Yesterday I reported that a user posted examples on InsideFlyer that awards could be booked on Singapore Airlines using Alaska Airline miles. His trip was from Male to Cancun on a mix Singapore Airlines and Condor. The award he displayed was also the first time I had seen Alaska Airlines combine two partner airlines in a single direction of travel.
Initially, I could not recreate this itinerary, yet once I used the multi-city option to add a stopover in Frankfurt it appeared! For testing purposes I also booked it and saw that it confirmed! Not only did I get an Alaska Airlines reference number, but there were also Condor and Singapore Airlines reference numbers. I instantly went to the Singapore Airlines website where I was also able to view the reservation as confirmed.
At this point, everything looks accurate and is showing as confirmed.
Red Flag Warning
Right now we should be celebrating that mixed partner awards and Singapore Airlines awards are finally available to Mileage Plan members. But wait, hold the phone! Turns out on closer examination, my flight on Singapore Airlines was actually booked in “K” class, which is economy lite.
Singapore Airlines economy award tickets should book into “X” class, not “K.” If Alaska is selling K class as award tickets, not only are they loosing money, but one could technically earn miles on these tickets.
At this point it’s likely that Alaska will cancel this award flight or reroute me on a partner airline. Not to mention, I searched at least 30 other routes and could not find any Singapore Airlines award flights on Alaska’s website nor could I find a single other mix cabin itinerary.
Final Thoughts
I am starting to believe that this is more of a fluke than anything else. Although, a boy can dream! Mixed partner awards and Singapore Airlines redemptions would be fantastic, but for now it’s likely a pipe dream
Alaska Airlines did start selling tickets on Qantas, allowing Alaska customers to book flights from the US to Australia and back via their own website. Maybe Alaska is implementing something similar with Singapore Airlines. Since the ticket is in K class, this is the more likely explanation.
I plan to reach out to Alaska Airlines for comment. In the meantime, if you find yourself in Mexico or close to the Maldives and need to travel between the two, here’s an awesome option for you!
