United States
Full service airline, Seattle-Tacoma hub Alaska Airlines baggage allowance
Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in Seattle, Washington. A member of the Oneworld alliance, it operates the most flights to Alaska and along the West Coast.
| Allowance | Economy | First Class |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bagPlus one personal item under the seat | No weight limit56 x 36 x 23 cm | No weight limit56 x 36 x 23 cm |
| Checked bagMaximum weight per bag | 23 kgUp to 158 cm | 32 kgUp to 158 cm |
Cabin baggage
What you keep with you on board. The carry-on bag goes in the overhead bin, the personal item goes under the seat in front of you.
Carry-on bag
- Size
- 56 x 36 x 23 cm
- Weight
- No weight limit
- Pieces
- One bag
One carry-on bag allowed on all fares except Saver.
Personal item
- Size
- Must fit under seat
- Weight
- No weight limit
- Examples
- One personal item on all fares.
Liquids: containers of 100 ml or less, all inside one transparent resealable 1 litre bag. Baby food, medication and sealed duty free purchases are exempt.
Power banks and batteries
Lithium batteries travel in the cabin, never in the hold. Since 2025 most carriers also ban using or charging a power bank during the flight.
| Item | Cabin | Checked | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power bank up to 100 WhAbout 27,000 mAh at 3.7 V | Allowed | Not allowed | One per passenger, under the seat, not in the overhead bin. Do not use or charge it on board. |
| Power bank 100 to 160 Wh | Approval needed | Not allowed | Maximum two, with airline approval before the flight. |
| Power bank over 160 Wh | Not allowed | Not allowed | Cannot travel on Alaska Airlines in any form. |
| Spare laptop and camera batteries | Allowed | Not allowed | Terminals taped or in original packaging, up to 100 Wh each. |
| Devices with built-in batteriesLaptops, phones, cameras, tablets | Allowed | Switched off | Better in the cabin. If checked, fully switched off and protected from accidental activation. |
| E-cigarettes and vapes | Allowed | Not allowed | Cabin only, never used on board. |
Checked baggage
Alaska charges for checked baggage on every fare except First Class, at $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second. Saver, Main and Main Plus all pay the same, so the fare ladder buys seats rather than baggage. Atmos Rewards status and the Atmos Visa card are the usual way to avoid the fee.
| Cabin | First bag | Second bag | Max weight per bag | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saver, Main and Main Plus | $45 | $55 | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| First Class | Included | Included | 32 kg | 158 cm |
Saver, Main and Main Plus: No free checked bag. A third bag onward is $200.
First Class: Two bags included at up to 32 kg each, worth up to $285. Allowances change by route, fare family and booking date, so confirm on the official Alaska Airlines baggage page before you pack.
Checked bags by fare
Saver, Main and Main Plus all pay the same for baggage, so moving up that ladder buys seats and flexibility. Only First Class includes bags.
| Saver | $45 first bag, $55 second | |
|---|---|---|
| Main | $45 first bag, $55 second | |
| Main Plus | $45 first bag, $55 second | |
| First Class | 2 bags included, 32 kg each | |
Every bag is 23 kg and 158 cm before the extra bands, and First Class bags go to 32 kg. Alaska and Hawaiian share one baggage policy since the merger, and one loyalty programme, Atmos Rewards.
Excess baggage fees
What the bag costs beyond what the cabin includes.
| Situation | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Third bag onward | $200 per bag | The same from the third bag up |
| Bag over 23 kg, up to 32 kg | $100 per bag | Charged on top of the bag fee |
| Bag over 32 kg, up to 45 kg | $200 per bag | The upper overweight band |
| Bag over 160 cm, up to 292 cm | $200 per bag | Height plus length plus width |
| Atmos Rewards status or Visa card | Free checked bag | Alaska residents add Club 49 and Hawaii residents Huakai |
Travel wholly on Alaska or Hawaiian can still fall under a partner airline's bag charges, which the travel confirmation names. The fee bands sit on top of the bag price rather than replacing it, so a 30 kg bag in the Main Cabin is $45 plus $100.
Estimate your excess fee
Your allowance
Estimate in US dollars based on published rate ranges. The exact fee depends on your route, currency and booking date. Confirm on alaskaair.com before you pay.
Before you pack
Six habits that keep you out of the excess baggage queue.
- Weigh bags at homeA luggage scale costs less than a single overweight bag fee, and it settles the argument at home rather than at the counter.
- Prepay extra weight onlineBuying through alaskaair.com is 10 to 20 percent cheaper than paying at the counter.
- Wear the heavy itemsBoots, coats and jackets on your body do not count toward any limit.
- Use compression bagsVacuum bags cut clothing volume by up to 75 percent, which helps with the 158 cm size rule.
- Check your credit card perksSome premium cards include extra baggage or refund fees on selected airlines.
- Check your loyalty statusFrequent flyer tiers often add extra weight or an extra bag on top of the fare allowance.
Atmos Rewards status extras
Frequent flyer status adds to the fare allowance. The extra applies to the member only, on Alaska Airlines operated flights.
Atmos Rewards: a free checked bag with the Atmos Rewards Visa, and more with status
Sports equipment, instruments and infants
Special items travel with conditions. Every one of them needs advance reservation, and acceptance at the airport is not guaranteed without it.
| Item | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Sports equipment | Ski, golf, bikes accepted |
Book special items online before travel. Airport prices are higher than the same allowance bought online, and hold space is first come, first served.
Check-in and bag drop deadlines
Counted back from scheduled departure. Miss the bag drop cut-off and the bag does not fly, even if you do.
Alaska Airlines sets its check-in and bag drop deadlines by airport rather than publishing one timeline. Check the times on your booking, and allow longer if you have bags to drop.
If your bag does not arrive
Delayed and damaged bags follow a strict clock. Most claims fail because the report was made after leaving the airport.
Report before you leave the hall
Go to the Alaska Airlines baggage services desk in the arrivals baggage hall. You get a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with a 10 character reference. Without it there is no claim.
Track with the PIR reference
Use the reference and your surname on the Alaska Airlines baggage tracing page. Most delayed bags arrive within 48 hours and are delivered to your address free of charge.
Keep receipts, mind the deadlines
Essentials bought while the bag is missing can be claimed. Damage must be reported within 7 days, delayed bag expenses within 21 days of delivery, under the Montreal Convention.
How Alaska Airlines compares
Benchmark these limits against the rest of the industry before you decide which bag to bring.
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