Alaska Adventure 2021: Why Alaska Airlines? Because A Friend Flies For Free, Almost

This is the second part in a series of articles in which the author will return to Alaska to adventure with his family. Check back here every Friday to follow Joe Byers and his family on their 2021 Alaska adventure. Check out Part 1 HERE.

By Joe Byers

I have flown to Alaska from the East Coast a dozen times, and I have used Alaska Airlines exclusively. It makes economic sense, and Alaska offers services that other airlines do not.  By using an Alaska Airlines Credit Card with Bank of America, a customer receives an annual “Buddy Pass”, officially a Companion Fare, which allows a companion to fly wherever the main ticket-holder flies for $121.  For example, my wife will accompany me on our upcoming trip. I will fly from Baltimore to Boise, overnight there, then onto Anchorage, and return the same route, and she flies the same trip for a total of $121.  

Airline fares to the big cities of Anchorage or Fairbanks are competitive with other airlines, yet only Alaska flies to smaller towns like Petersburg, Sitka, and outer areas of Alaska. By using Alaska Airlines, you can keep all your connections with the same carrier, which greatly facilitates baggage handling and the logistics of travel.  

Petersburg is one of my favorite fishing spots in Alaska and a round trip ticket ranges from $700-800 per person. Using the Companion Fare in this instance will save more than $500, which is like getting several free nights in a hotel or a free rental car. 

The initial sign-up for the Alaska Airlines credit card usually nets a batch of free airmiles, (40,000 at present) often enough for one or two trips on the airline, which leads to the second reason I like Alaska Airlines.  

Tiered Frequent Flier’s Program

I am an airline mile junkie, pure and simple. I charge everything on a credit card, and then pay the balance at the end of the month, a practice which maximizes my award miles by the end of the year. When I buy a $1 iced tea at McDonald’s I am one mile closer to my next adventure.  

I have traveled to Africa more than 20 times and mostly flew using airmiles, until the major carriers changed their policies. Under the old tiered system, a trip to Africa cost 80,000 miles and by putting all my personal and business expenses through the card (plus the initial bonus), I could travel at least every other year for free, regardless of the price of the ticket. However, now most major carriers have converted their airmiles programs to a debit system. Instead of giving you cash back, they put that money toward their airmiles program. When you use your miles, you are basically “buying” that ticket with the money in your account. That is why there are no black-out dates, because you are spending your money (miles). These programs are not rewarding you for your patronage, just pretending to do so. Also, the more expensive the airfare, the more miles you need. With United, for example, my old 80,000-mile tickets now may cost 200,000.  

Alaska Airlines, I am happy to report, still uses the tiered system. A flight within the USA requires 25,000 for a coach seat, and a first-class ticket costs 40,000 miles. You can also use your miles to upgrade from coach. The downside of the tiered system is availability. The company uses this system to fill planes, and the more popular the route, the fewer the number of award seats available. I once needed to fly to Kodiak Island from Baltimore. There were no coach airmiles seats available, but one was available in first class. I purchased extra miles to make up the difference and flew first class for less than the cost of a coach ticket.  

Side Benefits

I once stood behind a man in the lost luggage section of an airport trying to track two boxes of frozen fish. This was not Alaska Airlines, and the man was nearly in tears. The fish were probably worth $1500, plus they were the result of a lifetime adventure and would probably spoil by the time they arrived. Such a shame.

Because so many people fly to Alaska to fish and hunt, the airline is accustomed to flying boxes of frozen fish and game. Some customers fly a cooler to their fishing destination or buy one in Alaska, but neither is necessary.  Most fish processing plants will pack fish in waxed cardboard boxes, which are sturdy and insulating. On our last trip, we flew frozen fish from Petersburg to Seattle, overnighted there, and returned to Baltimore; not a single fillet had thawed.  

Just as important as airline policy is the people who handle your fish. Because Alaska Airlines employees handle frozen fish almost every day, they take great care to assure that this precious cargo receives personal attention.  

Also, fishing rods are considered a “carry on” item. I once paid $100 in excess baggage fees on another carrier to bring my fishing rods. This fee was nearly equal to the value of the rods, but I would still have to buy new ones and go through the trouble of re-rigging them.  

One caution with bringing fishing gear is the knife issue. Almost every tackle box has a fillet knife, and you will need one, or several, for an Alaskan adventure. As of this writing Alaska Airlines allows certain knives in checked baggage with restrictions. The same may be true for some types of fishing tackle. It is a good practice to thoroughly go through your fishing tackle before the trip and compare what you have against what is allowed.

Remember, Alaska is not the isolated place it once was. You will find Walmart, Fred Meyer, and tackle shops on almost every corner. So there are opportunities to shop for things you might have left at home. If you are fishing with a captain or guide, ask what tackle to bring before the trip. Be sure to sharpen the hooks of any lures you bring and replace leaders and worn line. Between rushing rivers and huge fish, all tackle will get a thorough test, and you will never forget that big fish that you almost landed.  

Visit the Website!

For the latest details and updates, visit AlaskaAirlines.com. You can enroll in their Milage Plan on the site and receive 5,000 bonus miles just for signing up. You will also see a link to the credit card currently with a 40,000-mile bonus.  

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