Complimentary Upgrades for Alaska 100Ks: Adding Up the Score

Since we spent some money and sat in airplane seats for great lengths of time in 2022 to reach 100,000 miles on Alaska Airlines and MVP Gold 100K status, we’re definitely keeping an eye on complimentary upgrades.

Early morning at BLI

On this most recent quick trip BLI-SEA-PHX-ABQ and back, we flew outbound on a Thursday. We were upgraded on the BLI-SEA leg, and we anticipate more of those in the future, as AS has retired its Dash Q400 prop jets and is now flying the more comfortable Embraer E175s, complete with a First Class section, on its shorter routes.

SEA-PHX we didn’t do any better than Exit Row 17, but the flight attendant offered us complimentary alcohol and snack boxes.

We still had a view.

PHX-ABQ on AA it was interesting to see our names at the top of the upgrade list. Brian was upgraded but we decided to sit together in the 2 x 2 configuration in Y on the CRJ 700 for the short flight.

Returning Saturday we were both upgraded on all three legs. That means out of a total of 6 flights for each of us, or 12 legs in total, we were upgraded (or offered upgrades) for 9/12 or 75%. Not bad.

Approaching BLI with a National Weather Service wind warning in effect proved to be among the bumpiest we’ve ever experienced, but the actual touchdown was smooth. Kudos to our Alaska / Horizon pilots.