Alaska Airlines - when will they extend booking date

[Luanne]

Does anyone know when Alaska Airlines will open flights for booking beyond early March 2018? I couldn't find it on their website and when I tried to use their online chat with "Jen", she couldn't understand my question.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Alaska opens flights 330 days before departure.

 

[Luanne]

Thanks Steve. So is it a rolling date change?

 

[bizaro86]

Yes. That is the way the vast majority of airlines load flights, southwest being an exception.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Thanks Steve. So is it a rolling date change?

Yes.

It also means that if you are booking a round trip, you won't be able to book the entire flight until 330 days before your return flight. If you book outbound and return separately, you can book each of them at their respective 330-day windows.

Note that Alaska does not offer a discount for a round trip ticket. Each leg books at it's own price.

 

[Luanne]

Yes.

It also means that if you are booking a round trip, you won't be able to book the entire flight until 330 days before your return flight. If you book outbound and return separately, you can book each of them at their respective 330-day windows.

Note that Alaska does not offer a discount for a round trip ticket. Each leg books at it's own price.

Thanks. I did know that I could book each leg separately with no penalty. I did that a few years back. I just need to pin down the dates we'll be going and then I can start booking.

I should have realized the 330 day thing. I know that's how United operates, it's just that I've been using Southwest so much lately, or been booking closer to the date I fly.

 

[Chrispee]

Note that Alaska does not offer a discount for a round trip ticket. Each leg books at it's own price.

Alaska does sometimes give lower prices four round trip and higher if booked two one way flights. I haven't seen it very often, but I noticed it on my last two Hawaii trips.

Luanne, are you paying or using miles? In my experience the price for the first 24 hours exactly is inflated, and for miles it's the opposite.

 

[Luanne]

Alaska does sometimes give lower prices four round trip and higher if booked two one way flights. I haven't seen it very often, but I noticed it on my last two Hawaii trips.

Luanne, are you paying or using miles? In my experience the price for the first 24 hours exactly is inflated, and for miles it's the opposite.

I'd like to use miles.

 

[buzglyd]

I've been waiting patiently. We have a Playa Del Carmen trip booked in March and r/t fares to CUN out of LAX are only $273 right now on Virgin.

I need that fare to stick about another two weeks!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Alaska does sometimes give lower prices four round trip and higher if booked two one way flights. I haven't seen it very often, but I noticed it on my last two Hawaii trips.

Luanne, are you paying or using miles? In my experience the price for the first 24 hours exactly is inflated, and for miles it's the opposite.

I'll be on the lookout. Much of the time when I'm booking Hawaii travel I check booking both as one-ways and RT, because I'm trying to figure out what payment option I like best (companion fare, miles, miles+money RT, and miles+money one-way).

 

[Chrispee]

I'll be on the lookout. Much of the time when I'm booking Hawaii travel I check booking both as one-ways and RT, because I'm trying to figure out what payment option I like best (companion fare, miles, miles+money RT, and miles+money one-way).

That's exactly what happened to me. I booked the outbound with miles, and paid for the return flight. It was frustrating because the return flight was $50 cheaper when booked roundtrip and there were three of us!

 

[Chrispee]

I'd like to use miles.

My experience is that Alaska often only opens up 2 award seats on Hawaii flights at the lowest mileage amount. Is it just one or two of you traveling?

 

[Luanne]

My experience is that Alaska often only opens up 2 award seats on Hawaii flights at the lowest mileage amount. Is it just one or two of you traveling?

Two of us traveling.

I looked yesterday and for the route, and time, I wanted I could find two seats at the 17.K points. It was a day earlier than we planned to fly, but would work. Today those same seats are 40K points. Problem is we're still not really locked down on exact dates we'll be traveling.

And I hate to say it, but United actually has the better times for flights to and from Maui (to the San Francisco Bay area). More choices, better times.

 

[Rjbeach2003]

I'm starting to see Alaska as more difficult to get good flight durations in any fashion. My preferred airline is Alaska, but prices have gone up everywhere they fly.
Bummer

 

[Chrispee]

Two of us traveling.

I looked yesterday and for the route, and time, I wanted I could find two seats at the 17.K points. It was a day earlier than we planned to fly, but would work. Today those same seats are 40K points. Problem is we're still not really locked down on exact dates we'll be traveling.

And I hate to say it, but United actually has the better times for flights to and from Maui (to the San Francisco Bay area). More choices, better times.

Well, this has now turned into a sociological experiment I guess

I think your points are fully refundable up until the 60 day mark, so if you find a better flight you should be able to make the switch (although if you don't have enough miles to book the new flight prior to cancelling the old one, it can be a little hairy).

 

[Luanne]

Well, this has now turned into a sociological experiment I guess

I think your points are fully refundable up until the 60 day mark, so if you find a better flight you should be able to make the switch (although if you don't have enough miles to book the new flight prior to cancelling the old one, it can be a little hairy).

And now it's back again.

Do you know if I selected the flights using miles, and then paid to upgrade to the premium seats, can I change the date later with no penalty? This not knowing the dates we'll be traveling is driving me nuts. I need to get dh to pin his brother done on whether or not he's going with us. If not, I can move forward since we have a one bedroom on Maui confirmed. If bil is going I have to wait to see if we get a 2 bedroom.

 

[WatsonC2]

I'd like to use miles.

The airlines use programming which will know you have looked at the same flights multiple times and will raise the cost and/or miles required. If you clear your cache in the browser I'm told it will look like a new inquiry. On Alaska, booking multiple seats will often yield a higher price than seperate single seat purchases. Really shady but thats how it seems to work. When using miles one way purchases will give better flight choices. RT on miles usually gives only one non stop paired with a crappy flight.