Alaska Airlines

Navigating the world of travel as a creative professional can be daunting, especially when transporting sensitive media equipment. Fortunately, Alaska Airlines is renowned for accommodating the unique needs of creatives, ensuring your cameras, lighting equipment, and more are transported safely.

This article provides an in-depth look at Alaska Airlines’ media baggage policies, offering valuable tips to economize and secure your gear. Whether you’re a photographer or videographer planning your next shoot, here’s everything you need to know about flying with Alaska Airlines.

Alaska Airlines Media Rates

Alaska Airlines is committed to offering specialized rates for media equipment transport, acknowledging its critical role in global assignments, shoots, and production tasks. Below is a detailed exploration of policies and costs associated with media bag transportation:

1. Carry-On Media Equipment

Alaska Airlines permits small media equipment items as carry-ons. This includes cameras, lenses, and other compact gear. Notably, these items may surpass standard carry-on dimensions (9″ x 14″ x 22″ or 23 x 36 x 56 cm) but must fit within an overhead bin or under the seat to qualify. This policy benefits those needing immediate access to their gear.

Quick Note: For Smart bags or eBags, please refer to the Batteries and Electronics page for specific guidelines.

2. Cabin Seats for Larger Equipment

For items too large or fragile for overhead storage or checking, purchasing an additional seat is an option. The charge is the adult base fare plus a 6.25% cargo tax. Early reservations are recommended for group bookings to ensure smooth preparation for your item’s transport. Despite this option, the standard one carry-on and one personal item limit applies.

3. Checking Your Media Bags

Alaska Airlines also welcomes checked media equipment, provided they are securely packed in appropriate cases. This method suits larger items like tripods and lighting kits. Be mindful of potential variances in policies if your itinerary includes other airlines.

Weight and Dimensional Fees for Media Bags:

• Up to 50 lbs.: Standard checked baggage rates apply, which is $35 for the first bag, $45 for the second, and $150 for each additional bag).
• 51-165 lbs.: Standard rates plus a $100 overweight fee.
• Up to 62″ (linear): Standard rates apply.
• 63-150″ (linear) for Flights 1-1999: An oversize bag fee of $150 is added to the standard checked baggage fees.
• 63-115″ (linear) for Flights 2000-2999 and 3420-3499: Standard rates plus a $150 oversize fee.

Maximum Dimensions Allowed:

• Flights 1-1999: A checked media bag’s total linear dimensions (length + height + width) must not exceed 150 inches.
• Flights 2000-2999 and 3300-3499: The total linear dimensions of a checked media bag must not exceed 115 inches.

Booking and Preparations

Planning ahead and understanding Alaska Airlines’ requirements can facilitate a stress-free travel experience. Here’s some more useful details to know:

• Measuring Your Media Equipment. Before your flight, measure your equipment accurately to ensure compliance with the guidelines. Measure the height from the bottom to the top, the width from side to side, and the depth from front to back. Add these measurements to determine the total linear dimensions of your case.

• Secure and Identify Your Equipment. Enhance the security of your checked media equipment by placing an identification tag inside your bag. Alaska Airlines offers a free, downloadable tag that aids in quickly identifying and returning your equipment, should it be misplaced.