Air North still hands out two free checked bags on every fare it sells. Each can weigh up to 23 kilograms, or 50 pounds, on its Boeing jets. That is the Air North baggage allowance in one line.
It has barely moved while most Canadian carriers added a first bag fee years ago. Air North is the Yukon based carrier that flies out of Whitehorse. It is not a regional brand of one of the majors.
Its own baggage policy page is the source for every number below.
Carry-on and personal item limits
On Boeing jet routes, a carry-on is capped at 54 x 38 x 22 cm. That is close to the 22 x 14 x 9 inch box most US carriers use. The personal item limit is 41 x 33 x 15 cm.
Both bags just need to fit the overhead bin or under the seat. Air North does not publish a carry-on weight number.
On the smaller ATR turboprop flights that serve Dawson City, Old Crow and other Yukon communities, the box shrinks. The combined carry-on limit there is 38 x 28 x 22 cm. Pack for the smaller plane if any leg of the trip touches a community stop.
Checked baggage: two bags free, but the weight depends on the plane
The Air North baggage allowance includes two checked bags at no charge on every fare, economy included. That is rare in Canada now.
The catch is the per bag weight. Boeing jets allow 23 kg (50 lb) per bag. ATR routes allow only 10 kg (22 lb) per bag.
That split runs by aircraft, not by fare class. Few Canadian carriers structure it this way. A bag packed for a Whitehorse to Vancouver jet can be over the limit on a connecting community hop.
Default to the tighter ATR numbers if any leg of the trip touches a community airport. Packing to the bigger Boeing box first is the easiest way to get caught at a small terminal.
A baggage cost calculator is worth running when a trip mixes jet and turboprop legs, since the free allowance changes partway through. Checking bags against a general carry-on size limits guide also helps if you fly a major airline more often.
Extra, overweight and oversize fees
| Situation | Fee (CAD) | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Third or fourth bag | $42 to $45.20 per piece | Max two extra pieces |
| Overweight, Boeing routes | $42 to $45.20 per piece | 23 to 32 kg (50 to 70 lb) |
| Oversize | $42 to $45.20 per piece | 157 to 203 cm linear |
Anything heavier than 32 kg (70 lb) cannot fly as checked baggage at all. It has to move through Air North’s cargo service instead.
A traveler is also capped at four bags total. That counts the two free pieces plus any extras bought at the counter.
What Yukoners actually say about the free bags
WestJet once added a fee for a first checked bag on its cheapest fares. Air North’s own leadership went on record refusing to follow. They called the free allowance a feature that northern residents really value.
That is not just a marketing line. Many communities have limited road access. A generous checked allowance doubles as informal freight capacity for groceries and gear.
Forum chatter about Air North on frequent flyer forums leans the same way. Travelers there call it a pleasant surprise on cost next to the majors. The free two bag policy has held for over a decade since that pledge.
How it compares to Air Canada and WestJet on the same routes
Air North competes directly with Air Canada’s regional service and WestJet’s basic economy fares. All three fly Whitehorse to Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. Both majors typically charge for a first checked bag on their cheapest fare buckets.
The Air North baggage allowance includes two bags on every ticket, no fare tier required. Where Air North loses ground is the ATR weight limit on community routes.
That limit sits well below what a Boeing based major allows on a mainline flight. Check a route’s own typical airline baggage fees before assuming free automatically means unlimited.
No US routes, so no TSA baggage rules
Air North’s route map covers only Canadian points. That means Yukon and Northwest Territories communities, plus Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Kamloops, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Ottawa.
There is no scheduled US service. An Air North passenger never deals with TSA screening on that flight.
A traveler connecting onward through a US gateway should still check the connecting carrier’s own airport security screening rules, not Air North’s.
The bottom line
The Air North baggage allowance beats what either national carrier offers on the same Yukon routes. Two free bags ride on every fare, at a full 50 pounds each on its Boeing jets.
The number to watch is the aircraft, not the fare. That same free two bag policy drops to 22 pounds per bag on an ATR heading to a smaller community.
Pack for the smallest plane on the itinerary. The generous parts of this policy will work in your favor for the whole trip.
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