Seattle overnighter SC/mileage run

[dede]

I'm a lowly NB who will reach PS next weekend courtesy of a mileage/SC run booked during the last Qantas sale (70 SCs for $366). In June I'll be heading to the US where I will reach SG courtesy of my first foray into AA YUPPs. I'm travelling from MCO-DFW-SEA (210 SCs for $794). The flight gets in at 11:15pm. I'm planning on doing another Instant Upgrade run next day (300 SCs for $800). One option is to get a 6am flight and hang around the terminal until the flight leaves. This will save on a hotel which I would only be in for a couple of hours anyway. I can always have a snooze on the flight. Does this sound stupid? Is there an AA lounge at Seattle or anywhere to freshen up?


I'll then be returning to Seattle later that day and plan on getting a hotel that night. Any recommendations for a hotel? I don't know Seattle - close to the airport? Near the Space Needle?

This combined with a couple of other trips later this year should get me to WP by early December - fingers crossed.

 

[Mal]

No AA lounge at SEA, unless one has opened up recently.

SleepingInAirports has mixed reviews on the merits of sleeping at the airport:

Budget Traveller's Guide to Sleeping in Airports - seattle

I stayed at the Hampton Inn when in Seattle (slightly out of the CBD). Was ok, and one of the cheaper options. Hotels weren't cheap, but things may have changed.

 

[bambbbam2]

No AA lounge in SEA when I was there in April.

There was an Air Alaska lounge and one other (Continental or Delta, can't remember sorry)

Nice AA lounges in DFW though..

 

[dede]

Can I use the Air Alaska lounge when I travel on first on AA?

 

[Ric]

Space Needle to Seattle-Tacoma Airport is quite a fair distance!

Stayed at Holiday Inn near the airport around this time last year for about USD100. Very basic accommodation but it does have free internet and airport shuttle.

Ric

 

[notzac]

Can I use the Air Alaska lounge when I travel on first on AA?

No can do, sorry. If you are traveling paid first on AS (even on the AA codeshare), then you would be able to use the AS lounge. I would definitely recommend looking at airport hotel options, SEATac is a bit of a dump and it's a $50ish cab ride each way in to the city centre.

Hope this helps!

 

[serfty]

I've stayed at the SEA Hampton inn - they run a shuttle bus.

There's a guy who's renowned for their TR's on FT, Seat_2A who "Has a secret spot to sleep at SEATAC".

It's really up to you what you do here, with a hotel you'd get perhaps 4½ to 5 hours sleep.

 

[bambbbam2]

I believe the cab fare from SEA to Seattle downtown is fixed at around US$32 (plus tip, *of course*)

I noticed the main shuttle company also charge around the same, so may as well just get a cab rather than wait for the shuttle to fill.

The fixed rate is on the window of every cab.

 

[notzac]

The fixed rate is on the window of every cab.

Trust me to get ripped off then

 

[dede]

I'm seeing quite a few people sleeping here at SEA-TAC. It's obviously a common thing to do. I'm not finding it too bad myself - had a little nap on the flight in from MCO-DFW-SEA and expect to get some sleep while flying today but don't think I'll have a snooze at the airport.

 

[openseat]

You can get a SEATAC hotel via Priceline for a pretty good rate. I had to do it once because of a very early departure and I wasn't going to risk going from my friend's place who lives north of Seattle down I-5 in the early peak. He has missed planes trying to get through the traffic. I got a nice garden room at the Hilton, though it was next to a stairwell.

Just remember that with Priceline bids you have to be sure about what your doing. I suggest you go to Bidding For Travel and read up how its done. If you look under Seattle you will get a good idea of a cost of a hotel - it should be pretty good value now given the horrendous occupancy rates in the US hotel industry at the moment. Also it is better to book closer to the time of travel.

 

[Gold Member]

You can get a SEATAC hotel via Priceline for a pretty good rate. I had to do it once because of a very early departure and I wasn't going to risk going from my friend's place who lives north of Seattle down I-5 in the early peak. He has missed planes trying to get through the traffic. I got a nice garden room at the Hilton, though it was next to a stairwell.

Just remember that with Priceline bids you have to be sure about what your doing. I suggest you go to Bidding For Travel and read up how its done. If you look under Seattle you will get a good idea of a cost of a hotel - it should be pretty good value now given the horrendous occupancy rates in the US hotel industry at the moment. Also it is better to book closer to the time of travel.

Thumbs up for a cheap 3.5 or 4 star Priceline hotel at the Airport (especially with the dollar at 80c nowadays).

Not sure I agree about booking closer to the time of travel with Priceline, unless you mean normal hotel bookings...

 

[Skyring]

Comfort Inn and Suites SeaTac Airport

Cost me about $US95 per night last October. Free shuttle bus (about a five minute ride), breakfast, internet.

Cab fare into the city is in the region of $40-50 - that's from the hotel, maybe a fixed fare from the airport. There's a bus into town, think it's the 174, goes right past the Museum of Flight which has one of the few opportunities left to board a Concorde. Space Needle is yet further, costs a bit for the monorail, and the needle has a grand view but no longer goes to orbit.

Love Seattle. I'll be back.

No AA lounge. I was flying F on a DONE4 and my 757 to JFK took a while before anything was served. I noticed a lot of passengers coming aboard with takeaway coffee cups.

 

[dede]

Thanks for the tips. I'm sitting in the Alaskan Airlines Board Room at the moment which is very nice - better than AC if you ask me. (Travelling in First on AA gets you access if theres an AS codeshare - which there is to LAX) It has a business section downstairs and a more social section upstairs - haven't ventured there yet. And the best part is that the bar opens at 0600! It's just as well that my flight leaves then.

 

[Skyring]

Thanks for the tips. I'm sitting in the Alaskan Airlines Board Room at the moment which is very nice - better than AC if you ask me. (Travelling in First on AA gets you access if theres an AS codeshare - which there is to LAX) It has a business section downstairs and a more social section upstairs - haven't ventured there yet. And the best part is that the bar opens at 0600! It's just as well that my flight leaves then.

I don't suppose there's any chance of a Trip Report? If there's one thing I like, it's reading about people travelling. People like myself with a keen interest in points and lounges and airports and stuff.

 

[dede]

I'll post a full trip report (call me crazy!) when I get back home next week. I have a spreadsheet at home with all the SCs I'll be getting but I'll also update it with miles flown.

This is getting out of control and it's all because I discovered this forum with all the great tips!

Full details to follow....

 

[Skyring]

This is getting out of control and it's all because I discovered this forum with all the great tips!

This place can save you hundreds of dollars.

And cost thousands!

Seriously, the breadth and depth of experience here is amazing. It's a dangerous and thrilling webplace.