I suggest you keep checking for options, I suggest rather than calling in check online to see what is available for miles and if something pops up I call in to get the change. That worked well for me last year on the trip back, ended up via Miami but on a 767 with lay flats to LAX where we spent the night before coming up the coast.
I think that is crap what they are stating, you are still domestic at that point. Alaska for the most part has been very good to deal with, this kind of surprises me. Noting the last time I called in the issues with the AA/US Air merger were still and issue. I know in my world of freight with AA and US they are still not merged completely with their systems.
Good luck,
Todd
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