Book Now: Alaska Mispricing Awards from Hawaii to Fiji to Australia/New Zealand

Alaska Airlines is charging 10,000 miles fewer than it should for one of my favorite awards!

Alaska Airlines miles are awesome because of the breadth of interesting oneworld, SkyTeam, and non-alliance partners on which you can redeem Alaska miles.

The Mistake Fare
One of the coolest awards you can book is from the United States to Australia or New Zealand on Fiji Airways flights because you can get a free stopover for as long as you'd like in Fiji.

Alaska Adds Icelandair as a Partner, Huge News for Miles to Iceland

Alaska Airlines has added Icelandair as a partner for mileage earning effective October 1, 2015. You will earn Alaska Miles at a rate of 25% to 250% of mileage flown depending on the fare bucket and class of service of the Icelandair flight.

I've never been to Iceland, and I really want to go, but other than points that can be redeemed like cash toward any flight, there are no convenient miles to book Icelandair or WOW Air (another Icelandic airline) flights.

TRICK: How to Still Get Free Chauffeur Service on Your Emirates First or Business Class Award

Emirates offers First and Business Class passengers free chauffeur service to and from the airport. I took advantage with rides to Auckland's airport and from Sydney's airport in 2013.

Starting in January 2015, Emirates restricted chauffeur service to First and Business Class passengers whose tickets were issued by Emirates or Qantas.

The best way for travel hackers to book Emirates First and Business Class ticket is with Alaska Airlines miles, meaning Alaska issues the ticket. That means, by the rules, no chauffeur service.

TRICK: How to Still Get Free Chauffeur Service on Your Emirates First or Business Class Award

Emirates offers First and Business Class passengers free chauffeur service to and from the airport. I took advantage with rides to Auckland's airport and from Sydney's airport in 2013.

Starting in January 2015, Emirates restricted chauffeur service to First and Business Class passengers whose tickets were issued by Emirates or Qantas.

The best way for travel hackers to book Emirates First and Business Class ticket is with Alaska Airlines miles, meaning Alaska issues the ticket. That means, by the rules, no chauffeur service.

Alaska Fall Award Fare Sale Starting at 5,000 Miles, 12,500 Miles to Hawaii or Mexico

Alaska Airlines is having an award sale from 47 of its cities. Awards start at 5,000 miles one way, and I see Hawaii and Mexico awards discounted to 12,500 miles one way.

Start on the award sale page. Select your city from the dropdown menu to see its sales. For instance, here is the sale from Kona, Big Island (Hawaii.)

If there is a discount in the market you're searching, it is good in both directions, so San Jose to Kona would be only 25,000 Alaska miles roundtrip.

Buy Alaska Miles on Sale for 2.11 Cents Each for Discounts on Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Fiji, and AeroMexico Flights

Until October 6, 2015, you can buy 56,000 or more Alaska Airlines miles for 2.11 cents each.

The sale is structured as a bonus on the normal number of miles you’d receive. The bonus is tiered, so the biggest 40% bonus comes from purchasing 40,000 miles at the normal price of about 2.96 cents each after tax.

To buy 56,000 miles (40,000 + 16,000 bonus) during this sale costs $1,182.50, which is 2.11 cents per mile. This is not the best sale we've seen.

Coolest Use of 90,000 Alaska Miles

Alaska Airlines miles can be used to book a diverse array of oneworld, SkyTeam, and non-alliance partners.

Hainan Airlines awards coming November 2015

I've written about some of my four favorite Alaska miles redemptions here, and I want to expand on one of those options.

Buy Alaska Miles with up to 50% Bonus, Cheapest I Have Seen Them

Until August 9, 2015, you can buy Alaska Airlines miles for as little as 1.97 cents each. Go to the sale page for Alaska miles and input your Alaska Mileage Plan number. People are being offered bonuses of 35% to 50% on purchased miles. I received a 40% bonus offer.

Non-cardholders of the Alaska Airlines Visa seem to be getting the 35% bonus offer, and cardholders are getting a maximum bonus of 35%-50%.

The sale is structured as a bonus on the normal number of miles you’d receive.

Anatomy of an Award: 45,000 Miles from United States to Buenos Aires in Business Class

I recently booked myself an award from Chicago to Buenos Aires in Business Class on a Dreamliner for 45,000 Alaska Airlines miles and $19 in taxes and fees.

AeroMexico releases a ton of award space from United States to Mexico City and from there to Buenos Aires (or elsewhere in Central and South America) in economy and Business Class.

Fresno only has a direct flight to Guadalajara from where you can connect to Mexico City and beyond.

Beginners Post: Basics of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

This is the eleventh post in a monthlong series that started here. Each post will take about two minutes to read and may include an action item that takes the reader another two minutes to complete. I am writing this for an audience of people who know nothing about frequent flyer miles, and my goal is that by the end, you know enough to fly for free anywhere you want to go.
Why Collect Alaska Airlines Miles?
Alaska Airlines miles are great for booking Emirates First Class and Cathay Pacific First Class.