How To Upgrade to First Class on Alaska Airlines

You were traveling on Alaska Airlines. You may have already booked the seats at basic fares and would like to know how to upgrade to a higher class. Then, this is your handy guide to Alaska Airlines Seat upgrades. You will realize you can easily upgrade if you know the proper steps.

In the following article, we cover Alaska Airlines' Upgrade policy, the types of upgrades, how to make an Alaska Airlines Upgrade With Miles, and other important info to make upgrading easy.

Types of Alaska Airlines Seats & Upgrades

If you are upgrading on Alaska Airlines, you should be aware that various types of upgrades are available for a traveller. Mostly, you get an upgrade if you have an elite status, but the upgrades are also available if you come under non-elite status.

Alaska Airlines Seat Upgrade

You should be aware that if you upgrade to Premium class, these are the seats at the front of the main cabin. Regarding specifications, it has an additional legroom of 4 inches (compared to Normal Economy), where you will get early boarding, complimentary alcoholic beverages, and much more. Besides, Alaska Airlines has Business Class & First Class.

Also, "Elite members" are those members who now possess "elite status" in the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan frequent flyer program.

How To Upgrade To First Class on Alaska Airlines

Now that you know various types of seats and available upgrades, it is time to learn how to make Alaska Airlines upgrade to business class or first class.

1: Using Miles When Purchasing Ticket

Visit the official website of Alaska Airlines.
Enter departure/destination into the "Book" section.
From the list of flights, select the "Mileage" option from the Upgrade fare types. Fares shown with an "F" in a solid blue box have upgrade availability.
Do one as per your preference and go ahead with the booking.

(Note: A one-way first-class upgrade usually takes around 15,000 Mileage Plan miles.)

2: Using Miles After Tickets Booked

Dial Alaska Airlines booking number 1-800-252-7522 (1-800-ALASKAAIR).
State your upgrade request.
Mention your booking ID & other details for representatives to check whether you've enough miles for an upgrade.
If yes, then you can go ahead with upgrading with your accumulated miles.
After the upgrade, receive upgrade confirmation by mail.

Note: Again, the price to upgrade a one-way ticket that includes connecting flights is around 15,000 miles. Do cross-check with an airline representative for more details on mileage requirements.

3: Paid Upgrades

The process here is straightforward. If you booked the tickets already, then on your purchase, an upgrade on the option is provided within 24 hours of the flight departure through the online check-in option. You can also upgrade on the day of the journey at a kiosk, airport ticket counter, or departure gate. The upgrades are again subject to availability and various other factors.

Note: If you are making one-way upgrades to a higher class, the price of the upgrade depends obviously on various factors, but it starts at $23.

Alaska Airlines Upgrades Categories

Alaska Airlines upgrades into two categories: complimentary upgrades and paid upgrades.

Complimentary Upgrades

You get a list of complimentary upgrades for Alaska Airlines after booking tickets on Alaska Airlines.

Alaska Airlines First Class Upgrades:

If you are an elite member, you will get unlimited complimentary upgrades to first class because of your elite membership.

Fare Class Upgrades:

Again, if you are an elite member, you are eligible for immediate upgrades to Premium Class when you purchase qualifying fares, provided there is availability.

Premium Class Upgrades:

If you have elite status, you get unlimited complimentary upgrades to premium class.

Companion Upgrades:

If you are an elite member, you can upgrade to 1 companion travelling with them.

Guest Upgrades:

This is a particular case. Certain elite members receive guest upgrade certificates every year, which can be used by a passenger who is not travelling with the elite member.

Paid Upgrades

If you don't have elite status, you can make payment directly for the upgrade.

First Class or Business Class Upgrades:

Travelers can purchase higher-class upgrades, depending on availability, 24 hours before departure.

Alaska Airlines Upgrade With Miles

First Class or Business Class Upgrades:

If you want to avoid making a complete payment with direct cash, you can utilize the miles when purchasing their tickets or when you have already booked a ticket to make the necessary upgrade.

Conclusion

So, now you have all the essential information regarding how to upgrade to Alaska Airlines successfully. You now know the types of seats and upgrades to determine which category your one perfectly applies. Also, you are informed about how to use your miles to make that upgrade, or you can make the direct payment. So, upgrade today—a comfortable flight journey awaits you now.

FAQs

Yes, you can upgrade a seat on Alaska. A seat can be upgraded if a space is left in the cabin and the purchased ticket is qualified to do so. Furthermore, the unaccompanied minor, pregnant lady or a person who cannot understand English may not be able to upgrade a seat in the emergency exit rows.

Yes, you can upgrade to first class after purchase on Alaska. However, the award ticket, passenger traveling with pets, or having a special baggage flyer are not eligible to upgrade after purchase.

The upgrade to the premium on Alaska Airlines can be as low as $15. Moreover, the charges for an upgrade according to the segment of a flight and the distance of the routes.

Yes, it is with upgrading to first class on Alaska Airlines. Further, when an itinerary gets upgraded to first class then, one can have access to lounges, priority board, extra baggage, priority check-in, complimentary meals and many more. So, having an itinerary upgraded to the first class is totally worth it.

The upgrade on Alaska Airlines allows moving to the next higher cabin. But the appeal for an upgrade is processed according to the waitlist order, that is, "Elite status level," "Fare class," "Million Miler milestones," and the "Time of booking." Once you get on the waitlist, the booking can be upgraded based on the order.

Flying on either of two premium or first class on Alaska, the journey can be intriguing. In premium, one can expect wider seats, extra legroom, complimentary meals, etc. On the other hand, the first class offers all the benefits that can be availed in the premium and more. The additional features that one can have are priority boarding, pre-order complimentary meals, and so on. So, flying with one of these cabins could not see much difference, but experience can be varied.