Anyone bought Alaska Mileage Plan?

3 replies

btaus

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 15 Dec 2016

Total posts 171

I bought some Alaska Mileage Plan miles back in Christmas lat year during 40% bonus, thank to the numerous post that One Mile At A Time and The Points Guy (both US-based) has made.

Paid $1800 for CX J return from MEL (60000 miles, includes 3% FCC on Altitude Black), what I thought is it wasn't cheap compared to $1786 on PEY (with high chance for upgrade as Marco Polo Diamond) or $750 on Y running from MEL-HKG return. Anyone has done the same things in end of last year?

bearwithme

Member since 24 Dec 2015

Total posts 5

I bought a stack of miles for a planned europe trip from PER. 


Worked out to be about 5k after taxes for return J.

Would I do it again? Nope. I can get discounted J with mileage earn for around 1k more and have lots more flexibility and some status earn without having a block of cash tied up in points. Plus because of the way their chart works out if there's no direct CX flight, connections are priced as separate awards which make hitting secondary european cities difficult.

Different value proposition if I had managed to snag an F seat though.

I do keep a small balance for domestic J leisure flights although even then I rarely feel the need for J on a domestic route. 

TLDR imho the sweet spots are CX F and domestic J if that suits your travel patterns. 

btaus

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 15 Dec 2016

Total posts 171

I bought a stack of miles for a planned europe trip from PER. 

Worked out to be about 5k after taxes for return J.

Would I do it again? Nope. I can get discounted J with mileage earn for around 1k more and have lots more flexibility and some status earn without having a block of cash tied up in points. Plus because of the way their chart works out if there's no direct CX flight, connections are priced as separate awards which make hitting secondary european cities difficult.

Different value proposition if I had managed to snag an F seat though.

I do keep a small balance for domestic J leisure flights although even then I rarely feel the need for J on a domestic route. 

TLDR imho the sweet spots are CX F and domestic J if that suits your travel patterns. 
Woo, still represents 1/3 price of paid J on same CX routes though.

bearwithme

Member since 24 Dec 2015

Total posts 5

Yeah. CX has always been super expensive ex-AU. The ME3 often offer around 6k return around the Xmas/NY period to Europe and their product is hardly inferior. 

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