From Alaska To the Rest Of The World with Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines was founded in the mid-1930s following a merger with a small carrier, and soon it became Alaska's largest airline. Approximately a decade later, this US carrier began offering international charter flights, and it continued to grow in size, profits and number of destinations served until the late 1980s. In recent years, the Alaskan airline reached an important milestone with the acquisition of Virgin America.
Thanks to its collaboration with several partner airlines, Alaska Airlines now flies to nearly 900 destinations all over the world. However, the airline's most popular routes are those that connect several US and Canadian cities in the Pacific Northwest, which are mostly operated by Alaska's subsidiary Horizon Air.
Today, the airline owns a fleet of more than 150 planes and has 15,000 employees. Alaska Airlines has received several prestigious awards from Conde Nast, Travel and Leisure, USA Today, Skytrax and others, gathering recognition for outstanding performance in areas like its travel rewards programme, fuel efficiency, overall safety, customer satisfaction and best employer.
Flying with Alaska Airlines
Tickets with Alaska Airlines are available in Economy (Main Cabin) and First Class. On certain plane types, passengers can also be upgraded to Premium Class by paying a small fee. To find the cheapest fares, travellers can check the Low Fare Calendar box when booking online. The airline also offers a price guarantee and refunds the price difference if travellers find a lower fare on their website or elsewhere.
To earn miles and rewards, travellers can sign up for the Alaska Airlines frequent-flyer programme known as Mileage Plan. More information on the benefits and requirements can be found here [https://www.alaskaair.com/account/join-mileage-plan?lid=mainmileageplan:macreate:MPjoin#]. In addition, companies of all sizes can register for the Corporate Preferred programme to save on high-volume bookings or frequent travel. Details on this programme can be found here [https://www.alaskaair.com/content/corporate-travel.aspx?lid=footer:CorporateTravel&INT-AS_NAV-prodID:CorporateTravel].
Practical Information
Web check-in is available online from 24 hours to one hour before departure. Passengers can also check-in using the airline's mobile app. To check-in at the airport, travellers can choose to use a self-service kiosk or to see an agent at the check-in desk.
Baggage allowance:
- Passengers must pay a fee for all checked bags, which should not weight more than 23 kg (50 lb) and not exceed total dimensions of 157 cm (62 inches). First class tickets are exempt from the checked baggage fee.
- Carry-on baggage is limited to one piece per person and should have maximum dimensions of 61 x 17 x 10 cm (L x H x W). Passengers may also take on a personal item such as a briefcase of laptop. On codeshare flights operated by SkyWest or Horizon Air, carry-on baggage cannot exceed 25 x 43 x 61 cm.
- Seasonal baggage restrictions apply. More information about baggage is available at [https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/overview.aspx?lid=nav%3ainfo-baggage].