As part of my 2013 travel objectives, I’m looking to fly 8-10,000 revenue miles each month to reduce the stress involved with renewing elite status this year. Last year, I had procrastinated until the 3rd and 4th quarter and had to hustle to get the miles together. As part of this “master plan” I’ve also committed to introduce new destinations in addition to my normal runs. Don’t get me wrong, there will be several runs to Germany and Slovakia for obvious reasons but along the way I’ll be expanding my horizons….literally.
So the obvious choice for January is of course……… Anchorage, Alaska (ANC).
Most people that I’ve shared this with reply with a blank stare that says nothing less than “you are a master idiot”. Sure, maybe if I lived in the southern part of the USA, I would agree….it would be a fairly dumb move. But for someone who lives in Michigan and is regularly subjected to sub-zero wind chills and feet upon feet of lake effect snow, a trip to Anchorage actually provides a respite from Michigan winters. Anchorage is fortunate to be at the receiving end of a Pacific Ocean current that brings relatively decent winter conditions to Anchorage, no different than most northern US states such as Michigan, Minnesota, Maine, etc.
At the core of my decision to go to Anchorage later this month was for the plane spotting opportunities. Anchorage’s Ted Stevens International hosts a proverbial WHO’s-WHO of cargo aviation. Everything from classic DC-6′s and Curtis Wright C-46′s to the mammoth Antonov AN-225 can be observed at fairly close range. ANC is actually very “plane spotter friendly” with several vantage points that provide a variety of dramatic photos opportunities. All I need is a little cooperation from the sun for the 5-6 hours of daylight ANC receives a day this time of year along with battery powered long-johns and I should come back with fantastic images.
I was able to build a routing that will yield 9000 elite qualifying miles for the cost of a 6000 mile fare. At the end of the day, I’ll wind up spending 4.3 cents per mile (including elite bonuses) which is not exactly a bad ratio considering where the marketplace is as far as fares are concerned. Not to mention I get to come home and stick a magnet on Anchorage on my World Travel Map that hangs in my office and call it horizon expanded.
The routing:
At this point, I have a fairly blank canvas as far as what else I’ll do in Anchorage. I do know that the Alaska Air Museum is a must see destination, but outside of that I’m out of ideas. If anyone has experienced Anchorage (especially in the winter) and can offer advice on things to see or do, please let me know!
Bring home the crab legs!
Having done a MR to ANC this past year, I watched a passenger deplane with a cardboard box about equal to one of the 6 quart blueberry boxes (since you’re from Michigan) marked as Alaska seafood. Why didn’t I think of that!
Hope you have a clear day for plane spotting as I was there at night.
I vote for the Alaska Native Heritage Center Museum.
How do you renew elite on LH with Anchorage runs?
or are you now StarAllianceFlyer?
If you need to fly that much and spend that much money and time to get status, you obviously dint need it. You are actually just wasting time, energy and money just to say you have status.
@ffi – 55-65% of my flying happens in the US so it makes practical sense to use UA MP. BTW, flying UA metal, you can credit to LH MM and earn towards LH elite (http://www.miles-and-more.com/online/portal/mam/us/earn/flight/offer?nodeid=2511385&l=en&cid=1000390)….just sayin’
@ Mike Yep, the UA SWU’s are worthless aren’t they (taking a 1500.00 fare on UA and SWU-ing up to a $6000 biz seat on a 15 hour flight to HKG for example)..or getting a 100% award mile bonus as another bene….and the experience of seeing places around the world doesn’t make sense either
Then theres the fact that I enjoy plane spotting as a hobby and like any hobby, theres a cost. I guess it’s relative isn’t it……
@Anthony – thanks for the idea on the crabs….hope they’re in season. My only point of reference is TV’s “Deadliest Catch”
@PH – thanks for the idea. I’ll be there for 2 days, so hopefully will have time.
Dinner at Glacier Brewhouse is a must. Killer prime rib
@Shane – Thanks!! I hate eating alone in a restaurant when I travel, but you make it sound compelling!
I spend a fair amount of time in the ANC airport waiting for connections. The Alaska Airlines lounge (Board Room) is upstairs just before the C gates and has a nice view of the runways and cargo planes. The other great vantage point is the mezzanine, accessed by a stairway between Starbucks and Mosquito Books, also at the beginning of the C terminal.
http://dot.alaska.gov/anc/travelerInfo/South-Terminal_9-25.pdf
Some of the art in the airport is very cool. It’s worth walking out the B terminal and also down through the tunnel to the car rental desks (if you are leaving the secured area anyway).
@AAL Thanks for the ideas. I suspect on the night I depart I’ll have quite a bit of time before the red-eye leaves.
Oops, I meant the B concourse, not terminal. Here’s a link to info on the art and the “northern lights corridor” (tunnel). http://dot.alaska.gov/anc/travelerInfo/passengerSrvcs.shtml
Glacier Brewhouse is my favorite too.; I’ve eaten alone there several times. And Snow Ciy Cafe for breakfast.
I the the bath houses are great if ur in to bears!
I live in ANC. Weather is not bad right now which is around 30-35 degrees. Moose’s Tooth is a great place to eat amazing pizza. Hilltop and Alyeska is great for skiing. If you want some adventure, I would come here with driving thru Alcan instead of flying. That’s lot of fun and great way to see Yukon territories, Alaska and wildlife
i need some advices as well, because i have a mr to anc in feb with a 24 hr layover by myself. i was so excited to go a somewhat exotic place when i booked the trip, but i realized one thing a few weeks later after that, which make me want to die. the thing i found out was the three days i will do my mr was the period of chinese new year. it might be nothing to you, since i am chinese, this is a huge thing to me. ;( WHAT WAS I THINKING
Anchorage has a very active FF community. Just post your date and time of arrival on the Community section of FT under the ANC Meet-up Thread and at least one of my good buddies is bound to arrange something for you.
Personally, I think you need to go to Humpy’s and get the T-shirt along with some beer and blackened halibut.
BTW, what makes Anchorage warmer than most of the Mid-west is not a warm current (the water is near freezing), but just the fact that there is so much water which by definition has to be 32 degrees or above. This moderates the air temp. in both winter and summer. Fairbanks on the other hand, has no such advantage which is why the temperature variation there is -66 to 99. Yes, it really gets that hot during the summer!
Have lunch at Club Paris if you are staying downtown (looks dark and dingy but its not). Also the Crow’s Nest at the Caption Cook Hotel for a cocktail and a great view. If you are into local Watering Holes go to Darwin’s Theory also downtown. If you like wine the Crush Wine Bar is also downtown and have a good wine selection
You should peruse or post to the ANC Meetup thread in FT’s CommunityBuzz for layover ideas or some company.
They are a very friendly, & helpful bunch and well worth meeting if you get the chance.
Is elite status really worth it for how you use it?
I agree Glacier Brewhouse has great food and drink. Another place is Moose’s Tooth for great pizza, salad, and drink. And if you are willing to drive to Girdwood (45 min), try 44oz peppered steak at Double Musky.
@ Tom: Completely. It may take 4-5k on the high end to get 100k miles
The value of the gpu’s will be 8-12,000. Keep in mind these trips aren’t pure mileage runs either. There’s a value
To me to visit places for 2-3 days as well. Another bonus is the 100% award mile bonus, so by flying 100k miles, 200k miles are earned, and thats enough for 2 Round trip biz seats to europe ($8-10,000 value). Honestly, the effort has a good Return on Investment IMHO.
@BK3day – thanks for the idea! I’ll take a look.
Born and raised in anchorage. If you like some micro brew pizza and a movie. Look up bear tooth theater. You won’t be sorry!
Yes, Beartooth. Not far from airport. Related to Moose’s tooth. Great affordable food and you can watch a movie at the same time so it’s not hard to go to by yourself. Check out Lake Hood. Right next to ANC. Planes coming and going on skiis. Can watch from the Mellinium restaurant, home of the iditarod headquarters. All close.
Meant to add that the Mellinium is also a hotel, and is very close to the Aviation Museum, the museum is on Lake Hood.