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First Class recipe: Cranberry-Ginger Smoothie

People commonly associate cranberries with the sweet side dish — sometimes saucy and sometimes gelatinous — that follows turkey around a holiday table, almost as an afterthought. Yet the little red fruits have so much more to offer and can be found in a variety of recipes, including Alaska Airlines’ Cranberry-Ginger Smoothie, all winter long.

Loaded with antioxidants and naturally low in sugar, the berries pack anti-inflammatory compounds and provide a powerful immune-system boost in the form of vitamin C. They also are positively bursting with tart flavor that pairs well with many other seasonal foods.
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Alaska named one of the safest airlines in the world

If there’s one thing we put above all else it’s safety. We’ve just been named among the top-20 safest airlines in the world for 2019 by AirlineRatings.com. For us, this recognition means a lot because it speaks to our commitment to keep you safe, every time you fly with us.

“Safety is our top priority and is firmly ingrained in our culture as we are personally committed to the safety of our guests and one another,” said Max Tidwell, Alaska Airlines vice president of safety and security.
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4 ways to become an Alaska Airlines MVP in 2019

I’ve been an Alaska Airlines MVP Gold member for several years, and before that I earned status with other airline loyalty programs, too. I hope you’ll believe me when I say that earning status with Alaska Mileage Plan is one of the easier experiences I’ve had. It is different from the competition, but I consider it different it a good way.

As you set New Year’s resolutions, consider adding elite status to your list. Here are four ways to make it happen in 2019:

1. Fly the distance

You’re probably familiar with award miles already. Airlines issue them. Credit cards issue them. There are lots of ways to earn miles for future award travel redemptions. But elite status is different. You need to earn a different kind of mileage, called elite-qualifying miles.
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Where were the most miles spent in 2018?

Before heading into the New Year, we’re pausing to celebrate.

Mileage Plan members went the distance in 2018. A whopping 19 million flights were flown on Alaska, Horizon and our Global Partner airlines – all earning miles for our members. This includes the 338,480 miles racked up by one traveler (thanks, Richard).

Whether you’re an MVP Gold or still working toward elite status, it’s fun to see where fellow members traveled using their hard-earned miles.

This year, award travel to Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Diego led the way. Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County and Juneau rounded out the top-eight destinations.
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The top inflight movies of 2018 may surprise you

Buckle your seat belt, fasten your tray table and … start watching “Rampage”?

That’s right, the second most-watched movie on Alaska Beyond™ Entertainment this year features an albino gorilla who turns into a raging, enormous creature.

In fact, the top 10 movies chosen among hundreds of choices were mostly hard-hitting, action-packed releases:
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Festive in Finland: One woman’s quest to meet reindeer

I know this trip is going to be special as soon as I step into the airport and am greeted by a reindeer.

Well, not a real reindeer, of course – though the taxidermy figure perched proudly at the baggage carousel is life-like enough to make me gasp. Flanked by a gaggle of tiny, behatted gnomes, cotton-batting snow billows under its hooves. A few plastic evergreens loom in the distance, completing the scene.

No, I’m not in the North Pole, though an elf would blend in here. I’m in Finland, which you can fly to on Finnair, an Alaska Global Partner. Mileage Plan members can earn and redeem miles flying here from several U.S. destinations, including nonstop service from San Francisco to Helsinki.

I take a deep breath and step out into the arrivals hall in Kuusamo. It feels like Christmas. I smile to myself as I hop a cab to my hotel.

I shouldn’t have been so surprised at the festive welcome. Kuusamo, a ski resort town located in the northern part of the country, is a mere 120 miles from Rovaniemi, the hometown of Santa Claus. It’s also part of Finnish Lapland, the sparsely populated cultural and geographical region known for its sub-zero temperatures and idyllic landscapes.

But I’m not here to go skiing or to visit Father Christmas. Instead, I’ve come to meet some reindeer. Real ones.
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6 places to visit this winter using Alaska Airlines miles

Whether you want to worship the sun or get your cold on, taking a long-distance trip in the winter months can yield all kinds of new adventures – and help you burn all those miles you’ve racked up. Did you know Mileage Plan members can earn and redeem miles while flying internationally on Alaska’s partner airlines?

From tropical climates and snow-covered lands to magnificent cities and off-the-beaten-track cultures, here are six places to consider.
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Castles with charm, cocktails by candlelight: Ireland in the off-season

By Bri Emory

If you have the chance to go to Ireland in the off-season, do it. I’d never been and loved so much about my recent trip: the beautiful scenery, the kind people, the food and cocktails, the pubs – and going in early November. Alaska Airlines has a program called #worldwidewanderer, where they send people all over the world to experience a new city and share their journey along the way. I truly love traveling and seeing new parts of the world, so it was an honor to be able to take this trip and share my travels.

Bri Emory (@designlovefest) visited Ireland this November.

My travel companion, Joanie, and I got to fly first class on Aer Lingus, which was a real treat! It felt like we started our Ireland experience as soon as we got on the plane in San Francisco, California. All of the staff was really friendly and served us scones, tea and delicious food. We were able to curl up in our seats, watch movies, drink wine and relax before hitting the ground running. Aer Lingus is also an Alaska Global Partner, which means you can earn miles as you travel!

Once we landed, we decided to drive around the country, so we could experience as much as possible in four days. I am happy we did because we saw so much.
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Travel advisory: Anchorage operations resume

Update: 3:31 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2018

If you are traveling to and from Anchorage, Alaska, between Nov. 30, 2018 and Dec. 2, 2018, we are now offering a waiver if you would like to change or cancel your flight. More information can be found here.
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Holiday Lift Guide: Ideas for lifting people up

With turkey leftovers crammed in the fridge, we dash into the holiday season with bells on.

Or not.

While some manage to finish their holiday shopping on Black Friday, many of us struggle to find the perfect gift for the people we love.

At Alaska, we talk a lot about lift – that gravity-defying moment when an airplane takes flight, and those small acts of kindness that turn a stressful travel experience around. This year, instead of a traditional gift guide, we’ve identified ways we can lift people up for the holidays.

The Alaska Airlines Holiday Lift Guide inspires uplifting experiences you can offer to those in your life who make yours a little easier. We believe small gestures have the power to make a big difference.
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Tahoe City: Come for the world-class skiing, stay for the small-town vibe

I’d only been to the Tahoe House Bakery two times before, but the women behind the counter addressed me by my first name when I ordered a bacon cheddar scone and a decaf latte.

“Good morning, Jo.”

I smiled honestly, but nervously, caught off-guard by the familiarity and the friendliness. As I waited for my drink, I noticed she called everyone by their first names and I decided she must be a genius or a savant of some sort. Why was it so hard for me to believe someone was just friendly? Had I lived in New York and San Francisco for so long that I had forgotten what genuinely friendly people acted like?

It’s a vibe I’ve felt over and over since moving to Tahoe City, California for the winter. For years, my husband and I had visited for the skiing, but we recently moved for six months to enjoy the small town feel and slower pace of life. Maybe I did want strangers to call me by my first name.

When you think of iconic ski towns, you typically envision Park City, Aspen or Jackson Hole. That’s fair. But Tahoe City should be on the list too. In fact, it should be high up on the list and congratulated for its more low-key sensibilities. Despite the town’s modesty, there are few places in the world where you can ski 10 very different resorts within an hour of where you’re staying. And with a growing population, Tahoe City is home to a vibrant local community that offers so much more than just skiing and snowboarding.
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Leading the West Coast with 50% women on our board

Alaska Air Group’s female independent board directors. From left: Phyllis Campbell, Patricia (Patty) Bedient (seated), Helvi Sandvik, Susan Li and Marion Blakey (seated).

‘It starts at the top’

Alaska Airlines Lead Director Patty Bedient is proud to serve on our board with 50 percent women, arguing diversity and inclusion starts at the top of an organization. We couldn’t agree more.

“It means we ‘walk the talk’ on diversity at the board level,” she says.

Today, Women Inc. Magazine recognized Bedient as well as Phyllis Campbell, Marion Blakey, Helvi Sandvik and Susan Li as five of the Most Influential Corporate Board Directors in 2018. At Alaska, we’re proud to be the only airline – and only West Coast Fortune 500 company – to achieve gender parity among independent board directors.
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