Alaska Airlines announces "Flight Pass" Subscription

[Gil Bang 26,229]

Interesting

 

If you fly regularly around the west coast or plan to this year, then this news will be of interest: Alaska Airlines just launched their first-ever flight subscription called Flight Pass.

 

With plans starting at $49 a month, Flight Pass members can fly up to 24 roundtrip flights a year to the most popular routes within California, as well as nonstop service from California airports to Reno, Phoenix and Las Vegas, for a fixed monthly rate.

 

There are two annual plans being offered to Flight Pass subscribers. One is based on the best value and the other on flexibility. Here’s how it works: “Subscribers will receive credits deposited monthly or bi-monthly into their Flight Pass account, to be redeemed for 6, 12 or 24 nonstop trips a year to eligible destinations. Flyers are still required to pay applicable government taxes and airport fees on each flight, in addition to the monthly subscription fee and nominal fare (most flights the fare is only $0.01).”

 

How To Take Flight with Flight Pass

• Sign up by creating an account at www.flightpass.alaskaair.com.
• Pick your preferred plan:
  • Best value – Flight Pass: Starts at $49 per month, requires booking at least 14 days before travel, and as early as 90 days in advance.
  • Most flexible – Flight Pass Pro: Starts at $199 per month, allows same-day booking up to two hours before departure, and as early as 90 days in advance.
• Choose the number of roundtrips you would like annually: 6, 12 or 24 roundtrip flights.
• Redeem your credits and book your trip on an eligible flight.
• Choose from 100 daily flights connecting 13 California airports to each other and to Reno, Phoenix, and Vegas

 

This is a new way to fly and the best part, besides the low price, is that it allows travelers to earn miles.

 

 

 

[tx 3 putt 78,668]

People are going to abuse the hell out of this 

[royiv 9,773]

58 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

People are going to abuse the hell out of this 

They’ve put in quite a few limitations to prevent abuse. The base cost is for six round trips per year. The routes are also limited and have to be booked 14 days in advance unless you bump up to the $199/mo for 6 annual round trips. 

[Wiler77 1,628]

My guess is there will be only a certain number of FlightPass seats available on each flight, unless you upgrade to the $199/month plan.  Like they limit the number of seats eligible for rewards using a reasonable number of miles.

[Blotto 24,011]

Here's the pricing table

Corporations have fallen in love with the idea of subscriptions, and it isnt because they think they will make less money. Most customers won't capture the added "value" that comes along with the additional annual spend. Software, airfare, food, you name it. Everyone wants you to buy on subscription. Wonder why that is. 

[kevwun 16,437]

Yes, you can't fucking buy software or even hardware at this point without a monthly fucking recurring cost.  It sucks ass and all it does is create a lot of extra work for IT people because they are EOL everything to force the switch.

Edited February 16, 2022 by kevwun

[Biff Tannen 46,150]

2 hours ago, kevwun said:

Yes, you can't fucking buy software or even hardware at this point without a monthly fucking recurring cost.  It sucks ass and all it does is create a lot of extra work for IT people because they are EOL everything to force the switch.

I believe it's abbreviated SaaS.

[Deej 77,804]

6 hours ago, Blotto said:

Everyone wants you to buy on subscription

 

[Ag with kids 581]

2 hours ago, kevwun said:

Yes, you can't fucking buy software or even hardware at this point without a monthly fucking recurring cost.  It sucks ass and all it does is create a lot of extra work for IT people because they are EOL everything to force the switch.

We just bought some hardware and software for some simulation stuff at work.  Yearly maintenance and other subscriptions are right around $55K/year...

WTF?

[Beau Vine 55,859]

Only covers Cali, Nevada, and Az?  Fuck that.

[Hagbard Celine 11,215]

On 2/16/2022 at 3:23 PM, kevwun said:

Yes, you can't fucking buy software or even hardware at this point without a monthly fucking recurring cost.  It sucks ass and all it does is create a lot of extra work for IT people because they are EOL everything to force the switch.

welp, there are 100,000 businesses in the US with less than $5m in revenue who can now move up from quickbooks because they can get in for $50k/year with another $50k implementation with a total 1st year tco of $100k

10 years ago, the same capability cost $250k up front, $50k/year maintenance, with the same $50k implementation, with a total 1st year tco of $400k

but no matter what, the biggest problem with the cost of IT is the absolute stupidity of human beings

EOL?  ha.  PeopleSoft is one giant breach and should have been sunset years ago but Oracle doesn't care and neither do the customers

The amount of crap out there running in production that's more than 20, even 30 years old, is absolutely astounding, and would cost trillions to migrate

EOL? ha.   you funny.

[Hagbard Celine 11,215]

a week from today i can fly one way on delta from sonoma to burbank for $154

in first class

[royiv 9,773]

3 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

a week from today i can fly one way on delta from sonoma to burbank for $154

in first class

I'd like to see your work on that one. DL doesn't fly to STS.

[Chewbacca 7,829]

welp, there are 100,000 businesses in the US with less than $5m in revenue who can now move up from quickbooks because they can get in for $50k/year with another $50k implementation with a total 1st year tco of $100k
10 years ago, the same capability cost $250k up front, $50k/year maintenance, with the same $50k implementation, with a total 1st year tco of $400k
but no matter what, the biggest problem with the cost of IT is the absolute stupidity of human beings
EOL?  ha.  PeopleSoft is one giant breach and should have been sunset years ago but Oracle doesn't care and neither do the customers
The amount of crap out there running in production that's more than 20, even 30 years old, is absolutely astounding, and would cost trillions to migrate
EOL? ha.   you funny.

Quickbooks is the shit.

[Hagbard Celine 11,215]

On 2/17/2022 at 8:45 PM, royiv said:

I'd like to see your work on that one. DL doesn't fly to STS.

flights.google.com + user error

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12,301]

9 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

flights.google.com + user error

But it’s fun to think about.

[shnsajax 3,607]

Only covers Cali, Nevada, and Az?  Fuck that.

This, I fucking love Alaska and use it out of Boise all the time. This would have been awesome.

[JGrayDBU 372]

Alaska resident here.  I'm always checking out their website and hearing weird stuff on the flights from Alaska to Texas.  Weird story coming. 

I heard the usual sales pitch about the Alaska Airlines Visa in April with the extra pitch that if you haven't applied for a credit card in the last two years you can get another one.  But I needed to time the acceptance just right so I could purchase the required $3000 in 90 days. I will buy 6 months of groceries before I arrive at my remote village on August 11th.  I got on the plane end of May to travel and of the 3 flights from Kotzebue to DFW, on the first two the flight attendants did not give the sales pitch, but the ad was in front of me, 62,000 miles with the acceptance and spending the $3k of course.  

You have to fill out the form while the plane is in the air.  So, I fight the turbulence, filling out the application as we descend into DFW, day before Memorial Day, double check, I answered every question, turn in app. to FA.  

Then silence.  I call a few times to B of A.  They don't give in.  I have to wait 30 days.  The other day I got a call.  The sales lady said she could read my app. but the computer could not.  She needed to verify I am an American citizen.  Cue the joke about Alaska not being part of the United States.  She claimed that little gem was the reason my acceptance was held up, I asked for an expedited card sent to the address in San Antonio, which is neither my mailing address or physical address, she said sure, took down my info.  

Card did not arrive, so I called again starting yesterday.  Turned out first saleslady was incompetent.  No way, card was sent to Alaska.  Grrr, so I was told to call again but was not authenticated.  I tried again this morning, still no authentication possible, instructed to go to a B of A branch with my ID.  Authentication yes! Card will be sent,  but of course no mail Monday, holiday. Card will arrive Thursday or Friday, by 06/23, hopefully. 

In the meantime, Alaska airlines is increasing the luggage fee for bag #3,4 etc.  from $100 to $150.  But if I purchase tickets. before June 30, I can get the $100 bag fee.  Bags 1 and 2 are free.  

I am going to use the new card to purchase flights in December and  February for flights from Alaska to Texas where I might need the 3rd and 4th bag.  The flights back to Alaska can wait a little, because I will hit $3000 and might be able to exhaust the new 62000 miles plus my wife is donating her miles to me as well.  

Hard to believe in this digital age, but it really is taking almost 30 days to get a credit card.