Alaska Airlines just sent out promotional emails offering a $100 refund to members of competing airline lounge clubs (including Priority Pass) who wish to sign up with Alaska Airlines.
The refund will be processed after emailing the credentials to a dedicated team which could make the membership possible for as low as US$195 per year.
The promotion runs until October 31st 2018 and requires prepayment via the regular enrollment process (access the Alaska Airlines Lounge website here) and the refund will be processed manually thereafter.
This is the regular pricing:
As you can see the price is much lower for Elite members of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan so I’d recommend to request a status match if you also have status with a competing carrier before enrolling.
This is the content of the email:
The instructions are as follows:
Here’s how it works: If you’re a member of another lounge, simply purchase an Alaska Lounge membership, then email Alaska.Lounge@alaskaair.com with your Mileage Plan number and a picture of your other lounge membership card. We’ll refund $100 to the form of payment.
I have previously written about the problems that Priority Pass members faced when trying to access the Alaska Airlines Lounges at various locations in the U.S. and that the Seattle based locations left the system entirely. Now Alaska comes back with a discount offer for members of competing airlines and also includes Priority Pass.
Alaska Airlines also provides access to American Airlines Admirals Clubs (if on a same day flight by AS/AA), Qantas Clubs (if ticketed on Qantas) as well as a range of other domestic and international partner lounges so this could be a worthwhile investment for customers of either Alaska, American or Qantas as well as for all other airlines as long as you want to access an Alaska Lounge which doesn’t have any airline specific ticketing requirements. One could fly Southwest or United and access the Alaska Lounge if in the same terminal.
Conclusion
I guess one could see that promotion with two sets of eyes. It’s certainly disappointing how Alaska Airlines treated (or still treats) Priority Pass members in many locations despite their service contract with the popular lounge membership system. I won’t go into the nitty gritty of that again.
On the other hand just as a status match the promotion mainly targets other airlines key customers who Alaska wishes to acquire. There was no need to add Priority Pass to the list of eligible match options but at least it’s an option for those who rely on Alaska Lounges. If one could do a status match and get it for $195 that’s a pretty good deal.
