Alaska, Hawaiian hike fees
Alaska Airlines (and partner Hawaiian Airlines) raised checked‑bag prices — $5 more for the first bag and $10 more for the second — for bookings made on or after April 10, a change carriers blamed on rising jet‑fuel costs. (fox13news.com) (reuters.com). Practically, that means routes where you previously relied on a cheap base fare plus one bag are now likelier to be more expensive when you add luggage — recheck checked‑bag rules before you book. (fox13news.com)
A suitcase that used to add $40 to an Alaska Airlines ticket now adds $45, and a second checked bag that used to cost $45 now costs $55 on many North American trips booked on or after Friday, April 10, 2026. Alaska said the change also applies on Hawaiian Airlines flights in the same network because both brands now sit inside Alaska Air Group’s baggage system for those routes. (news.alaskaair.com) Alaska framed the increase around “ongoing volatility in fuel prices” and an “uncertain global environment,” which is airline language for a cost spike they do not want to eat on every ticket. The company announced the change on April 9 and put it into effect for new bookings one day later. (news.alaskaair.com) The key date is the booking date, not the travel date. If you bought before April 10, 2026, the old bag prices applied to that reservation, but if you book the same flight on April 10 or later, the higher fees can show up at checkout. (news.alaskaair.com) This is not every Alaska or Hawaiian itinerary on earth. Alaska’s own baggage page says some trips flown on Alaska or Hawaiian can still be charged under another airline’s bag rules, so a codeshare or partner-heavy itinerary can produce a different fee than the one you expect. (alaskaair.com) The people least affected are the travelers who were already avoiding bag fees. Alaska said Atmos Rewards status members, Alaska Visa cardholders, Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard holders, Club 49 members in Alaska, and Huakaʻi members in Hawaiʻi keep their current baggage benefits. (news.alaskaair.com) Everyone else gets a reminder of how airline pricing really works in 2026. A low base fare can still look cheap on the first search screen, but once a family adds one or two checked bags, the real trip price can move by $45, $55, or more each way. (news.alaskaair.com) Alaska and Hawaiian are also not moving alone. In the past two weeks, JetBlue, United, Delta, Southwest, and American all raised baggage fees after oil prices jumped, turning checked bags into one of the fastest ways airlines can pass higher costs to passengers without rewriting every fare in the market. (fox13seattle.com) (reuters.com) That makes the old booking habit of “I’ll deal with bags later” more expensive than it looks. On Alaska’s own baggage pages, the airline tells travelers to check the confirmation carefully to see which carrier’s baggage policy applies, because the cheapest fare is no longer the same thing as the cheapest trip once luggage enters the math. (alaskaair.com)
