caribou hunt and alaska airline miles

[razorsharptokill]

Going to Alaska on a bow hunt this year. Looking at flight options for this August. For you guys that have Alaska airline miles, how do you get the most bang for your buck?

I have heard that some fly almost free to Alaska but is complicated when you actually start plugging in dates and cities.

Is there a day of the week it is better to fly price wise?

[elkken]

Book your flight early to get the best use of miles on Alaska, some flights have limited seats available for mileage plan flyers, if you wait too long it will cost additional miles or you may not be able to use them at all.. Also if you are flying with a buddy don't forget to use your annual companion coupon, saves you lots of $$ when flying to AK. One ticket will cost under $200 that way.

Also buy the flight insurance, it's cheap, and you never know what can happen when you book far in advance.

Good luck

[stalkin4elk]

Alaska Airline signature card gives 3 miles per dollar spent and a companion ticket once per year for about 120$ You can NOT link to another airline such as Delta for any connections. You must also be on the plane yourself with the partner,so you cant buy for others if you dont go.This may help some of you...close for two for one...sorta.

[chinook907]

Once in Alaska using your airline miles to get to your bush connection (Kotzebue, Deadhorse, McGrath, etc) is very cost effective. I.e. instate flights are very expensive but the number of airline miles it takes for a free flight on Alaska Airlines or a partner like Ravn takes way fewer airline miles.

[Preston Lay]

Jim if you have the bonus miles from the sign up, just call customer service. They are very helpful and will put together a flight plan. Should be only a $25 charge each way. Thoughts to ponder, mileage tickets aren't very flexible. I was stuck in Anchorage a few days once. We came out of the bush early and I couldn't change my flight. So be sure of your dates and plan accordingly. But after all that, Oklahoma to Alaska for $50. Not too bad!

[razorsharptokill]

I see that you can also buy miles if you are short. 35K for 962.50 + taxes.

We have to get all the way up from OKC to Deadhorse so I think the whole proces there and back is around 35K miles according to what I figured while looking at available flights.

[akdd]

Flying from Anchorage to DeadHorse is $840 round trip. That is what the company I am working for is paying for flights. Like Chinook said even if you just have enough miles for the instate portion of the flight you can save quite a bit. If I am not mistaken instate flights are 15K miles.

[Aggieland]

Let's keep this thread rolling!

[elkken]

Razorsharp ... spend the time to call Alaska Airlines and talk to some one. You may find that miles needed and what you read and think is needed are two different things, that's why I suggest booking early. If you call and ask questions it saves being surprised when your trying to book a ticket online. I speak from experience on that one! Also different destinations can have different mileage requirements, everything is not 20K miles unless something has changed.

[AkDan]

with 26 recognized herds in this state, I think personally you could have just as good of a hunt for a potentially cheaper cost, depending on what your flight to deadhorse actually runs or for that matter the bush flight out of deadhorse (which is typically pretty spendy for what you're actually getting).   Happy valley is the next hop out, which again isn't cheap.  70 north and deltana offer drops, but alas getting their is an issue, without a locals help or a rental.  If I remember right Jeff is out of Kavik, so I'm assuming he's who you're flying with?  Would make sense on the hop to deadhorse.

I would think the hop to deadhorse would be 15k miles which is what most (not sure about all) instate mileage tickets run.

Cold foot on the south side is your next hop spot, again tough spot to get too, you could turbo prop from Fairbanks for a fee from wrights I'd bet.

Get a pick up on the road from bettles, or there's a couple guys with cubs on floats doing drops from the same lake...but again you'll have to rent and drive north, pay for the pickup and return.  It does open up bettles and the western brooks, WAC herd.  I'm not sure how far east Jay flys (brooks range aviation).  

Next spot is Fairbanks...which affords you to access to a bunch of herds, western and porcupine in particular, along with 40 mile country being relatively close by, 40 mile can be jumped from delta or tok as well, with tok being the best option, all paved roads which means no issues with rentals.   Procipine you'll likely jump out of ft Yukon and out, you can easily get to most of the villages.  

Fly into anchorage and you can hop out of their as well....  I have a hunt on my radar out of anchortown a buddy put me onto years ago with an option for moose as well.

LOTS of options for caribou!   LOTS!

[Msturm]

I fly from Honolulu to Anchorage twice a year to visit family. I have the Alaska Airline credit card and it racks up miles fast. One trip usually costs me about 200 each way. but the second trip using my miles is $7.50 or something which is just to cover tax.  I book early, and I try to arrive on sunday and leave on a tuesday. Those days have worked out really good for me.

Best of luck

[J-dog]

jumping in here - but a question about getting the 118 dollar deal/voucher. You get one a yr anyone used that?

Thanks