One of the most flexible and interesting travel rewards programmes for years has been Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan. Alaska Airlines has been partners with Singapore Airlines, Emirates, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and many other top-tier airlines, and with very reasonable award pricing, it has been a favourite to get access to First Class inventory in Emirates and Cathay Pacific for years. Emirates First Class Alaska Miles redemptions were a great value for money.
The reason to engage with the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan programme was also the fact that Emirates had huge fuel surcharges on booking tickets via Skywards, effectively making it not so useful in comparison with Mileage Plan. This situation was resolved earlier this year, with Emirates zeroing out fuel surcharges.
Mileage Plan has had access to all three cabins on Emirates, but a new notice posted today on the partners’ page is of concern.
Alaska Airlines new note says that they will not have access to the First Class award travel on Emirates effective April 1, 2021. While the language is loosely structured, for now, let’s just assume it is valid on Alaska Airlines only. While you can travel well into 2021 and early 2022 with these tickets, if you have not been able to book the ticket and have it issued by March 31, 2021, you won’t be able to do so anymore using Mileage Plan miles. Business Class and Economy Class will still be accessible.
From India to the USA/Canada, at 150,000 Alaska Airlines Miles for Emirates First Class is a great deal, especially when you can fly the A380 version of the First Class with showers on board and a bar at the back.
Bottomline
Emirates’ First Class is the epitome of luxury air travel. If you are pinning your hopes to travel on Emirates First Class by redeeming miles, this avenue closes pretty soon. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles will not be able to book for Emirates First Class effective April 1, 2021. You might want to buy or accumulate enough Mileage Plan miles this year to get yourselves that ticket issued soon (Buy here)
What do you think of the changes coming to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan?
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