Alaska Airlines Online Check-In and Boarding Pass

Alaska Airlines online check-in opens a set window before departure and closes ahead of takeoff. On international flights, travel document checks mean you need to show up earlier than you would for a domestic US flight.

These timings vary by airport, flight type, and fare: the time that counts is the one shown on your booking or on the check-in screen. Give yourself extra margin rather than cutting it close, and check the specific deadline for your departure airport, listed by the airline in its airport guide.

A passenger who has checked in but isn't at the gate by closing time can have their seat given away. Checking in never removes the need to get to the airport with time to spare.

Three paths lead to the same result:

• The alaskaair.com website, under the Check in section, using the confirmation number (six characters), ticket number, or Mileage Plan number, plus the passenger's name.
• The Alaska Airlines mobile app, which stores the booking and then displays the boarding pass.
• Self-service kiosks and counters at the airports the airline serves.

At this stage, the airline usually lets you choose or change a seat, add checked bags, and, depending on fare and availability, pay for an upgrade. Some travelers can't complete the process online: tickets issued by a travel agency or tour operator, unaccompanied minors, passengers traveling with a pet in the cabin, a car seat, or a special assistance request, and connections operated by a partner airline in the oneworld alliance, of which Alaska Airlines is a member. In those cases, the counter takes over.

On international flights, passport details (number, nationality, expiration date) and sometimes a destination address are requested before the boarding pass is issued. Entering them ahead of time in your profile or booking avoids last-minute hold-ups.

Once check-in is confirmed, the boarding pass appears in the app, gets sent by email or text, and can be added to your phone's digital wallet. The paper version can be printed at home or picked up at a kiosk, then at the counter if the kiosk can't issue it.

The barcode needs to stay fully readable, since it's scanned at security and again at the gate. A schedule change, aircraft swap, or a late upgrade can change your seat number or gate; when that happens, a new boarding pass is generated and only the most recent version counts.

Each passenger on the booking gets their own boarding pass, including children traveling with an adult. An infant on a lap is usually listed on the accompanying adult's document but may still require a stop at the counter.

Online check-in doesn't replace dropping off checked bags. If you have a bag to check, you'll need to go through the Bag Drop counter or a kiosk that prints tags, before the deadline set for your airport, which is earlier for international flights than for domestic ones.

Alaska Airlines generally charges for checked bags in the main cabin, with more generous allowances for premium cabins, certain Mileage Plan tiers, and holders of its co-branded credit card. Fares and the number of included bags depend on the ticket, so check the details on your booking. One carry-on bag and one personal item are allowed in the cabin, subject to the dimensions listed by the airline and space available onboard.

Within the US, ID meeting federal requirements is required at security; for international travel, a passport and, depending on the destination, a visa or travel authorization (ESTA, Canadian eTA) are checked before boarding.

The most common hold-ups have a simple explanation:

• The confirmation number entered belongs to a ticket issued by a partner airline: check-in then happens with the carrier operating the flight.
• Passport details are incomplete or don't match the name on the booking.
• A payment for a bag or seat is still pending.
• Check-in hasn't opened yet, or the deadline has passed: once that happens, only an airport agent can still help, up until the flight closes.

If a flight is delayed, cancelled, or rerouted, a new boarding pass is issued for the replacement flight; the old one no longer works at the scanner. iBoardingPass checks in on the traveler's behalf as soon as the airline's check-in opens, and sends the boarding pass by email.

Rules differ from one airline to another, particularly around closing times and baggage allowances. For flights operated by another North American carrier, see the Air Canada check-in process or the Air Transat check-in steps.