Join us on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 for "Travel Secrets" at the Aviation Heritage Museum on the shores of Lake Hood! 

This is our "Make good" event since we canceled the evening last November due to bad weather.

Get the LATEST intel on all-things-travel: great deals, miles and points, successful travel planning strategies, travel insurance for changes and cancellations and MUCH MORE.

Moose's Tooth Pizza + Beer! (also root beer +water)

Don't miss it! We'll share more about the whole itinerary. But you can save your place NOW. CLICK HERE (tickets are $30 per person).

Who: You and any other travelers!

What: Seminar-style review of latest intel on all-things travel

When: Thursday, February 8, 2024, 6pm-9pm

Where: Alaska Aviation Museum on the shores of Lake Hood.

Why: Get actionable tools to save money and give you ideas on where to go next!

How: Click here to reserve your spot. Space is limited.
 

Travelers must be aware of Alaska Air's grounding of its 737 MAX 9 fleet.

FACT: Following the incident/depressurization last week on Alaska Air flight 1282, all 737 MAX 9s have been grounded. That includes 65 Alaska Air planes and 79 United Airlines planes.

FACT: the grounded aircraft represent 20 percent of Alaska Air’s fleet. Cancellations and delays are inevitable, even if you’re not booked on a “MAX 9” aircraft.

FACT: Alaska Airlines is waiting for further guidance from the FAA before the planes will be returned to service. More than 100 flights per day are being canceled in the meantime.

If you’re traveling, or if you have a trip coming up, check your itinerary now to make sure your flight is operating as scheduled.

1. Check your email, or check the Alaska Air app or Alaskaair.com  to see if you’ve been automatically rebooked.  

2. If you need to contact Alaska Airlines reservations, call (877)862-4093. This is a dedicated rebooking number reserved for impacted travelers. It is not a general reservations number.

3. you can also TEXT Alaska Airlines for a faster response from your mobile phone. Text 82008 on your cell phone and tell them you need help rebooking your flight. Have your confirmation number ready.

IF YOU NEED HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS and MEAL ASSISTANCE: Several travelers told me that Alaska Airlines representatives advised them to KEEP RECEIPTS from additional expenses and to submit them with a cover letter, explanation and your CONFIRMATION NUMBER to Customer Care: customer.care@alaskaair.com  

I confirmed this protocol with Alaska Airlines today. Alaska Airlines has the capability to book you on other airlines to get you back home (all airlines do this all the time).  But the representative said he was “not sure” about travelers getting reimbursed if they bought tickets on other airlines.

TRAVEL INSURANCE: The situation with the 737 MAX 9 is a ready-made commercial for travel insurance. Whether it’s included with your credit card (including the Alaska Air Visa card), or with a free-standing policy such as those available from Allianz, or BHTP, travel insurance can really help. If you used a credit card to purchase your ticket, you may qualify for reimbursement because of flight cancellations. 

TRAVEL AGENTS: I interviewed the folks at Alaska Travel Source earlier this week. They've been busy rebooking their clients on new flights. An agent can access other flight information quickly and get you rebooked. They charge a fee (about $40 per ticket for domestic flights), but you may determine that it's worth it to bring in a professional.

BOTTOM LINE: Almost everyone has good things to say about Alaska Air's customer service during these difficult times, even though it can take a long time to get them on the phone. Still, many travelers are delayed due to flight cancellations. 

LATEST Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) GUIDANCE on 737 MAX 9s. CLICK HERE to read the latest update.

THE GOAL:  between the FAA, Boeing and Alaska Airlines, each 737 MAX 9 will be carefully inspected and safety-certified to return to service ASAP. 

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Katie Pesznecker reports from Dublin on her holiday excursion. She and her husband, Joe (above) visited the Guinness Brewery. But they also stopped in at the Jameson tasting room (below, famous for their Irish whiskey). Castles, churches, Michelin-recommended eateries...click through to get the full story! 

I stopped by Midnight Sun Brewing in south Anchorage earlier this week. Artist Scott Clendaniel is having a show there all month. 

After walking around the tap room, I ordered a "taster flight" of four dark beers, because it's dark outside. Left to right: "Leche Robusta" which had notes of cinnamon and chocolate, "Sun Thief Porter" which is a nitro brew that tastes like coffee, "28" an anniversary ale that is richa and sweet and "TD23" for Termination Dust, a big, bold barleywine.

But I was there for the art. Scott covers three of my favorite themes: nature, planes and beer. 

Stop by this month at Midnight Sun...enjoy the beer...and check out Scott's paintings. You'll see why "Real Art is Better!" See below for some of my favorites: trees, Denali + K2 Aviation and Anchorage's White Raven! 

NOW SHIPPING: The Alaska TourSaver® offers 100 travel discounts around the state for bear viewing, whale watching, train trips, glacier cruises and flights from the Lower 48 states to Alaska and within the state.

Travelers can use just one coupon to recoup the cost of the book ($99.95)  Visit TourSaver.com to order the 2024 edition. Now available as an app on the Apple app store or at Google Play.

“Our job is to showcase Alaska for visitors—and the Alaska TourSaver is just the ticket,” said Alaska travel authority and co-publisher Scott McMurren..

“The book offers exclusive access to more than $15,000 in travel savings.”

Are you a member of CLUB 49? It’s the free benefit JUST for Alaska residents from Alaska Airlines.
When you sign up, you’re eligible for:

1. Two free checked bags when traveling to or from Alaska.

2. Two “Travel Now” certificates good for 30 percent off “Y” class fares. #LastMinute

3. “Freight 4 Less” offer: ship 100 pounds within Alaska for $49, plus tax. Special packaging requirements apply (two 35-gallon totes).

4. Weekly fare sales.

Not sure if you are already a member? Open the Alaska Airlines app, click on your profile, select “Mileage Plan Card” and check to see if it says Club 49. If it does, you’re up to date and good to go. If not, call Customer Care at 1-800-654-5669 to be reinstated.

While the days are getting shorter, the nights are getting brighter.  

Photos, above and below, by Amy J. Johnson . 

That’s especially true north of Fairbanks. Northern Alaska Tour Company has vans and planes that go up and down the Dalton Highway (Haul Road) every day. Check out the pictures…then pick one of these trips and plan your Aurora Adventure today!

1. Aurora Adventure. Head north from Fairbanks and stay in Coldfoot, where the northern lights are born! 

2. Arctic Circle Fly/Drive. Drive up from Fairbanks to Coldfoot, then fly back (or fly, then drive). Cross the Yukon River, see the "Enchanted Forest", stop for pictures at the Arctic Circle...and more. 

3. Homestead Aurora Tour. One-night stand under the northern lights--but away from the city. Not a day tour...but a night tour! 

Learn more at northernalaska.com

During the day, we took a "safari" from Coldfoot up to Atigun Pass (below). You can see the Pipeline on the right.  If you zoom in, you can see the road going up, up, up in the background against the face of the mountain. AMAZING! 

Lendimi Safaris, based in Arusha, Tanzania, has two specials for Alaska Travelgram readers:

6-day/5-night Safari: Northern Tanzania, including Ngorogoro Crater, Serengeti Nat’l Park, Lake Manyara National Park and more. Includes all meals + accommodations, transportation via 4x4 Safari car w pop-up. From $2,776 per person. LEARN MORE.

GREAT MIGRATION PACKAGE: 11-day/10-night This safari package includes seeing the Wildebeast Migration across the Mara River. From $3,850 per person. LEARN MORE. 

Fares go up and fares go down. Sometimes they go WAY down. We'll let you know the LATEST info, especially if you subscribe to #Airfare911 ... our text-to-phone service! 

CLICK HERE to sign up now.  Get ready for the next batch of bargain airfares! 

NEVER miss a hot airfare again. Sign up today.