ID-90 on Alaska to SE Alaska

[BigDave]

Hi I am thinking about heading up to SE Alaska with my wife on an ID-90 pass either going to Sitka, Ketchikan or Juneau in July on Alaska Air from SEA. We are flexible on destinations and dates, any advice on attempting to ID-90 during the busy season?

Thanks

 

[mach none]

Last year I took my wife to JNU on 7/5. I had a 25 hour RON and the wx was great. The non stop from SEA was wide open and the non stop return to SEA on the 6th was good too.

It is hit or miss and patients is highly suggested.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

Last year I took my wife to JNU on 7/5. I had a 25 hour RON and the wx was great. The non stop from SEA was wide open and the non stop return to SEA on the 6th was good too.

It is hit or miss and patients is highly suggested.

I think he's a pilot, not a doctor.

If you go to Sitka, take a walk through Totem park.

 

[Fubijaakr]

In order:

1. Sitka
2. Juneau
3. Ketchikan

Sitka has by far the best scenery. Great system of hiking trails. You can hike a different trail every day for a week and not see everything. As the previous poster said, the Totem Park is not to be missed.

Juneau is more cosmopolitan (for SE Alaska!) but there is still plenty to do. The Mt. Roberts trailhead is at the NE corner of town and is a great hike. I haven't done it in a while, but it used to be that if you hiked up, you could ride the tram down for a buck. If you have more time and athletic ability, the Perseverance trail is a good one, too.

Ketchikan is different from both Sitka and Juneau. Its a little rainier, so take you slicker. But the Haida influence is a bit stronger if you're an aficianado of Pacific Native culture.

 

[igneousy2]

I checked the loads on the 15th as a sample and everything is wide-open and even on 4th of July weekend the afternoon flights are full but the early morning departures are still open.

JNU would be the easiest to nonrev as there are 6 SEA-JNU nonstops a day. Next easiest would be KTN with 5 nonstops a day and SIT with only 1 but 3 ways to get there via KTN.

If it were me...when taking significant others along I like the nonrev experience to be as easy and painless as possible...so depending on how long you have if it were me I would...

ID90 to JNU first...lots of flights. Spend a couple of days and then ID90 to Sitka and/or KTN weather/load dependent as there are nonstops to each from JNU on Alaska. Now that you've had your "SE Alaska" experience the pressures off and If the loads/weather don't look good then just spend the rest of your time in JNU and you got lots of options to get back. Ideally JNU-SIT-KTN-SEA with 2 days in each would be a fantastic week long trip.

When you're departing SEA, check the weather and if it's nice in SE Alaska then take AS65 SEA-KTN-WRG-PSG-JNU which departs at about 7am, AS67 SEA-KTN-SIT-JNU, and departs at about 3pm, or AS 69 SEA-KTN-JNU which departs at about 7pm. If you can get away with it (your wife lets you) and you're CASS then sit up front...it is a worthwhile experience. I think the ID90 charges end up being the same.

Good luck.

 

[sf340flyer]

..If you can get away with it (your wife lets you) and you're CASS then sit up front...it is a worthwhile experience...

Good luck.

There is always a bunch of FAA guys riding in the back through SE. Offline guys can only ride upfront if the plane is full. Although it would be a great experience to ride upfront, it's not worth a violation or Alaska losing jumpseats for this to happen (We've been very close to losing our jumpseats a couple of times now).

 

[Green Banana]

The only bad thing about the jump is that you cannot see anything. With the CAT's HUGE head and the constant banter about what a great pilot he is to fly a 737 in SE Alaska, it is tough to see or hear up there. You also have to watch out for his bed roll as both pilots are on overtime to boost their pay and show the company that ALASKA SPIRIT!