u/Distinct_Raisin1829

Hi! I'm planning a trip to Thailand and I'm figuring out my flight back to Seattle from Bangkok. I've been looking at the Alaska site, and I see the option to fly Korean Air to Seoul and then Alaska Airlines back to Seattle, or Japan Airlines to Tokyo and then AS to Seattle. I was wondering if anyone is familiar with either route or airlines and has any feedback? The route through Japan Airlines is more expensive, like $200+ so I'm wondering if there's a significant difference between the two?

If I have a layover in Seoul or Tokyo, will I have to go through customs again before my next flight? Would 3 hours be enough for that layover? The flights available either have 3-hour layovers or 10+ hours, nothing in between. I would prefer a shorter layover but don't want to risk missing my next flight.

Any feedback or advice would be greatly!

*Sorry if this question has already been asked before—I'm new to this!

I need to book a flight for a route that's offered by American Airlines, not Alaska. I tried booking it through Alaska's site, but it's not showing up as an option.

If I book the the flight through American Airlines, is there any advantage to me using my Atmos Rewards Ascent Card to book? If not, I'd rather use a card with better cash back.

I also have Atmos Silver status and would love to be considered for an upgrade. Do I need to use my Atmos card for the reservation to receive that perks or does it not matter as long as I give them my rewards number for the reservation?