Updated Oct 30, 2026 5:41 AM EDT
Alaska Airlines bag fees are $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second on flights within North America, for tickets bought from 10 April 2026. A carry-on and a personal item are free on every fare, Saver included, and checked bags must stay under 50 lb.
Alaska raised its checked bag fees on 10 April 2026 for North American flights on both Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. At the same time it dropped the $5 discount it used to give for paying online or in the app at least 4 hours before departure, so there's no longer a cheaper way to pay for the same bag.
| Bag | Fee each way | Before 10 April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1st checked bag | $45 | $40, or $35 prepaid online |
| 2nd checked bag | $55 | $45 |
| 3rd bag and beyond | $200 each | $150 each |
Each bag must weigh no more than 50 lb and measure no more than 62 linear inches, meaning length plus width plus height. Fees change, so check the price on your own booking before you pay.
Flights wholly within Hawaii kept their lower fees: $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second. Alaska also notes that bag fees can include Mexico's 4% IVA tax on some itineraries.
Related: How Delta's bag fees compare
Every Alaska fare comes with one carry-on bag and one personal item at no charge, and at least one of the two must fit under the seat in front of you.
Fishing poles, small paintings and small musical instruments can travel as your carry-on even if they're longer than the standard size, as long as they fit safely in the cabin.
Yes. Alaska says the Saver fare has the same carry-on and checked bag allowance as a Main fare, and elite members keep their free bags on Saver tickets too. What you give up is the seat: Saver passengers get a seat assigned at check-in and board last.
Our take: for a solo trip with a carry-on, Saver costs you nothing extra in bags. For a family that needs to sit together, the Main fare is usually worth the difference.
Overweight and oversize charges are added on top of the normal bag fee, and a bag that breaks both limits pays both. These are the North American charges as of October 2026.
| Problem | Range | Extra charge each way |
|---|---|---|
| Overweight | 51 to 70 lb | $100 |
| Overweight | 71 to 100 lb | $200 |
| Overweight | Over 100 lb | Not accepted as a checked bag |
| Oversize | 63 to 115 linear inches | $200 |
| Oversize | Over 115 linear inches | Not accepted as a checked bag |
Alaska's own combined figures are $300 for a bag that is both oversized and up to 70 lb, and $400 for oversized and 71 to 100 lb. Items over the limits have to go by Alaska Air Cargo.
Here's how that adds up. A first bag that weighs 56 lb costs $45 plus $100, so $145 each way. Splitting the same packing into two bags of 50 lb or less costs $45 plus $55, so $100. We'd split the weight every time.
Related: Frontier's stricter 40 lb limit
If you fly Alaska a few times a year with a checked bag, the card can pay for itself in bag fees, since one checked bag on one round trip already costs $90 and the benefit covers up to six companions on the same booking. Compare the annual fee with your own trips before signing up.
Since the prepay discount ended, the bag costs the same whether you pay in the app the night before or at the airport.
Booked a trip that includes another airline? Your travel confirmation shows whose baggage rules apply, so check it before you pack.
Report any problem before you leave the airport. Alaska says it can't pay for damaged or missing items without a report on file, and it emails you a File ID once you've reported.
| Situation | Deadline or trigger | What you can get |
|---|---|---|
| Bag not at baggage claim 20 minutes after the plane reaches the gate | Tell the baggage office within 2 hours of arrival | A $25 discount code for a future Alaska flight or 2,500 bonus miles |
| Damaged bag | Show it to baggage office staff as soon as you collect it | A damage claim with Alaska |
| Delayed bag or missing items | Report in person at the arrival airport's baggage office within 24 hours | Reimbursement of reasonable essentials you buy while you wait |
| Bag delayed more than 12 hours on a domestic flight | 15 or 30 hours on international flights, depending on length | Your checked bag fee back, under the DOT refund rule |
| Bag still missing after 5 days | Your file moves to Alaska's central baggage office | Alaska keeps searching for up to 6 weeks from your travel date |
The DOT refund applies once you've filed a mishandled baggage report. Keep your ticket receipt and bag claim checks until your file is closed.
Our advice: photograph your bag before you check it and again at the carousel if anything looks wrong. Alaska's 20-minute bag promise is also worth using, since it only takes a quick stop at the baggage office.
On a single ticket, your bag goes through to your final destination, so you don't collect it at a connection in Seattle (SEA) or Portland (PDX). The exception is arriving in the US from abroad, when you collect it at your first US airport, clear customs and check it again.
About this page
Written and fact-checked by the Flyingscanner team, last updated 30 October 2026. The facts in this post were checked on 30 October 2026. Airline fees and rules change, so confirm the details for your own trip with the airline before you pay. About Flyingscanner
