So the whole IcelandAir thing...

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it seems the Krona continues to nosedive and it would actually be cheaper to buy now rather than before.

From what I've seen in the blogs, it looks like you need 39,500 Krona to buy 25k IcelandAir Saga Club miles, which with the bonus would turn into the 30k needed to get an award ticket.

The way Google tells it, that's only $217 as of today. Even with the fees and taxes, that seems lower than what other people were reporting. I can only chalk that up to the Krona getting cheaper by the day, unless I'm reading something wrong.

Incidentally, while most people would look at Hawaii as the destination (which in turn will dry up availability sooner or later) I'm thinking this is not a bad deal at all to do IAD - LAX or LAS in F.

And of course MP has spoiled me to look at gift horse in the mouth, so when I see "RT F ticket to Hawaii for $328" all I can think about is whether the hard product is worth it. SMH.

 

I am showing on currency converter 39000 krona is $326.80 as of today.

 

Yeah I don't know who's right though... Google shows $214 when I search for the conversion, but the charts online show it at around 119.01 to $1 USD.

 

I just bought 25k miles last week. Purchase should be posted at chase. Let me see the rate the charge was at and I will report back.

 

HAHA! My first thought was - "Sure, it's $330ish to Hawaii in first class - but.... that is domestic first on a 737." Definitely spoiled.

 

I still can't enroll in the Saga Club, let alone taking advantage of the offer

 

I wonder if they'll devalue their mileage currency, too.

 

I've seen the google conversion but it seems to be wrong (too low) compared to many other sources.

 

i really wish i could take advantage of this but I am in ATL, and the options are extremely limited

 

Maybe you can find a AS-DL codeshare flight that they let you book on?

 

Shows up at $331 on xe.com

I think I will make a gametime decision as to whether or not I'll take advantage of this. LAX has decent AS service, but I've been spoiled by MP ... Getting a mileage ticket means no MQMs and Alaska first class isn't that amazing to hedge miles in a program like Saga (and it's likely I'd get upgraded on a paid coach ticket anyway)

 

Exactly. I think folks needs to take a peek what everyone else flies to Hawaii from the west coast. At least Alaska has some decent catering onboard.

 

You can use Avios to fly rd trip from ATL-ORD (9000 miles) then fly ORD-SEA-HNL-SEA (stopover)-ORD.

 

I'm seeing $217 also, from Google's built-in currency translation, which is usually correct. But yeah, xe.com is showing in the $330s. Odd.

 

Alaska's catering is pretty basic. Portion sizes are tiny. Seat pitch in F is shockingly tight, and the seats have very little recline. Hard to imagine, but UA first is better both in seat comfort and catering.

 

I haven't flown them to Hawaii, but I've done SEA-SFO twice the last year and they had an awesome Caprese salad on one of the flights and a bear claw on the other. On UA, you get squat on that route

I also did SEA-ORD in F with a very decent meal, movie player and wifi available. I took UA the other way and it was the same crappy stuff you get ORD-west coast.

I'll take AS any time I can

 

Oanda is usually the most reliable current source. http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/

That said IATA exchange rates are set periodically so there are advantageous choices regularly if you want to check. Further, individual airline pricing often differs from IATA rates too. Thus you might gain or lose in any individual transaction.

I live with three currencies every day and with more on a regular basis. I check each available rate option at the time of each purchase if the value is enough to care about, then choose the most advantageous option. I use Oanda to equalize the options.

 

I bought my 30k IcelandAir miles last Thursday and on my Chase Sapphire Pref card I was charged about $330. So that's about $0.008 per krona.

 

seriously? It's still a 737 for a 5.5 - 6.0 hour flight to Hawaii.

-David

 

I just hot back from iceland and google is reporting very wrong isk exchange rates.

 

Where do you actually do your currency conversion - bank, credit card?

 

According to yahoo, the 52wk trading range for the ISK is: 112.9100 - 131.1300 (per US $), currently showing 120.94 ISK/US $ 1.

 

And what's the most common equipment all airlines use to Hawaii? 757s and 737s. The 757 has the EXACT same fuselage diameter as the 737, there's no difference at all between the two.

If people can do trans con on the 757s, 737s and A320 series, I don't see any issues doing it to Hawaii

 

While I respect your position, I wasn't the one extolling the virtues of narrowbodies everywhere.

I'm not flying back and forth to the mainland in a 737 for as long as I have a choice in the matter. I have no idea how much longer I will have that choice, but I still have it now. Same for the "UA" 757-300.

-David

 

Given that you fly in a seat, not the entire plane, as long as the seat is comparable why do you care how wide the plane is? I just did RDU-LAX, 5.5 hours, in a 737 and it was fine.