Alaska Airlines allowance at a glance
| Bag | Maximum size | Maximum weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carry-on | 22x14x9 in56x36x23 cm | No stated limit | Alaska and Hawaiian now publish one joint baggage policy following their merger, and this size is the figure given on that shared page. Alaska blocks automated reading of its site, so the checked allowance and fees on this record are not yet confirmed against the carrier. |
Alaska Airlines checked bag fees
We have not verified this airline's baggage fees against the carrier yet. Rather than guess, we have left it blank — check the airline before you fly.
This page goes deeper on one part of the policy. The full record is at Alaska Airlines Baggage Rules.
Alaska Airlines checked baggage size tops out at 62 linear inches and 50 lbs before any extra fee applies. Those numbers come from the joint schedule Alaska now shares with Hawaiian Airlines. The two carriers folded their baggage pages together after the merger.
One fee table on Alaska and Hawaiian’s shared fees page now governs both brands.
Why the allowance table above is blank for Alaska
Alaska’s own site has been unreachable for automated verification. The Alaska Airlines record deliberately left its checked baggage fields empty rather than guess. The joint Alaska and Hawaiian fees page fills that gap on this page instead.
Both carriers publish the same standard checked allowance. It runs 50 lbs and 62 linear inches per bag.
The first bag costs 45 USD and the second costs 55 USD on North America routes. A third bag and every bag after it cost 200 USD each.
Alaska Airlines checked baggage size and fees by fare and route
| Traveler type | 1st bag | 2nd bag | 3rd bag | 4th+ bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard, North America | 45 USD | 55 USD | 200 USD | 200 USD each |
| First Class | Free, up to 70 lbs | Free, up to 70 lbs | 200 USD | 200 USD each |
| Wholly within Hawaii | 30 USD | 40 USD | 50 USD | 50 USD each |
| International: Asia | Free, up to 50 lbs | Free, up to 50 lbs | 200 USD | 200 USD each |
| International: Europe | Free, up to 50 lbs | 100 USD | 200 USD | 200 USD each |
| International: Oceania | Free, up to 50 lbs | Free, up to 50 lbs | 200 USD | 200 USD each |
Every standard checked bag, paid or free, still has to clear 50 lbs and 62 linear inches. Go over either number and a separate fee applies on top of the bag fee. It does not replace that fee.
Elite Atmos members, oneworld elites, eligible credit cardholders and active duty military get one or more bags free. Limits run up to 50 or 70 lbs depending on the tier. The fee page lists each one by name, so check your own status before you pay at the counter.
Overweight and oversize bands
| Band | North America fee | Within Hawaii fee |
|---|---|---|
| Overweight, 51 to 70 lbs | 100 USD per bag | 35 USD per bag |
| Overweight, 71 to 100 lbs | 200 USD per bag | 70 USD per bag |
| Oversize, 63 to 115 linear inches | 200 USD per bag | 35 USD per bag |
Alaska and Hawaiian say plainly that overweight and oversize fees stack. They add to the base bag fee and to each other.
A 90 lb bag that also runs 100 linear inches can carry three charges at once. The bag fee, a 200 USD overweight charge and a 200 USD oversize charge all land on the same receipt.
The fee table stops at 100 lbs and 115 linear inches. Nothing on the page prices a bag past those numbers.
Treat that as the practical ceiling for ordinary luggage. Weigh before you leave the house.
The overweight and oversize fee guide covers how other US carriers handle the same bands.
What cannot go in the hold
The joint prohibited items checklist goes beyond the standard FAA hazmat list. It singles out a few things travelers pack without thinking. Hoverboards, electric unicycles, gliders and other boards that balance on their own are barred outright, cabin or hold.
Electric and motorized bicycles or scooters carry posted restrictions in both the cabin and the hold. Spare lithium batteries carry restrictions in both bag types too. A spare battery belongs in the pocket you can reach, not buried in a checked case.
Firearms and ammunition must be declared at the ticket counter. They travel unloaded, in a locked hard case, before they go into the hold. That is the standard federal rule every US carrier follows, and it takes extra time at check in.
The connecting ticket rule
The joint fee page is explicit on codeshares. Some Alaska flight numbers are operated by partners such as Qantas, British Airways, American, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Iberia, Finnair, Condor or Cathay Pacific.
Those itineraries follow the operating carrier’s baggage fees and rules, not Alaska’s own table. Check the flight number before you assume the figures above apply.
On a mixed itinerary with no Alaska flight number at all, a different rule applies. The US Department of Transportation’s most significant carrier guidance is the usual fallback. When in doubt, ask the airline that issued the ticket which allowance controls.
Overweight enforcement at the counter
Every checked bag goes on a scale at the counter. There is no eyeballing a bag through. A soft sided carry-on can sometimes slide past a gate agent, but a checked bag never does.
Overweight and oversize charges stack with the base fee here. A bag that runs over on both counts can cost more in fees than a new suitcase.
A digital luggage scale at home is the cheapest insurance against that stack of fees. Repacking a few pounds into a personal item once the counter scale flashes red is a familiar scramble. A home check avoids it.
Checked bags that fit the weight cap
With a 50 lb standard allowance, a lighter empty case leaves more of that cap for clothes and gear. The Travelpro Maxlite 5 25 inch expandable spinner is one of the lighter midsize checked cases on the market, per the maker’s own listed weight. That matters more on a 50 lb limit than a heavier one.
The Travelpro Maxlite 5 29 inch is the line’s largest case. It stays light for its size and suits a family sharing one big bag rather than two smaller ones. The Samsonite Omni PC 24 inch and the Samsonite Omni PC 28 inch are Samsonite’s best selling hardsides, and either sits comfortably inside the 62 linear inch standard before the oversize band starts at 63.
The Delsey Paris Helium Aero 24 inch checked spinner adds a combination lock built into the shell. That is a small convenience at a Hawaii or international connection where a bag changes hands more than once. It is a moderately priced alternative to the Samsonite for one traveler on a longer trip.
The Amazon Basics 30 inch hardside checked luggage is the budget option for a family checking one large bag. At 30 inches, the case can push its total linear measurement, wheels and handle included, close to Alaska’s 63 inch oversize line. Measure it packed, not empty, before it goes on the scale.
| Case | Checked size class | Fits this carrier’s allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Travelpro 25 inch expandable spinner | Midsize checked | Well inside 62 linear inches, low empty weight |
| Samsonite hardside 24 inch | Midsize checked | Well inside 62 linear inches |
| Samsonite hardside 28 inch | Large checked | Inside 62 linear inches, watch the 50 lb cap when full |
| Delsey Paris 24 inch checked spinner | Midsize checked | Inside 62 linear inches, built in lock |
| Amazon Basics 30 inch | Large checked | Can approach the 63 inch oversize line when packed |
For a broader read on how Alaska Airlines checked baggage size and fees stack up against rivals, the Hawaiian Airlines baggage fees page covers the same joint schedule from the sister brand’s side. Alaska’s own baggage fees record lays out the cabin numbers next to these checked figures. If your cabin bag is the worry at the gate, the gate check and sizers guide explains that separate process.
The general checked baggage weight limit guide puts Alaska’s 50 lb standard cap next to other major US carriers. The baggage cost calculator can total up bag, overweight and oversize fees before you book.
The bottom line
Alaska Airlines checked baggage size rules are generous on linear inches, 62 of them, but unforgiving once a bag crosses into the overweight or oversize bands. Those fees stack rather than replace the base charge. Pack a light case under the 50 lb line, weigh it at home, and check your flight number if any leg is operated by a partner airline.
Common questions
Does Alaska Airlines weigh checked bags at 50 lbs or 70 lbs?
The standard checked allowance is 50 lbs. Free bags in First Class or for active duty military go up to 70 lbs on the same joint fee page.
What happens if my checked bag is both overweight and oversize on Alaska?
Both fees apply together. The carrier’s fee page states the overweight and oversize charges stack with the base bag fee and with each other.
Does Alaska Airlines checked baggage size differ for flights within Hawaii?
Yes. Bags checked wholly within the state of Hawaii use lower first, second and overweight fees than North America routes on the same table.
Whose baggage rules apply if my Alaska flight number is operated by a partner airline?
The operating carrier’s own baggage fees and rules apply, not Alaska’s standard table, on the flight number ranges the fee page lists.
What is the largest bag Alaska Airlines will check at the counter?
The published fee table stops pricing bags at 100 lbs and 115 linear inches, the practical ceiling for an ordinary checked bag.
Can I bring a spare lithium battery in a checked bag on Alaska or Hawaiian?
Spare lithium batteries carry posted restrictions in both carry-on and checked bags, so keep one in the bag you can reach.
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