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Alaska Airlines Confirms Deal to Acquire Virgin America

April 04, 2016
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2 min read
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Alaska Airlines Confirms Deal to Acquire Virgin America
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Alaska Airlines just confirmed its plans to acquire Virgin America in a post on... Instagram.

According to a CNBC report, Alaska will purchase Virgin for $57 per share in a deal that's valued at roughly $4 billion in total, including debt, beating the top offer of bidding war partner JetBlue. That's a HUGE jump over Virgin America's public valuation of $1.48 billion as of Friday, based on its share price of $38.90. Shares are Virgin are up nearly 35% in pre-market trading, to $52.25 per share. That's still shy of Alaska's purchase price, so the stock may continue to climb throughout the morning.

The all-cash deal, which was apparently signed Friday night following a bidding war that may have put Marriott/Anbang/Starwood to shame, was expected to be announced today. According to a WSJ article, JetBlue backed off once the bidding jumped too high.

Alaska operates exclusively Boeing aircraft, while Virgin America has a fleet of Airbus A320s.

Once combined, Alaska and Virgin will make up the country's fifth most popular airline by traffic, unseating JetBlue, which currently ranks #5. Alaska would also get hubs at two key West Coast airports — Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) — and a fleet of Airbus A320s (which may ultimately present a challenge for Alaska, which currently operates only Boeing 737 aircraft).

As for consumers, passengers will have fewer airline options following the merger, of course, but there's no question that Virgin's fleet represents an upgrade for Alaska flyers, with its high-tech cabins, comfier seats and superior catering options. Alaska, meanwhile, offers an arguably more comprehensive frequent-flyer program, giving current Virgin elites an opportunity to earn and redeem miles on a variety of US-based and international carriers.

What do you think of an Alaska/Virgin America merger?

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H/T: CNBC

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  • 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.
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  • $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.
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