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Alaska Air companion fare benefit downgrade

T_R_Oglodyte

T_R_Oglodyte

TUG Lifetime Member
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I was booking some companion air flights yesterday, and I noted a significant downgrade in benefits.

Prior to yesterday, when booking with companion fare I could ask for upgrade options based on MVP class. This was useful because as an elite member at Alaska I could use the companion fare to book available upgrades directly using the companion fare ticket. In practice, this meant that I could almost always directly book into premium class, and go on the wait list for FC upgrade. And, if my itinerary included a flight for which companion fare upgrades to First Class were available at the time of booking, I could book the FC upgrade option, then immediately upgrade to FC, thus scoring FC tickets using the companion fare.

Alas, when I was booking yesterday the option to request upgrade options was no longer available. Essentially, I could only book in main coach, and go on the wait list for an upgrade (even though upgrades were available for my elite status).
 
T_R_Oglodyte said:
I was booking some companion air flights yesterday, and I noted a significant downgrade in benefits.

Prior to yesterday, when booking with companion fare I could ask for upgrade options based on MVP class. This was useful because as an elite member at Alaska I could use the companion fare to book available upgrades directly using the companion fare ticket. In practice, this meant that I could almost always directly book into premium class, and go on the wait list for FC upgrade. And, if my itinerary included a flight for which companion fare upgrades to First Class were available at the time of booking, I could book the FC upgrade option, then immediately upgrade to FC, thus scoring FC tickets using the companion fare.

Alas, when I was booking yesterday the option to request upgrade options was no longer available. Essentially, I could only book in main coach, and go on the wait list for an upgrade (even though upgrades were available for my elite status).
Click to expand...
According to the Companion Fare FAQ on their website, you should still be able to upgrade. It may be a glitch rather than a change in stated benefits.
 
sponger76 said:
According to the Companion Fare FAQ on their website, you should still be able to upgrade. It may be a glitch rather than a change in stated benefits.
Click to expand...
Yes.This is from the terms for my companion fare:

Mileage Plan: Mileage Plan credit applies and upgrades are allowed.

But it has been awhile since you could not use it for First Class:

Valid for round-trip or one-way travel in the main cabin on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines within North America, including the State of Hawaii. Not valid on First Class fares.
 
Last edited:
I wonder if this is not a precursor to the rollout of the 'new' premium Alaska card. We've kinda been waiting and holding off as the new premium card promises significant upgrades, but at a cost of about $400/yr.
 
I'm a bit shocked the price for the new card is only $395 per year. I was expecting it to be $795.
 
sponger76 said:
According to the Companion Fare FAQ on their website, you should still be able to upgrade. It may be a glitch rather than a change in stated benefits.
Click to expand...
I could upgrade if an upgrade was available. It did not allow me to directly book an upgraded fare.

To be specific. On of one of the legs I was trying to book, I asked to show upgraded fares for my elite status. The site responded by saying that there was no availability for the requested flights. When I repeated the booking without asking for upgraded fares, the site now showed availability for non-upgraded coach fare.

If I checked the same booking without using companion fare but asking for upgraded options, it showed availability.

That is the change. Maybe it's a glitch. But when booking companion fare in the past, I have been able to ask to show upgrades, and the response has shown what it is available, exactly as if I was booking without requesting upgrade. Now I am seeing a difference between what is available when booking directly vs booking using companion fare.
 
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