:

 

1: DH and I combine FF mileage accounts in order to get tickets --- there is a fee for this --- your airline website should have this information.

 

2. DH and I purchase miles for our FF mileage accounts if we need just a few extra miles to purchase tickets --- there is a fee for this --- your airline website should have this information.

 

I would start by checking to see how many miles you need for each airline in question and go from there to decide what is the best possible way to get what you want.

 

Good luck.

[genealogyfan]

Was able to get a super saver award one way to Anchorage and a regular saver on the return flight from Vancouver. Also United had some surcharge miles to/from Alaska - so total for two of us was 75,000 miles

[JosieRhodes]

Karen,

 

I've read about the great tix using super saver awards. But as per their site it is available only from certain cities and Detroit is not one of them. Come to think of it neither is Albany. How did you get them ?

 

Thanks,

 

Rita

 

 

Hi,

 

 

Hmm, I didn't think united limited by city per se, though sometimes tough to get dates u want. Edited - looking at the chart, I guess the best deals are for flying within 700 miles, and I guess our 25k round trip was just a "saver" deal but it seemed "super" to me vs the std 50k award for round trip. We also extended on land trip a bit in order to snag a flight (not really a hardship:p). Anyhow it looks like award travel is available thru June, but I plugged in May 2105 to play around with it.

 

I went to united.com and to link to book with awards

 

You can see that the yellow dates are available via albany

 

Detroit seems tough right now, couldn't see any seat in May, what about from Cleveland,,, 2 1/2 hr drive depending what side of Detroit u are on... Or maybe fly out of Toronto, etc. just some thoughts to look around if a bit of driving would be ok for a great deal,,.

 

 

Also took screen shot of award chart from united... As looks like two types of saver awards, we got the 25k from Albany (not that 20k one, maybe that is further restricted?)

 

Hope it helps, it can be frustrating as they do limit super saver availability...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 29, 2014 by JosieRhodes

[RaiderCruiser]

You may be able to combine your USAir & A/A miles by the time you need them since they have merged. I was able to use US Air mileage R/T from Houston to Anchorage for 50000miles each and $35

[uvasag]

As per their website US Air and AA miles will be combined sometime next year. Do you think waiting till Jan. or Feb. for a flight in July is ok ? From what I've read the flights need to be booked right at the 330 day mark when the schedule is announced.

 

Thank you all so far for all the input. I really appreciate them.

[epixx]

Ask your question on the "cruise air" forum of this website. You will find some extremely savvy road (er air) warriors there. Good luck.

[uvasag]

Ask your question on the "cruise air" forum of this website. You will find some extremely savvy road (er air) warriors there. Good luck.

 

Thank you. Didn't know of that forum. Will do that. :)