If you're like me, no amount of freebies, rewards, or whatever can make the experience of air travel pleasant. That said, there are airlines that are better than most at mitigating the negatives and making the experience of getting to the airport, through check-in, on the flight and off it bareable. Alaska is one such airline. Each time I've flown the service has been friendly and attentive without being cute and annoying like Southwest. Fares are generally reasonable and flight availability is good. In particular, if you reside in the Puget Sound area where the Alaska hub is, you do yourself a service but checking Alaska flights first before going to other airlines.
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