Alaska Airlines Changes How Earning Status Works For 2024, Taking New Approach To Benefits

alaska airlines
Dec 13 2023

Alaska Airlines just announced changes to how Mileage Plan members will qualify for status starting next year, and painted a picture of changes to expect to elite benefits starting in 2025. It’s generally good news.

They frequently trumpet themselves as offering the most generous airline loyalty program in the U.S. It’s largely true, and they’ve absorbed that it is a real competitive advantage for them.

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Unusual Travel Hack Tested: Southwest Airlines Bags Fly Free And The Solo Pickleball

Dec 13 2023

At Southwest Airlines each passenger gets two free checked bags. Some people don’t want to leave a benefit unused. Sure, you could check your pickleball in your luggage. But if you’ve only got one bag to check, you could also send the pickleball off on its own as your second free checked bag – and see whether it makes it, gets caught in the airport baggage system, or bounces away?

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British Airways Is Its Own Worst Enemy: Flying Business Class, London – Austin

Dec 13 2023

The last segment of our trip was a flight home from London Heathrow to Austin on British Airways in business class. They use an Airbus A350 on the route, with no first class but with the airline’s Club Suites – essentially a bespoke version of the current American Airlines seat with doors added. It is a very good but not great seat.

This was the flight I already told one story off of: being refused water as a predeparture beverage, with the crewmember snapping that I already had a bottle at my seat.

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