Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air Offer Summer Travel Tips

The Memorial Day holiday marks the traditional start of the busy summer travel season. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air offer the following tips for stress-free travel. More information is available in the "Know Before You Go" section of the airlines’ Web sites — alaskaair.com and horizonair.com.

  -- Be prepared for new security procedures. The Transportation Security
     Administration (TSA) has changed security screening procedures and has
     new rules for carrying liquids and gels in carry-on luggage. Travelers
     should check the TSA Web site, www.tsatraveltips.us, for the latest
     security information, including a list of prohibited items.
  -- Be aware of new passport requirements for international travel.
     Passengers traveling between the United States, Canada and Mexico are
     required to have a passport. For more information, visit the U.S.
     Department of State Web site at www.travel.state.gov.
  -- Know when to arrive at the airport and gate. Passengers should arrive
     at the airport at least two hours before a domestic departure and three
     hours before an international flight. Travelers should contact
     individual airports for specific recommended arrival times. Alaska and
     Horizon customers must be at the gate at least 30 minutes before a
     domestic departure and 40 minutes before an international flight. These
     guidelines applies to all airports, regardless of size.
  -- Allow extra time to get to the airport. Parking lots may be full during
     peak travel periods. Alaska and Horizon encourage passengers to take
     alternative transportation to the airport or park at a nearby satellite
     parking lot.
  -- Check in online. Alaska and Horizon passengers can check in online up
     to 24 hours before a domestic or international flight at alaskaair.com
     or horizonair.com. International passengers can enter passport
     information online. Passengers who check in online should leave ample
     time to check any luggage at the airport. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
     members earn 1,000 Mileage Plan miles the first time they check in
     online.
  -- Use a check-in kiosk. Alaska and Horizon provide more than 400
     convenient check-in kiosks at airports and many off-site locations.
     Kiosks allow passengers to check in for flights, print boarding passes
     and change seat assignments. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members earn
     1,000 Mileage Plan miles the first time they check in at a kiosk.
  -- Know the carry-on and checked luggage limits. Federal rules allow each
     customer to carry one standard-sized carry-on bag and one personal
     item, such as a purse or laptop computer. Alaska and Horizon allow up
     to two pieces of checked luggage, each weighing 50 pounds or less, for
     free. Charges apply to extra pieces of checked luggage and bags that
     exceed weight or dimension limits. Detailed information is available at
     alaskaair.com and horizonair.com.
  -- Keep valuables in your carry-on luggage. Passengers should carry
     prescription medication, passports, cash, jewelry, business papers,
     laptops, cameras and other valuables in their carry-on luggage to keep
     control of these items.
  -- Properly label luggage. Passengers should provide their name, address,
     phone number, destination phone number and e-mail address on a label
     inside and outside each piece of luggage.
  -- Know the rules for large or unusual items. Passengers with excess
     luggage, pets or oversized items, such as golf clubs, should check
     airline policies ahead of time.
  -- Take the express security line. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan MVP Gold
     members and passengers with no carry-on items can use express lines at
     security checkpoints in Anchorage, Alaska; Portland, Ore.; Seattle; and
     Spokane, Wash. Express lines also are available for Horizon Shuttle
     passengers flying between Seattle or Portland and Spokane.

Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, serve 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air newsroom at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: caroline.boren@alaskaair.com

SOURCE: Alaska Airlines