Alaska Access: The Newest Subscription Service from Alaska Airlines

Just in time to book summer travel, Alaska Airlines introduced a new subscription — Alaska Access. For $5 a month, frequent Alaska flyers can save on flights with early access to sales, a monthly Wi-Fi voucher and other benefits.

This is the second subscription offering from Alaska Airlines. Its first is called Flight Pass, which launched two years ago. Flight Pass allows subscribers to book flights at deep discounts between 15 destinations in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. Low-cost carriers, like Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines, also offer similar paid subscription services to Flight Pass.

Alaska Access perks

Here’s what $5 a month gets Alaska Access subscribers:

• Sale Alerts: Subscribers will get a notification in the Alaska Airlines app the night before major sales are announced, allowing them to book at sale prices before the general public. 

• Wi-Fi Vouchers: Each month, subscribers receive a free voucher for in-flight Wi-Fi. Because Wi-Fi typically costs $8 on Alaska Airlines flights, the subscription already pays for itself if you fly on Alaska Airlines at least once a month and usually pay for Wi-Fi.   

• Personalized Fare Pages: A tailored “for you” page helps subscribers find affordable flights to their frequent destinations more easily. The calendar view allows comparisons of low fares in dollars and miles to over 500 global destinations. 

Alaska Access fine print

The program requires a minimum one-year commitment at sign-up (though the payments will be billed monthly). In total, subscribers will spend $60 on the year-long subscription.

While it isn’t required to be a Mileage Plan member to sign up for the service, early sale access is only available with a Mileage Plan account. Subscribers can create a free Mileage Plan account during the Alaska Access sign-up process.

Alaska Access vs. Flight Pass

The new Alaska Access subscription is separate from Flight Pass. Alaska Access offers early sale access and monthly Wi-Fi vouchers. Flight Pass locks in discounted airfares for 12 months' worth of travel for a select number of round-trip flights — albeit at a higher monthly fee than Alaska Access.

Flight Pass costs $49 per month for six round-trip flights per year, $99 for 12 round-trip flights per year or $189 per month for 24 round-trip flights a year. The Flight Pass is valid for flights between 18 popular destinations in California and the West, including Reno, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. There are no blackout dates the way there are for the sales that are part of Alaska Access.

Flight Pass Pro is the even more flexible version of Flight Pass. Starting at $199 per month, members receive all of the perks of Flight Pass Pro, but can book up to two hours before take-off (instead of the two weeks before departure required for Flight Pass).

Alaska Access doesn’t guarantee low fares, but rather early access to sales. It takes out some of the guesswork of trying to find the best time to book flights and is more advantageous for frequent flyers who live outside of the Flight Pass network. For example, flyers based near Alaska hubs in Portland or Seattle, might make better use of Alaska Access.

If you are flexible about what days you travel (to take advantage of sales) and generally pay for Alaska Airlines Wi-Fi once a month, the Alaska Access subscription might be worth adding to your monthly roster of services.

(Top photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines)