Significant reduction of airfare costs for our Alaska cruise: We've managed to secure a whopping 50% savings on air travel for our upcoming Alaskan voyage!
Take a leap of faith and call the shots when the opportunity arises, especially for those epic, nerve-wracking journeys that might feel intimidating to set in motion. Like our latest daredevil move – booking a fancy, wallet-draining, two-cabin Alaska cruise in 2023 for our family, including the ol' man who's never set sail before, turning a sprightly 74 next summer.
We're sailing from Vancouver, BC, to Alaska and back, but first, we gotta make it to Vancouver, causing quite the financial strain since weeklong Alaskan cruises are already pretty steep, and adding five round-trip summer airline tickets to the bill is most unpleasant.
To avoid bankruptcy, we've been scouring the web for secret hacks to save on our Alaska Disney cruise airfare, and it seems like the Alaska Airlines companion certificate might be the goldmine we've been searching for.
Here's the lowdown: Our home airport happens to be one of Alaska Airlines' hubs, and it presents the cheapest flight option, even compared to sky-high airfare prices into Canada. Plus, Alaska Airlines cardholders receive a buy-one-get-one companion voucher annually on their account anniversary (or sometimes as part of a sign-up bonus).
To cash in on this perk, buy one economy ticket on a domestic Alaska Airlines flight (paying cold hard cash, not miles) with your Alaska Airlines credit card, and poof! The second ticket will only set you back $99 plus some taxes and fees, coming to just under $136 in our case. That means evergreen savings compared to shelling out for airfare to Vancouver.
So, instead of flying to Vancouver, it seems wiser to jet off to Seattle. And, hey, Alaska Airlines still operates cruises from Vancouver, so it could still make more sense to fly to Seattle even if your Alaska cruise departs from Canadia.
When cruising with the family and finding ways to save everywhere, the Alaska Airlines companion voucher could be your secret weapon to cutting airfare costs nearly in half. Just remember that international travel to Canada might pose a handful of extra paperwork, but the savings might be worth it. If you're currently in the market for a new credit card, consider the Alaska Airlines Visa Business card with a sign-up bonus of 50,000 bonus miles, plus Alaska's famous companion fare ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after making $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening an account.
With these insider tips in your back pocket, you'll have a better chance of keeping a chunk of that hard-earned cash for Alaska cruise shore excursions, upgrades, or souvenirs that'll remind you of the journey for years to come. So, are you ready to embark on this adventure with us?
- Traveling can sometimes be costly, especially when booking luxurious cruises like the Alaska cruise in 2023, and combined with airfare, it can strain the budget significantly.
- To save on airfare costs, we've been looking for hidden hacks, and the Alaska Airlines companion certificate could be our saving grace.
- By using the Alaska Airlines credit card, we found that buying one economy ticket on a domestic Alaska Airlines flight would grant us a second ticket for just $99 plus taxes and fees.
- This means that if we fly from Seattle instead of Vancouver, we can significantly cut our airfare costs, making it worth the extra travel time.
- When booking a cruise with family, travel tips like these can help stretch our travel rewards, allowing us to save money for shore excursions, upgrades, or souvenirs.
- To maximize our savings, we're considering getting the Alaska Airlines Visa Business card, which offers a sign-up bonus of 50,000 bonus miles and a companion fare for just $99 plus taxes and fees after meeting a certain spending requirement within the first 90 days.
