Alaska Airlines starts $5-per-month subscription service for deals and more — here's what you get
Alaska Airlines just launched an unusual new subscription service that is going to require a $5-per-month payment to get early access to Alaska fare sales and a bit more. The Seattle-based airline is calling it “Alaska Access” and is saying it gives advanced alerts to some of its biggest sales of the year.
Alaska said subscribers will be notified the night before a sale is announced via in-app notifications, giving them the ability to book those deals before they are shared publicly.
"You get a personalized link with our best live flight deals sent straight to your inbox, available whenever you’re ready for takeoff," according to the carrier.
The subscription will also get you a $5 monthly voucher to use for onboard Wi-Fi. Alaska inflight Wi-Fi usually starts at $8 per flight.
Additionally, subscribers will be able to personalize a fare page to view some of the lowest fares to the more than 500 destinations the carrier serves by money and by Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles.
“Alaska’s new subscription product seems like a well-conceived idea, but the devil is in the details,” Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research, told TPG. “The $5-per-month fee is reasonable, and the immediate payback — discounted Wi-Fi — is good. But the real value will be in receiving priority access to fare sale alerts and being able to share and track airfares to preferred destinations.”
Related: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan award chart changes are now live
I signed up for the new service and already found some interesting deals via the personalized fare page.
For example, Alaska is showing flights for as low as $134 each way from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), my home airport, to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). It's also showing flights from JFK to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) starting at $159 and from JFK to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) starting at $139. I’ve seen those prices from Alaska before but not in one easy place like I can now with Alaska Access.
The real test will be getting advance notice of deeply discounted fares.
One detail to keep in mind is that Alaska Access is powered by Recurly, a subscription management and billing platform, instead of being directly handled by Alaska. This means you may not get bonus miles for travel-related charges for the service, depending on which credit card you use.
Harteveldt said he likes that it isn’t a credit card-based subscription.
“By offering the subscription outside the boundaries of its loyalty program and credit card, Alaska’s new subscription product may appeal to a wider audience," he said. "I’ve no doubt that Alaska will then target customers with offers to sign up for its Mileage Plan program and its co-branded credit card as well."
Harteveldt pointed out something else interesting as well. With Alaska’s proposed merger with Hawaiian Airlines, Harteveldt noted that if it is approved, “the appeal and utility of the Alaska Access subscription could become quite compelling.”
Alaska Airlines acknowledged this proposed merger in its press release about Alaska Access.
“We know time is valuable for our guests who are busy balancing a lot in their lives," said Shane Jones, vice president of business development at Alaska Airlines, "and we kept that in mind when we developed Alaska Access."
Related: Why the Alaska-Hawaiian merger could be a win-win for frequent flyers
Bottom line
The undeniable trend of companies using subscription models has firmly found its way to the travel realm, with Alaska Airlines being the latest to try them out.
Personally, I'm curious to see if getting advance notice of sales through Alaska Access will result in better prices or at least better seats for some of my future Alaska flights.
It will also be interesting to see if I can maximize the Wi-Fi credits. I don't take as many Alaska flights as I used to, so determining how much value I can squeeze out of that perk will be interesting.
Only time will tell if this latest subscription model from Alaska Airlines is worth investing in. I'll report back as I explore the features of Alaska Access more.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.