All of us at Alaska are here to bring you the best care in the air—and answer your burning travel questions. Check out these do’s & dont’s so you can travel well and plan those long-awaited trips:

Do: Wear a Mask.

We know wearing a mask for long period of time is not ideal for most people, but per our policy and federal requirements, all travelers (vaccinated or not) must wear a face mask during travel, including while in airports, boarding and deplaning and your entire flight. 

Don’t be the person who’s handed a yellow card for not complying with our mask policy. The card (our formal notice) is a warning to any guest who flagrantly refuses to wear a mask on board our aircraft. Upon review, we could ban guests who refuse to comply with our mask policy for a period of time.

Exceptions apply only to children under the age of two (in alignment with CDC age guidelines). Read more about the FAA’s mask requirement.

Do: Consider getting vaxxed.

Though it’s not a travel requirement, if you’re able to get vaccinated for COVID-19, we highly encourage you to do so. Before you fly with us, you will be asked to fill out a health agreement, which simply confirms you will wear a face covering on board/at the airport and that you have not shown any COVID symptoms in the past 72 hours and have not been in proximity to someone who has tested positive.

Don’t miss out on traveling! We have your safety covered every step of the way with our Next-Level Care—from booking and boarding to day-of travel and beyond. 

Do: Sit back & relax.

While it seems like sitting on a plane with other people could be risky, analysis of air travel shows viruses don’t spread easily on aircraft because of a number of things. One study concluded people wearing masks have a near zero (0.003%) chance of contracting COVID-19—even while seated next to someone.

You’re covered by:

• High air exchange rates (fresh air every 2-3 min in the cabin)
• HEPA filtration
• Forward faced seating
• High-back seats
• Mask-wearing *this one is SUPER important*
• Enhanced cleaning
• Contactless features (pre order meals, mobile boarding pass)
• Complimentary sanitizer

Do: Pre-order meals and enjoy snacks/drinks onboard.

More food and beverage options are now available on board! Snack on favorites like the Signature Fruit & Cheese Platter or try our new menu items via pre-order on most flights over two hours. For guests in First Class, delicious hot meals are back on coast-to-coast and Hawaiʻi flights, plus Boxed Water to quench any thirst.  

Don’t forget to pre-order your meal (if applicable) 20 hours before your flight!

Do: Get COVID-tested from trusted partners if necessary.

Some destinations, including Hawaii and Canada, have special travel requirements in place that require visitors/residents to have negative COVID-19 test results taken no more than 72 hours before travel, or they’ll need to comply with a 10-day self-quarantine. Be sure to schedule your test early, as appointments fill up in advance and use a trusted testing partner. 

Don’t wait until the last minute to get tested and be sure to use a trusted testing partner!

Do: Avoid travel if you’re not feeling healthy.

For your safety and for the safety of others around you, guests who have exhibited COVID-19 symptoms 72 hours before their flight or who have been in close proximity to someone who has tested positive are not allowed to fly with us. This is for the safety of all guests and employees.

Don’t fly if you’re not feeling well. 

Do: Pack your bag(s) & a little grace.

When traveling with us, you’re allowed to bring one carry-on bag plus one personal item, such as a purse, briefcase or laptop computer. At least one of the items should be stowed under the seat in front of you, and you’ll also need to be able to lift your own bag into the overhead bin. You can also check luggage at the airport.

PRO TIP: You’ll likely save time checking bags if you print your own bag tags at home.

While we pride ourselves on our 20-min bag guarantee for all our guests and checked bag perks for our Mileage Plan members, most airports are experiencing higher travel volumes right now. In the instance your bags don’t show within 20 minutes, please reach out to us at our baggage office within 2 hours of your flight’s arrival or speak to a nearby customer service agent at the airport.

Don’t exceed our bag size/weight limits. 

Do: Enjoy the fresh air.

Our cabin air is clean and safe. We have one of the newest fleets in the country which means our planes have the latest air filtration technology. Our planes are equipped with two hospital-grade HEPA filters that remove 99.95% of airborne particulates. Every 2-3 minutes there is a full exchange of cabin air with outside and HEPA-filtered air and 100% fresh air every 6 minutes. Learn more.

Don’t keep your air vents above your seat closed.

Do: Know high-touch surface areas have been cleaned.

We’ve took cleaning to the next level. Alaska’s enhanced aircraft cleaning procedures were developed/validated with infectious diseases experts at UW Medicine and exceed CDC cleaning guidelines. Between every flight, we’re using high-grade EPA disinfectants and electrostatic disinfectant sprayers to sanitize the most critical areas (overhead bins, armrests, tray tables, seatbelts, lavatories, etc).

At the airport, we’re working closely with airport services to ensure the highest level of cleanliness. We’ve instituted a cleaning program for the check-in lobby counters, kiosks and gate counters where the surfaces are wiped down with a disinfectant more frequently.

Don’t excessively wipe the leather seat with your own cleaning wipe, the leather dye color may come off. This doesn’t mean it’s dirty, it’s the active ingredient that is causing the color to come off on the wipe.

Do: Travel mindfully.

Wherever you’re planning to go, it’s important to protect yourself & others by wearing a mask, avoiding large crowds and washing your hands often. We encourage everyone to be kind and respectful to those helping get you from point A to point B. 

Don’t be unruly with other guests or our employees. Remember we’re all doing our best to make travel as safe, easy-going and accessible as possible. Please stick to travel guidelines and always practice being kind and considerate to the people around you. 

We’re all in this together and can’t wait to travel with you!

Book now at alaskaair.com. Mask up. Let’s go!