On Thursday, Alaska Airlines added Salt Lake City to their Flight Pass program. The popular program also tacked on the added benefit of complimentary MVP or MVP Gold Status with purchase.
What is Alaska’s Flight Pass?
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The Flight Pass program is a monthly subscription service that starts at $49 a month. It’s a unique pricing system that offers frequent fliers the opportunity to travel between intra-Californian destinations along with Phoenix, Las Vegas and now Salt Lake City from numerous California cities.
Even at the highest tiers though, the pass is not unlimited. For a set fee per month, travelers can travel a set amount of times per year. The standard Flight Pass at $49/month allows each customer the opportunity to book up to six roundtrips per year. There are restrictions and fees. For the standard Flight Pass, the holder must purchase their tickets at least 14 days in advance. Passenger/facility fees must be paid when booking the ticket.
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Alaska also offers the Flight Pass Pro program with pricing from $199 to $749 a month depending on how often you want to travel. The main benefit to the Pro program is that you can book your ticket with as little as 2 hours advanced notice. Once again, passenger/facility fees do apply.
Is it worth it?
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It really depends on how often you travel between the destinations that are part of the program. The standard Flight Pass program could save you money if you visit family or friends regularly. The Pro program could prove beneficial if you need to travel last minute on a semi-regular basis. Also, while most fares are included in the subscription (technically a penny to reserve), Alaska does state that some fares may require an additional purchase during peak times.
The challenge with these types of programs is that you only reap the benefits of the program if you use it. As a subscription, Alaska gets their money no matter what. Customers who sign up commit to at least a 12 month subscription. So it’s not possible just to purchase a $49 plan, use it once, then cancel and bag the savings.
For Alaska Airlines, it’s a dependable and predictable revenue source whether a customer travels frequently or not. The only way they lose money is if the passenger books a seat that they later could have sold for more revenue.
Other Airlines Are Thinking About Doing This Too
Last week, The Points Guy reported that Frontier is also considering a plan to offer a subscription for their flights. It is rumored to be unlimited (with restrictions and limitations). Due to Frontier’s network, it is assumed that their offering would take more of a system-wide approach versus Alaska’s regional offering.
Not a new idea
Offering a subscription service isn’t exactly a new idea. Back in the 1990s, TWA offered a pass system where you could buy passes in advance that you could turn in for a ticket. JetBlue also offered a subscription service for a time. American Airlines once even offered an unlimited first class pass. All these carriers eventually cancelled their offerings.
One of the most unique passes offered was by AirTran. Exclusive to college students, they offered standby passes for a very low price. You can read more about it below: