Alaska Air - can you use two Mileage plus accounts on one reservation?

Couldn't find the answer on the AA website, so I'm checking here. If I have an account with miles and my sister has her own account with miles, can I book us both tickets w/ miles on one reservation? Or do I have to book them separately?

The reason I ask is up to six people on the same reservation get a free checked bag w/ the AA credit card. If I can book our tickets together, my sis can cancel her card before the second year's annual fee kicks in. If I can't do it, then she will still cancel and just pay the bag fee, which is cheaper than the annual fee. We only fly very occasionally, so she doesn't want to keep the card more than one year.

TIA!

Just a couple of clarification questions.

1) You talk at first about "Alaska Air" (and I assume you mean Alaska Airlines - AS), but you use the abbreviation "AA" which stands for American Airlines. What is what?

2) You say "Mileage Plus" which is the United Airline FF program. You can't use UA miles for either AA or AS flights.

3) You don't say if you have enough miles in each account to buy tickets. Details there would help (as would knowing just what program you are talking about). You cannot combine miles from one account into the other for an award.

4) So, who has what miles in what program and what are you trying to redeem for?

Oops, sorry for the confusion. I'm not a big flyer, so I don't know all the lingo. :)

Yes, I mean Alaska Airlines. The miles program is Mileage Plan not Plus (the one for Alaska Airlines.

We have no miles yet. I just applied for the credit card (was approved and card is on the way) and my sister will do that soon. We will each get the 30,000 mile bonus, and I hope to earn a little more before time to book flights (our cruise is in June 2018, Alaska southbound Seward to Vancouver).

We will be purchasing a one way ticket RDU-ANC. Based on current available flights on other dates, that should be enough miles. Most flights show 30,000 miles needed for a one way ticket, so each miles account would have enough for its own ticket. I found a few flights that only required 12,500 miles, so we might luck out and only need one set of miles, but I'm not counting on that. We will be flying back one SEA-RDU using my Southwest Airlines points.

I looked again, and I do see an option where you can transfer miles to someone else. Maybe that would be an option? Not sure if there is a charge for that; I didn't log in to see. I figured it might not show anything since I don't have miles yet.

You can use one person's miles to purchase tickets for anyone. However on one reservation, miles may come from only one account.

You don't want to transfer miles; it's expensive and would be silly. It's a $25 processing fee plus $10 per 1,000 miles.

If you don't have enough miles in one account, simply book a ticket from each account. There's no need to be on the same reservation.

If your sister books using her Alaska branded card that gives her a free checked bag and then cancels the card, she still should get the free checked bag.

Don't forget your benefit of a companion fare you get with the card, where you can get a second ticket by paying only the taxes. Look at award tickets vs. purchased tickets that earn miles to see what value is better for you.

Don't forget your benefit of a companion fare you get with the card, where you can get a second ticket by paying only the taxes. Look at award tickets vs. purchased tickets that earn miles to see what value is better for you.

can I book us both tickets w/ miles on one reservation? Or do I have to book them separately?

 

Why do you need to be on one reservation? Just let her use her miles to book her ticket, and you use your miles to book yours.

It is getting more difficult to book good flights with Alaska miles. We have found that high demand itineraries require far more miles and that seats are limited. Often mileage-only allocated seats sell out quickly. That said, flights to be booked with miles are available eleven months prior to the date of the flight, so it is prudent to note when the desired flights are available online.

For longer USA flights on Alaska Air, we will use the companion fare and book two coach aisle seats, as we are both tall. FYI, fare upgrades to premium seats are now available for an additional $79. You can upgrade to premium with a paid ticket, not with a mileage ticket. Premium's extra legroom is nice, also the early boarding and other perks.

Award tickets are not all released eleven months prior to travel. They may be released at any time the schedule opens, or there may never be award seats available on some flights.

Why do you need to be on one reservation? Just let her use her miles to book her ticket, and you use your miles to book yours.

Because it says each person can have one free checked bag if you have an Alaska Air credit card, but it has to be on the same reservation. If she was going to keep her card, it wouldn't matter, and we would just do what you said. However, she wants to cancel her card before the second year starts (doesn't want to pay a second annual fee), and that would be before we would fly.

EDIT: if we can't book with her miles and my miles on the one reservation, we will just buy separately and she can pay the checked bag fee, which is a lot less than the annual fee.

Award tickets are not all released eleven months prior to travel. They may be released at any time the schedule opens, or there may never be award seats available on some flights.

Good to know, since I'm not sure how long it will take for the bonus miles to be posted to our accounts. Thanks!

You do realize that you still will be charged an annual fee immediately upon getting the card? The initial 30,000 p,us the annual companion fare is a great deal. We take our grandchildren to Hawaii nearly every year on that Annual companion Pass where else can you fly round trip to Hawaii for $120?

So if your sister cancels her acct immediately the 30,000 miles will be clawed back. Last I heard there was a $1000 spend requirement prior to the 30,000 miles being deposited but I may be crazy.

Did I mention that I love Alaska Airlines and have used my miles to fly to Europe (Business class on KLM) and am getting ready to do it again using my AS miles.

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. Last I heard there was a $1000 spend requirement prior to the 30,000 miles being deposited but I may be crazy.

• 30,000 bonus miles and a companion fare from $121 ($99, plus taxes and fees from $22) after you make $1,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
  

Good to know, since I'm not sure how long it will take for the bonus miles to be posted to our accounts. Thanks!

They will be posted after you spend $1,000 using the card.

You do realize that you still will be charged an annual fee immediately upon getting the card? The initial 30,000 p,us the annual companion fare is a great deal. We take our grandchildren to Hawaii nearly every year on that Annual companion Pass where else can you fly round trip to Hawaii for $120?

So if your sister cancels her acct immediately the 30,000 miles will be clawed back. Last I heard there was a $1000 spend requirement prior to the 30,000 miles being deposited but I may be crazy.

 

 

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Yes, I know that there is an immediate annual fee. So we will be getting a $300+ flight for $75, which is great. She will not cancel the card right away. It will be cancelled before the end of the first year.

Yes, I know there is a $1000 spending requirement. That's why we need to get the cards ASAP so we can get the miles before they start releasing flights for June 2018.

I may keep my card if I think we may fly again after June 2018 and can use the companion pass. We don't fly very often; last time was in 2013.

Yes, I know that there is an immediate annual fee. So we will be getting a $300+ flight for $75, which is great. She will not cancel the card right away. It will be cancelled before the end of the first year.

 

Yes, I know there is a $1000 spending requirement. That's why we need to get the cards ASAP so we can get the miles before they start releasing flights for June 2018.

 

I may keep my card if I think we may fly again after June 2018 and can use the companion pass. We don't fly very often; last time was in 2013.

You won't get those bonus miles until you each have spent $1000. After that is accomplished only then will those miles be credited to your Alaska Mileage acct.

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And the billing cycle has to process - it's not just when you make the purchase, but rather monthly.

Bottom line get your $1000 spend out of the way as soon as possible. If you are trying to book soon.

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Bottom line get your $1000 spend out of the way as soon as possible. If you are trying to book soon.

 

 

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Yes, I know. I have been approved for my card and it should be here next week. No problem getting my $1000 spent in the first billing cycle; I have car insurance and homeowners insurance due. :)

I have told my sis and her BFF who is also going with us to apply ASAP.

I use mine at the grocery store, gas station and everywhere they take a credit card, memberships (online ones, AAA, & Costco). If you have kids needing to purchase a large item get them to let you purchase and then write you a check. I put my daughters new car down payment on my card, she was going to write a check. She she wrote the check to me and I got 7000 miles and paid my acct off with her money :)

The Companion Tickets for us are so valuable. And miles for International Travel.

Good luck I think this card is great and generally gets us everywhere I want to go.

Award tickets are not all released eleven months prior to travel. They may be released at any time the schedule opens, or there may never be award seats available on some flights.

You are correct. I usually start researching flights at the 11 month mark. It is becoming more difficult to book flights with miles - fewer flights available. It also takes more time researching. For our August flight from Seattle to Oslo, we are flying to Anchorage, then Keflavik, then Oslo. It was the best I could do for first class using miles. Additionally, I was able to secure these flights only by speaking by phone with the Alaska mileage plan department. The flights were not appearing online as possibilities.

You are correct. I usually start researching flights at the 11 month mark. It is becoming more difficult to book flights with miles - fewer flights available. It also takes more time researching. For our August flight from Seattle to Oslo, we are flying to Anchorage, then Keflavik, then Oslo. It was the best I could do for first class using miles. Additionally, I was able to secure these flights only by speaking by phone with the Alaska mileage plan department. The flights were not appearing online as possibilities.

If you are flying ANC-KEF-OSL on Icelandair, be aware that their "Saga Class" is an older-style business class product with barcalounger style seating. Comfortable for what it is. However, do not expect anything along the order of international first class or even most TATL carrier's business product.

No, you can't, but if you book each separately, log back in and link the reservations. DH and I did that last year, and it was easy. I understand why you'd rather be on one reservation; we prefer that, too, but I you have to do separate ones, this works.

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No, you can't, but if you book each separately, log back in and link the reservations. DH and I did that last year, and it was easy. I understand why you'd rather be on one reservation; we prefer that, too, but I you have to do separate ones, this works.

 

 

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Great info - thanks!!!!