Alaska Mileage Plan steadily has promotions focused at California residents, making it simpler to earn elite standing. I assume the airline is struggling to take care of elites in California. Not too long ago we noticed California-based members have entry to a 50% bonus elite miles promotion, and now there’s one other provide for members primarily based in California.
Alaska Mileage Plan standing quick observe provide
Alaska Mileage Plan has introduced a “Coast to Elite Standing” promotion, particularly focused at members primarily based in California. With this:
- Mileage Plan members can earn MVP standing after finishing two qualifying roundtrips
- Mileage Plan members can earn MVP Gold standing after finishing 4 qualifying roundtrips
Solely transcontinental flights from California qualify for this provide. Particularly, this contains the next routes:
- Flights between Los Angeles (LAX) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Newark (EWR), Washington Dulles (IAD), or Washington Reagan (DCA)
- Flights between San Diego (SAN) and Boston (BOS), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Newark (EWR), New York (JFK) or Orlando (MCO)
- Flights between San Francisco (SFO) and Boston (BOS), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Orlando (MCO), Tampa (TPA), Washington Dulles (IAD), or Washington Reagan (DCA)
As you’d count on, there are some phrases to concentrate on:
- That is legitimate for flights between January 1 and March 31, 2023, no matter after they had been booked
- Registration is required previous to your first qualifying flight
- Flights have to be operated and marketed by Alaska Airways
- Solely income tickets qualify towards this, so award flights wouldn’t rely towards this promotion
- Elite standing might be awarded inside 4 to 6 weeks of miles posting to a member’s Mileage Plan account
- Elite standing might be legitimate by way of December 31, 2023
- Solely Mileage Plan members in California (as indicated by the deal with on their Mileage Plan account) are eligible for this provide
My ideas on this Alaska Mileage Plan promotion
It’s attention-grabbing to see how Alaska Airways has so many promotions concentrating on California flyers. I assume that’s not too stunning, when you think about how aggressive the state is for airways. All the “large three” US carriers have not less than one hub there, and Southwest additionally has an enormous presence in California.
So far as this provide goes, this has the potential to be deal, although admittedly it’s solely actually useful for these with out standing, reasonably than present elite members. Over the previous few months we noticed a promotion providing 50% bonus elite miles for California-based Alaska flyers, which most likely had wider attraction.
For context, MVP standing ordinarily requires incomes 20,000 elite miles in a calendar 12 months, whereas MVP Gold standing ordinarily requires incomes 40,000 elite miles in a calendar 12 months. If you happen to assume that every transcon flight is roughly 2,500 miles, you’d earn MVP standing after flying 10,000 miles, and also you’d earn MVP Gold standing after flying 20,000 miles.
Whereas that’s a better path to standing, in the end it’s nonetheless extremely restrictive when it comes to the routes you possibly can fly. Moreover, standing is barely legitimate by way of the tip of 2023, whereas in any other case for those who earned standing in 2023, it could be legitimate by way of all of 2024 as properly.
If you happen to do have elite standing with one other frequent flyer program, remember the fact that Alaska Mileage Plan has a standing match & problem provide, which could be a greater pathway to standing.
Backside line
For the primary quarter of 2023, Alaska Mileage Plan is providing a particular promotion for members primarily based in California. You possibly can earn MVP standing after finishing two transcon journeys, and you may earn MVP Gold standing after finishing 4 transcon journeys. It’s not stunning to see Alaska incentivize California journey, given what a aggressive market it’s.
To Alaska Mileage Plan members, what do you make of this promotion?
(Tip of the hat to SINJim)
