Permanent Divident Fund question re: airline fares

Can someone explain to me what this dividend has to do with the chance that Alaska Airline might put their fares on sale? My DH and I will be flying from the east coast to Vancouver on the way out, and then Anchorage on the way back; and can fly out of NYC if the price is right :) Should we wait to book until late September just in case? Right now it looks like American Airlines has the best fares out of either NYC or Hartford (where we usually fly from).

Thanks in advance!

Mary R.

Derby, CT

Can someone explain to me what this dividend has to do with the chance that Alaska Airline might put their fares on sale?

A half million people suddenly get around $1K a piece all at once and all the businesses are lining up to help them spend it, Alaska Airlines included :)

The thing is that you have to weigh the chances the sale might have an impact on you. Alaska Airlines flies directly to O'Hare where I fly out of, so I can usually get a decent deal. Will it have a big impact out of NYC? I think they have a route between Neward and Seattle, but I'm unsure if that will end up being the best and cheapest route.

what is the airfare you are getting now?

When the oil industry was exploding on the North Slope in the 70's, Governor Hammond and other leaders had the foresight to set up the Alaska Permanent Fund. It was launched by royalties paid to the state by the oil industry and invested like a mutual fund is. Through great management and investing by the Permanent Fund Corporation, today that fund is around fifty billion dollars. Each year a portion of the earnings of the fund are taken out and averaged with the 5 previous year's earnings and divided among qualified Alaskan residents in October. The PFD (Permanent Fund Dividend) has been as low as $300 and as high as $2,100. People use it to catch up on bills, or buy supplies for winter, or travel, or just splurge it. The day the money is released in early October, the stores are packed!

Years ago, when we had two major instate air carriers, Alaska Airlines and Mark Air, they came up with the marketing gimmick of the PFD Sale. At first, the deals were awesome. But over the years, they've become less and less significant. So it's a good time to pick up a decent price, but it's not the show stopper it used to be...

You can read a little more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund

Can someone explain to me what this dividend has to do with the chance that Alaska Airline might put their fares on sale? My DH and I will be flying from the east coast to Vancouver on the way out, and then Anchorage on the way back; and can fly out of NYC if the price is right :) Should we wait to book until late September just in case? Right now it looks like American Airlines has the best fares out of either NYC or Hartford (where we usually fly from).

Although I'm not one to encourage people going into credit card debt, The Alaska Airlines/B of A Visa comes with (a) a big mileage signup bonus - usually 25,000 or 30,000 Alaska miles (VERY useful - many partners including American, British Airways, Emirates, Delta, Qantas, KLM/Air France...) AND (b) an annual $100 companion certificate - one person pays any published fare, the companion pays $100 ($118 with taxes) for the whole itinerary, e.g. EWR-SEA-YVR//ANC-SEA-EWR. You have to use Alaska Airlines planes the whole way (hence Newark, but Boston is also an Alaska city.)

It would have to be one helluva PFD sale to get the total cost for 2 pax down by that much - maybe worth investigating.

https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit-cards/products/alaska-airlines-credit-card.go

one person pays any published fare, the companion pays $100 ($118 with taxes) for the whole itinerary, e.g. EWR-SEA-YVR//ANC-SEA-EWR. You have to use Alaska Airlines planes the whole way (hence Newark, but Boston is also an Alaska city.)

 

It would have to be one helluva PFD sale to get the total cost for 2 pax down

I thought the companion fare couldn't be used for open jaw tickets ??

I thought the companion fare couldn't be used for open jaw tickets ??

It can be used for one-way, round trip or open jaws, provided all segments are on AS metal.

Can someone explain to me what this dividend has to do with the chance that Alaska Airline might put their fares on sale?

 

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Mary R.

Derby, CT

As someone who lives in Alaska I can attest to the fact that stores run PDF sales -- every thing from cars to snow machines to sewing machines will be on sale in this state for about a week after the funds are deposited in accounts.

As someone who lives in Alaska I can attest to the fact that stores run PDF sales -- every thing from cars to snow machines to sewing machines will be on sale in this state for about a week after the funds are deposited in accounts.

Yes, I have learned you go to Costco or Sam's the week before the checks come out, or at least 3 weeks after the checks come out, the first week of October.

The prediction is that this year's check will be around the $1,930 mark. Finally, got those bad couple of stock market years out of the rolling average.

Susan in Anchorage :)

Yes, I have learned you go to Costco or Sam's the week before the checks come out, or at least 3 weeks after the checks come out, the first week of October.

 

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Susan in Anchorage :)

Ins't that the truth! I am in the market for a high-end sewing machine (I quilt) and am going to wait for the PDF sales.

When you see a price on your multi-city flights that you can live with, I would book it..Chances are the PDF won't really affect the price of those particular flights...On the three multi-city flights on AS I have used for cruises they certainly didn't.

 

The thing is that you have to weigh the chances the sale might have an impact on you. Alaska Airlines flies directly to O'Hare where I fly out of, so I can usually get a decent deal. Will it have a big impact out of NYC? I think they have a route between Neward and Seattle, but I'm unsure if that will end up being the best and cheapest route.

 

what is the airfare you are getting now?

My husband has found fares on American Airlines of about $300 for the Anchorage leg and in the $250 range for the Vancouver leg. Just trying to get an idea of our choices.

Someone else mentioned about the Alaska Airlines credit card -- not sure we want to get another cc just for this trip -- but thanks anyway!

My husband has found fares on American Airlines of about $300 for the Anchorage leg and in the $250 range for the Vancouver leg. Just trying to get an idea of our choices.

 

Someone else mentioned about the Alaska Airlines credit card -- not sure we want to get another cc just for this trip -- but thanks anyway!

that's a good price.

I can say that the Alaskan Airlines flight I've had my eye on all month, hoping for a discount due to a PDF sale, has just gone up from $341 to $424! I wonder if it will then be on a PDF 'sale' for more than it was to start with! I think I better just book the $314 red-eye with American Airlines.

I can say that the Alaskan Airlines flight I've had my eye on all month, hoping for a discount due to a PDF sale, has just gone up from $341 to $424! I wonder if it will then be on a PDF 'sale' for more than it was to start with! I think I better just book the $314 red-eye with American Airlines.

The Alaska Permanent Fund Board meeting is September 25th - 26th. That is the usual time they announce the amount, and, then, the electronic deposits go out the first week of October.

So, I imagine everyone is waiting for the final number to see what kinds of sales they put out there.

Susan in Anchorage :)

From what I saw last year the PDF Airfare sale, it required to you to fly by mid May, so unless you are on a early season cruise most likely this sale will not affect your flight prices but it pays to watch the prices. I put a price watch on my flight options using Kayak.com and had a basis of where the prices started. I manage to get my flight price down below opening price in mid December and they held until the end of January before going up significantly ($100+) for my Late July/Mid August flights.

I got the Delta Sky Miles card to get the added points to give me enough points to fly my Anchorage leg for free as it was the most expensive leg.

Well, just saw on one of the local News Station's Facebook page, that they aren't going to wait for the PFD Corporation's board meeting, the Governor will be announcing the PFD amount on September 17th.

Susan in Anchorage :)

and don't forget, if you are going starting or ending in Vancouver, you can take the train, a bus or a ship transfer from Vancouver to Seattle. Might take a couple of hours, but it is a pretty drive, and might save you hundreds on a flight.....All are very easy to arrange....and cheap....!!!!! ship transfers start at 39 bucks, buses and trains can go as low as 35.....:)

and don't forget, if you are going starting or ending in Vancouver, you can take the train, a bus or a ship transfer from Vancouver to Seattle. Might take a couple of hours, but it is a pretty drive, and might save you hundreds on a flight.....All are very easy to arrange....and cheap....!!!!! ship transfers start at 39 bucks, buses and trains can go as low as 35.....:)

This is great advice and I was planning on doing this, but when I checked airfare, it was exactly the same for us to fly from Indy to Vancouver than it was from Indy to Seattle. I booked to Vancouver for $234pp and now get my extra day in Vancouver. . .one of my favorite cities!

The flight I am watching is the return flight from Anchorage to Indy.

I'm glad that I've already purchased our round trip airfare from Dallas to Seattle for July 2015. We paid $402.20/pp and the price already increased $60. If it increased that much within a 3 week time span, I shudder to think what it will be next summer!:eek: Guess it pays off to be frugal.:p

Alaska air group (Alaska airlines) has a membership group called CLUB 49. Check it out.

Alaska air group (Alaska airlines) has a membership group called CLUB 49. Check it out.

But, you have to be an Alaskan resident to join.

Susan in Anchorage[emoji3]

But, you have to be an Alaskan resident to join.

 

Susan in Anchorage[emoji3]

Beside the PFD, Club 49 is one of the biggest perks to being Alaskan. The free checked luggage is AWESOME.