Abby Query learned early on how to maximize the benefits out of Alaska Airlines rewards program.
“My mom introduced me to every one of the Alaska Airlines programs,” said Query who was born in Juneau. “I’ve been an Alaska Airlines mileage plan participant since when I was just three.”
Query keeps a close watch on the amount she’s traveled each year. If she travels 20,000 miles she’ll be eligible for elite status that comes with certain benefits, including easier booking, more comfortable seats, and sometimes upgrade up to the first class.
These aren’t huge benefits, Query said, but they’re worth it especially if you’re flying often.
“It is just making the whole flying experience more enjoyable,” she said. “And when you’re living within Southeast Alaska like I do I fly quite a bit to get around.”
In many cases, Alaska is the only airline in the world.
In the year that was in question, Query was just shy of being elite and she decided to book an excursion to Nevada to climb a rock with her friends.
This type of status-earning vacation is known as”mileage run” or “mileage race.” It’s not just Query the only one to book one. She’s heard of folks booking weekends trips to Hawaii or simply flying to Seattle and then returning the same day to finish up their mileage at close each year.
But she’s aware that flying and burning jet fuel has an unintended consequence. Aviation is responsible for 2.4 percent of the world’s annual carbon dioxide emissions, and the number is increasing according to an research study for 2021.
“It is true that it has a significant impact on the environment,” Query said. “It’s sometimes hard to understand due to the fact that it’s an everyday part of our lives. However, the carbon footprint of my life is greater because I took the trip.”
Alaska Airlines is aware that mileage runs are routine for Alaskans who are concerned about their status as a reward.
This year, with the aim to reduce these unnecessary flights -as well as their carbon emissions The airline has introduced an new promotion to customers: Instead of booking a plane ticket, members are able to earn elite-qualifying points until the close of the month by purchasing something referred to as sustainable aviation fuel, also known as SAF.
“Our guests are aware of the climate effects of flying, and many have requested a seamless approach to steps,” said Alaska Airlines communications manager Cailee Lyngaas. It has a itself a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions in 2040. This is a quicker timeline than other airlines. others of the major U.S. airways.
Lyngaas stated that SAF will play a significant part in achieving this goal.
What is SAF? In essence, it’s jet fuel, which is not an fossil fuel. It’s not the result from oil exploration.
In reality, it’s a biofuel made of animal and plant materialit can be anything from leftover cooking oil, manure, and cooking oil to specific crops that are grown to fuel.
The idea is that, over its entire life, from creation until the time it’s used within a turbine engine it’s likely to contribute substantially lower CO2 to our atmosphere than conventional jet fuel. (Though there are some who argue that biofuels may raise carbon emissions dependent on the method by which they’re made.)
Eliminating emissions from airplanes is a major problem, said Andrew Chen, an aviation expert at the think tank on clean energy Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado.
Chen claimed that the technology needed for alternatives such as hydrogen-powered or electric aircrafts isn’t there as of. SAF is, despite its limitations it is the best option in the moment — aside from just flying less.
“It could be the best feasible option for today’s climate change to decarbonize air travel,” Chen said. “The problem is that we don’t create or purchase adequate quantities.”
SAF is in its early days. There’s not a big industry making it. This fuel is more costly than conventional jet fuel. Furthermore, Chen claimed that it will not be able to compete so for as long fossil fuels are affordable.
However, he added that it’s an important tool and he regards Alaska’s proposal as a novel method to increase awareness.
“I believe that on this aspect only, it’s great to get the public involved and customers of the passenger industry,” Chen said.
Lyngaas acknowledged that the offer this month alone isn’t enough to generate sufficient interest in SAF to bring down costs. She explained that it’s about building the public’s trust in alternative fuels that aren’t fossil.
“We are able to educate our guests about the benefits of this, and hopefully, that will lead into lowering the cost while also advocating for public policy support” Lyngaas said.
However, is Alaska Airlines’ offer actually more suitable for the climate than the miles you’ve logged?
It all depends on the method by which the SAF is manufactured and used.
Lyngaas hasn’t provided specifics about the specific type of fuel SAF Alaska Airlines currently uses. She claimed that it is used regularly to fuel aircrafts in San Francisco International Airport, however it’s not yet widespread across the fleet.
SAF is less than 1 percent of Alaska’s fuel, according to Lyngaas. Alaska is aiming to achieve 10% SAF by 2030.
SAF usage is “not enough as we’d like it have been, as long as I’m 100% truthful. There’s not enough scale and honestly, the cost,” Lyngaas said. “But we’ll continue to work towards advancing this market.”
The Alaska Airlines website Alaska Airlines offers a calculator to help customers determine how much carbon emissions they will be generating from their trip. For instance, it states that an all-round route between Anchorage to Seattle produces 760 lbs of CO2 which is roughly equivalent to the burning of 38 gallons gasoline and driving a typical vehicle to Seward up to Deadhorse.
The airline claims that spending $200 on SAF could more than offset carbon footprint, while also receiving 1,000 miles that qualify as elite.
Lyngaas stated that the entire amount received by elite-qualifying customers in exchange for miles will be used to expand the purchase of SAF. On their website the airline claims that the money will be used to support “climate solutions (SAF as well as verified offsets, removals, and verifications) which reduce or eliminate carbon dioxide (GHG) emissions depending on your carbon footprint estimate.”
Carbon offsets may differ widely in their ability to can benefit the climate.
For Abby Query in Juneau, she’s not sure how much impact on climate the program could actually bring. It does however make her think about the impact on climate change that flying has.
“We are able to see the Instagram images and tanning (from travel) however, not extraction and the effect it’s causing on the earth,” she said.
Query she hadn’t been aware of SAF before, stated that traveling is an integral part of her daily life. And If there’s an option to reduce cost of travel, she’s intrigued.
