Ravn Alaska charges for every checked bag, but the free carry-on is capped at just 16x9x14 inches and 20 pounds. That is smaller than almost any mainline carrier allows. Anyone used to a rollerboard on Alaska Airlines or Delta will need to downsize first.
Ravn Alaska baggage fees work differently from a typical US carrier. Ravn flies small aircraft into small bush communities. On those planes, every pound really does matter.
Carry-on and personal item limits
Ravn allows one carry-on bag per passenger at no charge. It must fit within 16 by 9 by 14 inches and weigh 20 pounds or less. Bags are weighed at check in, not just eyeballed at the gate.
This is the strictest part of Ravn Alaska baggage fees, since the carry-on limit applies before any fee ever comes up.
There is no separate personal item allowance listed on Ravn’s site. A purse or laptop bag generally needs to fit inside that same carry-on limit. Otherwise it travels as checked baggage instead.
Travelers connecting onto Ravn should size down before they arrive at the counter. A quick check with a size checker can save an awkward conversation at the gate. The typical US carry-on size runs closer to 22 by 14 by 9 inches, so Ravn’s box is tighter on two sides.
Checked bag fees
Ravn Alaska baggage fees for checked bags depend on when the ticket was bought. On tickets purchased on or after February 1, 2024, the first checked bag costs 35 USD. The second bag costs 45 USD, per Ravn’s own baggage page.
Passengers can check up to five bags total. Active US military members and their dependents get the first five bags free. Additional bags cost 100 USD each.
Weight and size limits, and overweight fees
Standard checked bags can weigh up to 50 pounds. They can measure up to 62 linear inches, adding length, width and height together.
Bags between 51 and 100 pounds carry a 100 dollar overweight fee. Bags between 63 and 115 linear inches carry a 150 dollar oversize fee.
No single bag may exceed 100 pounds or 115 linear inches, period. If a bag falls into more than one fee category, Ravn charges only the single higher fee. That is a small mercy worth knowing before a village hop.
How the rules actually get enforced
Ravn ended its interline and mileage partnership with Alaska Airlines. Traveler forums flagged the change well before it took hold. That matters for bags on a connecting itinerary.
Passengers connecting from a mainline Alaska Airlines flight can no longer count on their checked bags being sent straight to the final stop. In practice, that means claiming bags at the connection point. It also means rechecking them with Ravn and paying Ravn’s own fees separately.
Community reports also describe Ravn’s small stations weighing every carry-on at the counter. A few extra pounds is not a rounding error on a nine seat Caravan. It matters far less on a widebody jet.
What Ravn’s site does not spell out
Ravn publishes fees and size limits, but it does not spell out a separate personal item policy. It also does not list bag inclusions by fare class the way larger carriers often do.
If a fare class bundles a free bag, that was not stated on the page checked for this record. The carry-on box is tight. Packing light is less about the fee here and more about whether the bag fits at all.
A look at general luggage sizing before buying a bag for Alaska bush travel can prevent a wasted purchase.
Comparing Ravn to other small carriers
Ravn’s fees sit close to what regional operators like Key Lime Air charge on similarly small aircraft. Weight and balance concerns drive the same low carry-on caps across that whole category.
Anyone connecting through a regional partner should check that carrier’s own page first. Do not assume the mainline airline’s rules carry over. Running the numbers ahead of time with a baggage cost calculator is worth the two minutes it takes.
The bottom line
Ravn Alaska baggage fees are simple once you know the numbers, and simple is rare in bush flying. It is 35 USD for the first bag and 45 for the second. Real penalties start past 50 pounds or 62 linear inches.
The bigger trap is the carry-on box. It is smaller than most travelers expect. It gets checked at the counter rather than assumed at the gate.
Anyone connecting from a mainline carrier should plan to reclaim and recheck bags, since that partnership no longer exists. Confirm current figures on Ravn’s own baggage page before a trip.
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