Flying Blue Unbundles Awards, Alaska Adds Europe, and Who Really Deserves That Upgrade?

Watch Us On YouTube! Announcing a new, ongoing benefit for annual subscribers of our Slack community. Annual subscribers receive a free Points Path Alerts subscription OR a 30% discount on Points Path Pro. Who actually deserves that empty first-class seat—and should an airline ever downgrade a passenger to make room for its own crew? Ed and Richard kick things off with two very different upgrade situations on American Airlines. Richard found himself first on the upgrade list with two seats remaining, only to see those seats occupied by non-revenue flight attendants. That leads into a much bigger debate over a family reportedly downgraded from business class on a Miami–Milan flight to accommodate deadheading pilots. The guys discuss the important difference between deadheading and non-rev travel, whether award passengers should be more vulnerable to downgrades, and why these decisions can undermine airline loyalty. Then, Flying Blue is introducing Light, Standard and Flex award tickets, effectively bringing the unbundling trend to award travel. A Light business-class award can mean no advance seat assignment, no lounge access and no changes or refunds. Flying Blue elites retain some benefits, but Ed and Richard worry about what this trend means for everyone sitting on a pile of airline miles. They also react to Starlux selling miles for a whopping four cents apiece and do the math on whether buying enough for a business-class award could possibly make sense. Spoiler alert: they're not reaching for their wallets. Plus, Alaska Airlines is expanding its international ambitions with new Seattle flights to Paris and Athens, and the FAA has Ed and Richard debating one of the most pressing issues in aviation: apparently, your pre-departure beverage could be an evacuation hazard. Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! If you're looking for a way to support the show, we'd love to have you join us in our Travel Slack Community.  Join me and other travel experts for informative conversations about the travel world, the best ways to use your miles and points, Zoom happy hours and exciting giveaways. Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. Follow Us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestogopodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milestogopodcast Ed Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/pizzainmotion/ Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/ ✈️ What We Cover in This Episode ✈️ Richard gets skipped on the upgrade list Two first-class seats remained Non-revenue flight attendants ended up sitting up front Why published elite benefits should actually be honored ✈️ Should passengers ever be downgraded for airline crews? Deadheading pilots versus non-rev employees A family downgraded on a Miami–Milan flight Award tickets versus cash tickets How these decisions affect customer loyalty ✈️ Flying Blue unbundles award tickets New Light, Standard and Flex awards Business class without lounge access or advance seat selection Change and refund restrictions Why this could function as an award-price increase ✈️ Flying Blue status becomes more valuable Elite benefits still apply to Light awards The advantage for travelers who matched status through Bilt Why status matters when airlines start stripping benefits from fares ✈️ Would you buy Starlux miles for four cents each? Roughly $6,000 for enough miles for a 150,000-mile award Why an expensive cash fare doesn't necessarily make that a bargain When buying miles can make sense ✈️ Alaska expands to Paris and Athens New service from Seattle Why Athens is becoming such a popular destination Greek islands and connecting leisure demand How much service the market can support ✈️ Alaska's 787 service challenges Flight attendants raise concerns about staffing Large premium cabins and additional service elements Comparing staffing with other long-haul carriers ✈️ The FAA comes for your pre-departure beverage Airline-provided cups must be collected before pushback Why Richard thinks the rule is ridiculous Ed's foolproof method for guaranteeing himself a pre-departure beverage ⏱️ Episode 451 Timestamps 10:16 – Richard gets skipped for a first-class upgrade 13:12 – Non-revs vs. deadheading crews: who should get the seat? 15:28 – Should an award passenger ever be downgraded for a pilot? 18:13 – Flying Blue introduces Light, Standard and Flex awards 19:23 – Business class without lounge access, seat selection or flexibility 22:30 – Starlux sells miles for an eye-popping four cents each 24:40 – Alaska adds Seattle–Paris and Seattle–Athens 28:40 – Alaska 787 flight attendants raise staffing concerns 30:14 – The FAA's new enforcement around pre-departure beverages