So you’re flying Alaska Airlines and you’re checking luggage in. But you have a long layover which requires you to pick up your bags from baggage claim. This means that you’ll have to check in your luggage again.
When you do that, will you have to pay for those baggage fees all over again?!
Quick answer: It will depend on the Alaska Airlines agent you get! So be nice to them! (Seriously…)
From talking to Alaska Airlines agents by phone and at check-in, this is my takeaway…
If you have a layover that’s a little over 12 hours, as long as you have a receipt showing that you paid the first time, you won’t have to pay again.
But it gets tricky the closer your layover gets to 24 hours… that’s when it would seem to depend more on who you get at check-in… and that’s what an Alaska Airlines agent told me! (More on that later.)
From talking to an Alaska Airlines agent by phone, it seemed that the answer was that NO, you don’t have to pay baggage fees twice even with a layover over 24 hours, as long as you have your receipt… but again, that’s not the impression I got from talking to the agent at check-in!
So, before we get into all that…
First, a related question:
Is your Alaska Airlines baggage checked all the way through to your final destination when you have a long layover under 12 hours?
This question seems to have an easy answer!
Answer: If your long layover is less than 12 hours, then YES, your baggage is checked through to your final destination, and you do not have to worry about picking it up at baggage claim.
“If your trip includes more than one flight on Alaska Airlines and/or one of our airline partners, we will check your bags to the final destination on your ticket as long as there are fewer than 12 hours between flights.” Source: Alaska Airlines checked baggage.
So, as long as your long layover is under 12 hours, you are good to go! You don’t need to worry about picking up your checked baggage at baggage claim during your transfer, which means you definitely don’t need to worry about checking in your luggage again for a second time, which means no risk for additional baggage fees.
BUT, when your layover is over 12 hours, that’s when the ambiguity seems to come…
Side note!
See about the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii and what to wear snorkeling in Hawaii! And for Hawaii vacation ideas, see the best things to do in Waikiki that will give you Hawaii vibes!
Is your Alaska Airlines baggage checked all the way through to your final destination when your long layover is over 12 hours?
This question is also easy.
Answer: NO.
“If you will be in the connecting city for 12 hours or longer, you will need to claim and re-check your baggage.” Same source: Alaska Airlines checked baggage.
It’s not about whether or not the baggage is checked all the way through to the final destination that’s unclear. That part is clear.
But, do you have to pay checked baggage fees again when you go to check in your bags again?!
From the Alaska Airlines website, it’s unclear whether or not you’ll have to pay again when you go to check in for the next segment of your flight, even though technically you did book it as a single flight.
Because after saying that you’ll have to pick up your luggage with a 12+ hour layover, it also adds:
“Additional baggage fees may apply.”
Keyword: MAY…
What does may mean?! I’m hoping that may is just the term they use so that they have a defense in case an unknowing Alaska Airlines agent at the airport charges someone a second time, but that the general checked baggage layover policy is that they actually don’t charge you again!
If you have a layover just over 12 hours, you probably won’t have to baggage fees twice… if you have a layover approaching 24 hours, don’t be surprised if you do have to pay twice…
This was my flight itinerary:
DTW Detroit 7am –> PDX Portland 9am
PDX Portland 7am –> HNL Honolulu 10am
So the layover itself was just under 24 hours.
Personally, I only paid baggage fees once. But not because of any policies! When I was at DTW, the payment system was down, so they waived my baggage fees. I asked that Alaska Airlines agent if I had paid for those fees, would I have to pay again at PDX… and she said YES… (She sounded confident.)
Okay so I get to Portland. Time to check in. The payment system works this time, so I have to pay the baggage fees. Darn. 😉 I asked the Alaska Airlines agent at PDX, if you have a 24 hour layover, do you need to pay baggage fees again a second time?
From my understanding… the answer was YES, you would need to pay again. Because he doesn’t know if you spent your time in Portland partying it up during your layover since there was an opportunity to take an earlier flight.
The reason I did have such a long layover was because I didn’t want to be arriving in Honolulu when it’s dark, so I delayed my departure.
Then I asked specifically in my situation, what would he have done since my layover was technically under 24 hours and I did not take the layover to party it up… and he basically said it would have depended on how I approached the counter. If I was demanding, he probably would have made me pay. If I was nice and friendly, he may have waived the fees…
And again, from my understanding, if it was just over 12 hours, it seemed as though you would NOT have to pay again… Not a very confident answer, I know…
And I don’t exactly have confidence in the information I’m given if I call Alaska Airlines, since the answer I was given on the phone made me pretty confident I would NOT have to pay twice! And that does not seem to be the case! From speaking with the agents at the airport, the reality seems to be that there is a good chance I would have paid twice, had the payment system been working properly!
So the lesson from all of this?!
Whether for baggage fees or any other Alaska Airlines service, always be nice to Alaska Airlines agents!!!
And, just expect to pay the baggage fees, so then if you DO need to pay, you won’t be upset because you expected it! And when you DON’T need to pay, you’ll be happy!
GOOD LUCK! 😉
HAPPY ALASKA AIRLINES FLYING!
What to wear on a flight to a tropical destination
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🐠 Here are things you must consider packing!
- Swimsuit or swimming shirt aka rash guard
- rash guard: swim set for women and swim shirt for men
- Water shoes
- Waterproof phone case (so you can capture pictures of fishies underwater!)
- cheapo phone case OR waterproof camera
- I also have this "camera" wrist float to attach to my cheapo waterproof phone case so my phone won't sink to the bottom of the ocean in case I somehow let go of it. (Mine does stay afloat - test this for yourself before completely trusting it!)
- Swimming goggles or snorkeling mask set
- Reef-safe(r) sunscreen
- lightweight travel towel:
- walking sandals:
I also don't go snorkeling without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.
Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.
There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.
see more:
- What to wear hiking
- What to wear snorkeling