Alaska Airlines Baggage Policy 2026: Carry-On Size, Fees, Pets

The limit is 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm), and Alaska measures it with the wheels and handles included. One carry-on plus one personal item is free on every fare. Alaska Airlines publishes no carry-on weight limit, though you do need to lift the bag into the bin yourself.

Alaska uses the same 22 x 14 x 9 in limit as Hawaiian Airlines, which is useful on itineraries that mix the two brands.

No dimensions are published for the personal item. Alaska Airlines describes it as a purse, briefcase or laptop bag that goes under the seat in front of you, and a soft backpack of that size counts too. For shopping, a bag around 17 x 13 x 8 in usually fits, but that is our guide, not an Alaska rule.

Alaska doesn't publish a carry-on weight limit, so gate agents check size, not weight. The real limit is lifting: you place the bag in the overhead bin yourself. A bag that's too big for the 22 x 14 x 9 in limit is what gets sent to the hold.

Every fare includes a free carry-on and personal item, and that includes Saver, Alaska's basic economy fare. Saver also gets the same checked bag allowance as Main. The tradeoff is boarding: Saver boards last, in group F. Premium Class adds priority boarding but no extra bags. First Class includes two free checked bags at up to 70 lb each.

Hawaiian's Main Cabin Basic became Saver and its Extra Comfort became Premium Class for flights from April 22, 2026.

The first checked bag costs $45 and the second $55, each way, on North American Alaska and Hawaiian flights booked on or after April 10, 2026. A third bag or more costs $200 each. The $5 discount for paying online is gone, so the app and the airport charge the same. Flights wholly within Hawaii are cheaper at $30 and $40.

Flights booked before April 10, 2026 keep the old $40 and $45 fees.

Standard checked bags can weigh up to 50 lb (23 kg) and measure up to 62 linear inches (157 cm), adding length, width and height. First Class bags get 70 lb (32 kg). Anything over 100 lb or 115 linear inches isn't accepted as checked baggage.

An oversize bag (63 to 115 linear inches) costs $200 on top of the normal bag fee. If it's also overweight, the charge is $300 up to 70 lb or $400 from 71 to 100 lb. A bag that is only overweight costs about $100 from 51 to 70 lb and $200 from 71 to 100 lb, though Alaska's April 2026 fee update doesn't list those bands.

Six groups check bags for free: - First Class passengers get two bags. - Club 49 members (Alaska residents) get three free bags within Alaska and two to or from the state. - Huaka'i members get one free Neighbor Island bag. - Tier 1 elites and oneworld Ruby members get one free bag, extended to companions. - Active-duty military get up to five free bags at 70 lb each. - Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite cardholders and up to six guests on the same reservation get one free bag each on Alaska and Hawaiian-operated flights.

Club 49 and Huaka'i tie free bags to living in Alaska or Hawaii.

Yes. Dogs, cats, rabbits and household birds can fly in the cabin for $100 per carrier each way, or $35 when the trip is wholly within Hawaii. A soft carrier can be up to 17 x 11 x 9.5 inches (43 x 28 x 24 cm) and a hard one about 17 x 11 x 7.5 inches, and it takes the place of your carry-on. Bigger dogs can ride in the temperature-controlled baggage compartment for $200 per kennel each way, up to 150 lb for dog and kennel together.

For connections on a partner airline, Alaska tells you to contact that airline directly to reserve space for the pet.

Boarding order matters more than any sizer. Saver passengers board last in group F, so on a full flight the bins may be full by the time you reach your seat and the bag gets checked at the gate. Keep wheels and handles inside 22 x 14 x 9 inches, since Alaska counts them.

Alaska's April 2026 bag fees cover North American flights operated by both Alaska and Hawaiian. Once a flight with an Alaska number is operated by a partner airline, different baggage rules apply, so check which airline actually operates each leg on your confirmation.

Checked bags are covered by a 20-minute baggage guarantee: if they reach the carousel more than 20 minutes after the plane parks, you can claim a $25 discount code or 2,500 Atmos points. Hawaiian adopted it in late April 2026, according to NerdWallet. For lost or damaged bags, see our lost-bag guide.