Originally Posted by
rmcbear08
Health benefits are decent. I cover myself and the family and it isn’t terribly expensive. There’s several options to pick from.
Travel benefits are pretty standard as well. Unlimited flights for you and your immediate family (spouse/travel companion, kids and parents). We get PSTs (positive space tickets) as well to use if/when there’s availability on certain flights. Wife and I went to Hawaii and back on those this summer. Nice not having to worry about loads while on vacation. Lots of ZED agreements with other airlines too.
Being a part of the One World alliance does give us a little bit more priority when ZED’ing on other One World airlines. Haven’t done it so I can’t really speak to how much more helpful that is, but it’s something anyway.
Supposedly we’re working with AA on travel benefits for us on them (and vice versa)? They’ve sort of teased that for a while now, but we haven’t heard anything definitive yet.
Details on the new AA travel benefits is on Alaskasworld. There is no Zero ZED.
Looks like we're stuck with VAL fares, which makes it seem like we are paying more for the off chance there is a first or business class seat open. And kids under 12 don't qualify for VAL fares. They have to buy regular ZED (low).
My two kids are under 12. So if my wife and 2 kids travel together (4 of us), the two adults can only purchase VAL fares and the two kids can only purchase a separate booking for ZED fares. Even if all 4 get seats, how does that make sense with parents sitting in business class, kids under 12 in coach? And no, there is no option for all 4 to purchase ZED low fare for the flight. ZED low is only for parents and kids below 12. Employee, spouse, kids over 12 HAVE to purchase VAL.
I don't get it.
ZED low is cheaper than VAL. I'd rather pay the cheaper price for ZED low and accept the coach class seat, then take a risk for paying a higher amount for VAL fare and then still end up getting stuck with a coach class seat because there was no first/business class. Unless you absolutely know for sure the availability for first/business looks good.
Regardless, looks like we don't even have a choice. It has to be VAL fares.