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magnifying glass with dark circle in the middle.

Fly with peace of mind: Flexible travel options

We’re offering more flexible travel options to give our guests peace of mind. These include:

We’re continuously working with medical experts and federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate our preventative processes. We’re also tracking & answering frequently asked questions as best we can.

FAQs about changing your trip:

What if I used miles?  If you used miles to purchase your ticket for a ticket that falls within one of our flexible travel policies we’ll re-deposit the miles in your Mileage Plan account.

How long does it take to retrieve the miles back into My Account? Your miles will be back in your account in 24-48 hours.

What if I used a companion fare? If you cancel your reservations entirely, and if it included a companion certificate, we will reinstate your certificate with original expiration date or June 30, 2020, whichever comes later. Please call Reservations for assistance with canceling tickets using companion certificates

What if I purchased a nonrefundable First Class, main, or award ticket? If you purchased a nonrefundable First Class, main, or award ticket for travel that falls within one of our flexible travel policies, you may change without fee or, cancel your trip and deposit the funds into your My Account wallet or credit certificate via email.

What if I purchased a Saver fare? If you purchased a Saver fare that falls within our flexible travel policy, you may cancel your trip and deposit the funds into your My Account wallet or credit certificate via email.

What do I do if I’ve already paid the change fee? If you were recently charged a fee for a change or cancellation made to a trip that now falls under one of our flexible travel policies, please contact Reservations. We’ll take care of the change fee to your original form of payment.

What if I’m traveling after May 31st? For tickets purchased on/before February 26, 2020, our flexible travel policy only applies to travel through May 31, 2020. We will continue to evaluate the situation and may make adjustments as warranted.

What if I purchased my ticket through Expedia? Or another third-party website? If you purchased your tickets through a third party, such as Expedia, another travel agency, or another airline, contact them directly for assistance. 

Visit alaskaair.com for more details.

Strava challenge: Walk, hike, climb or bike for a chance to win miles

While you’re not flying through the skies, you might be flying through your workouts! We’ve partnered with Strava, the #1 fitness app for runners and cyclists, to give away 250,000 miles to guests with our Miles on the Ground challenge.

One lucky person who joins the challenge will win 100,000 miles, two people will win 50,000 miles and five people will win 10,000 miles––for a total award of 250,000 miles!

Alaska employees, including Airlines President and cycling-enthusiast, Ben Minicucci, are also rising to the challenge––and want you to join in!

Most of you aren’t able to fly and earn miles right now, so we wanted to start a friendly competition to reward some of our Mileage Plan members for the miles they’re putting in at home,” said Minicucci. “Strava is a great way to connect with friends, family and other athletes and stay healthy during this stressful time. Be safe and have fun!”

How to join:

If you track at least 360 minutes of physical activity on the Strava app between May 16 and May 30, 2020, you’ll be qualified for a chance to win up to 100,000 miles!

Whether you get there by exercising 45 minutes per day, four days a week or 30 minutes per day, six days a week—however you reach 360 minutes is up to you! Here’s a list of applicable activities you can record using the app.

Those who complete the challenge by May 30 will receive a completion badge and congratulations from Strava with a link to a page on alaskaair.com to register for the drawing. Participants must register by June 7 to be entered to win the miles.

We’ll be able to travel to faraway places soon. Until then, lace up your sneakers, dream up your next destination and download the app for a chance to win.

For complete terms and conditions of the challenge, visit https://www.alaskaair.com/content/legal/terms-conditions/contest-rules

Video: Our care is never canceled

Your travel plans might be on hold for now, but our care is never canceled.

When you’re ready to fly with us, we’re ready to give you the safest, cleanest and most enjoyable travel experience from start to finish. With the best employees around, we’re continuing to transport critical cargo and medical supplies, enhance our cleaning processes and support the communities where we fly, our guests and employees.

Watch our resilient spirit in action and know that we can’t wait for you to pack your bags and fly with us again soon.

Couch Getaways: New York City

We ❤️ NYC—from the tantalizing skyline to cobblestone streets in Brooklyn and walks in the park. Explore a virtual tour of the city below!

Central Park

Take a virtual walk in the park

The Lot Radio: Live stream radio 24/7

Watch & listen to live performances

NYC Street Mural Art Tour

Check out NYC’s best street art

Sauce Restaurant Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

Mamma Maura’s recipe ⁣

 Dumbo’s cobblestone streets

Explore Brooklyn

New York Philharmonic

Listen now

Met Opera Live

Enjoy the show every night

Frequently asked questions about face masks & social distancing

Our commitment to Next-Level Care means we’ve implemented 100+ ways to maintain the highest standard of safety throughout your travels. The safety of our guests and employees always comes first, and we want you to feel great about booking a flight with us. Here are some answers to questions related to masks & social distancing:

FAQ:

Who is required to wear a mask?

All Alaska and Horizon guests (and our employees) are required to wear a mask over their nose and mouth at all times during travel, including throughout the flight, during boarding and deplaning, and while traveling through an airport. To keep our guests and employees safe and align with Federal guidelines, masks are required even if you are fully vaccinated.

Can someone be exempt from wearing a mask?

Exceptions will be made for children under the age of 2 years old; passengers with breathing difficulties unrelated to COVID-19.

Where are guests required to wear face coverings?

Guests will be required to wear a mask or face covering at all times when they are near an Alaska Airlines touchpoint, including the check-in lobby, Lounges, boarding gates, jet bridges, loading ramps and stairs, on the aircraft, during the flight and at baggage claim. Usage is also highly encouraged in high traffic areas such as security lines, restrooms and other areas throughout the airport.

What happens if someone does not comply with Alaska’s mask policy?

Refusing to wear a mask is a violation of federal law and may result in denial of boarding, removal from the aircraft, and/or penalties under federal law.

Are guests allowed to take their masks off to eat or drink on a flight?

While guests are allowed to temporarily remove their masks when briefly drinking or eating or when taking medication, masks must otherwise be worn at all times, including between sips of beverages or bites of food.

What types of face covering are considered acceptable?

Face coverings should cover a guest’s nose and mouth in alignment with best practice guidelines from the CDC and must meet the following requirements:

  • A properly worn mask completely covers your nose and mouth.
  • Cloth masks should be made with two or more layers of a breathable fabric that is tightly woven (i.e., fabrics that do not let light pass through when held up to a light source).
  • If gaiters are worn, they should have two layers of fabric or be folded to make two layers.
  • Masks should be secured to the head with ties, ear loops, or elastic bands that go behind the head.
  • A mask should fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face.
  • Masks should be a solid piece of material without slits, exhalation valves, or punctures.

When does this policy go into effect?

This policy goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. May 11, 2020. And will be in place until further notice.

Will Alaska Airlines be supplying face coverings for guests?

Guests should bring their own face coverings, but we will have face coverings available, as supplies allow, in the check-in lobby and boarding gates for guests who forgot their mask at home.

Will Alaska’s employees also be wearing masks?

Yes, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air employees, and our business partners, who cannot maintain six feet of social distance during interactions with guests or co-workers, started wearing face coverings May 4. This includes pilots, flight attendants and customer service agents.

What if a guest refuses to wear a face covering at the airport?

If a guest arrives at the airport and refuses to wear a face covering, they will be denied boarding. If a guest is denied boarding while at the airport, they can rebook their travel with one of our agents at the airport or update their travel online at alaskaair.com or contact our Reservations team at 1 (800) 252-7522.

Has Alaska Airlines installed social distancing stickers at airports they serve?

Yes. We’re installing social distancing decals to remind people to ‘Mind Your Wingspan,’ at each one of our airports where we fly. The stickers, spanning 6 feet apart, can be found at our ticketing counters, baggage drops, customer service centers and gate areas. The Alaska branded stickers will be deployed systemwide over the coming weeks.

Related:

For every #GoingTheExtraMile mom-ent shared we’ll donate 500 miles to those in need

Take a mom-ent to give a shout out to the moms out there this Mother’s Day, and we’ll donate to people in need. Use both #GoingTheExtraMile and #iFlyAlaska in your social post (on Facebook & Instagram) to share a moment when your mom went the extra mile. For every post, we’ll donate 500 miles to our LIFT Miles Program for disaster relief, up to 500,000 miles.

From all of us at Alaska, we wish you a very happy Mother’s Day. Here are some of our favorite employee mom-ents:

Alaska Mom Juanita from D.C.

Juanita at Dulles International Airport

Alaska gate lead Juanita has worked for Alaska for almost five years. She is a mother of three & “glam mom” of one. Her son, Bobbie says she brings high energy to her team and cupcakes on a weekly basis or things she’s cooked to keep everyone’s spirits up and show her support for everything everyone is doing during this tough time.

“My favorite thing about my mom is while I am working and in between her working she was still bringing in meals, and I’d be on conference calls and she walks in and says hi to everyone on the call. It just shows her support for me when I was alone during this time period. Because social distancing can be hard for people who are extroverts so it was comforting knowing that I could come up to my mom’s house and have that good time with her so we got to workout, we ran the trail every week, we tried to do some TikTok videos and she’s a way better dancer than I am. So it was just fun, just bonding with her.”

Bobbie & his mom Juanita

Alaska Mom Katokula from Anchorage

Kato at Anchorage’s Cargo facility

Katokula or “Kato” has worked for Alaska Airlines for 11 years at Anchorage’s Cargo facility. Her daughter Maata says her mom is proud to work for Alaska Airlines and that she never hesitates to pick up shifts, especially during COVID-19. She says her mom always goes the extra mile every day she goes to work and loves it.

“She wears so many hats there at the warehouse and has been recognized numerous times for her hard work. My mom is very caring, genuine and supportive. She supports everybody, family, friends, churches, even though she’s as busy as she is she still goes above and beyond for everybody, it’s amazing!”

Alaska Mom Rachael from Everett, Wash.

Rachael making masks to donate to people in need.

Rachael is a Horizon Air passenger service agent at Paine Field. She’s worked for Horizon for nearly two years and has twin boys who are now in college.

Recently, Rachael organized a group of Horizon employees to create and donate nearly 800 masks for people in need, including students at Central Washington University.

“I’ve always liked the saying ‘see a need, fill a need,’ so seeing what was happening and noticing a lot of people were needing masks, I thought, ‘you know I have a sewing machine, I know the basics of sewing. I know there are a lot of people out there that have donations, that can’t sew, but they could donate supplies.’ I ran it by my manager and she loved the idea, so that’s how it was born.”

She says her family is quite lucky. “I honestly don’t know of anyone close to me who has been sick or affected personally by the virus. I feel like things could be a lot worse, but I’ve got it good.”

Horizon Air employees volunteering to create masks.

Ben Minicucci: Our safety commitment to you when you’re ready to fly

Ben-M-SEA

While we cannot predict the future, there are two things we know for certain. First, we can’t wait to fly with you again when the time is right. And second, when you and your family or business are ready, our incredible employees will be there to offer you the care you know and love––at the next level.

Our president, Ben Minicucci, shares how we’ve prepared for our guests to join us when you’re ready to fly. A special thanks to the employees featured in this video who are working nonstop to keep things moving. From all of us at Alaska, thank you & stay safe.

Couch Getaways: Mexico

We’re taking our couches to Mexico this week for a virtual vacay to some of our favorite experiences. Explore our virtual guide to Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and more below!

Mezcal Mule

Have a taste using this recipe

Chichen Itza

See the Temple of Kukulcan up close

Cabo National Park

Get “lost” at sea

Sit back, relax at a resort

Enjoy never ending views

Mariachi Music

Listen to the band

Guadalajara

Tour the city

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at home with a Mezcal Mule

You don’t need a copper mug to enjoy this sweet twist on the Mezcal Mule.

Easy to mix, this riff on the popular Moscow Mule, is designed to hit every note—sweet, tart, floral, hot, smoky—for any occasion. With a squeeze of lime, a ginger beer and Mezcal liquor, you can create the iconic Mezcal cocktail (if you’re 21+ or older that is) at home. Mezcal is a national spirit of Mexico made from any type of agave, it’s similar to tequila but has a slightly smokey flavor.

If you make it at home, shake up the Mezcal & lime juice in a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice. Pour over ice, top off with ginger beer or ale, and stir. Garnish with a slice or wedge of lime and enjoy — add a little zing by sprinkling the lime wedge with Taijin or chile powder.

Don’t use a shaker if you’re making a non alcoholic version (use all the ingredients except the Mezcal) —the carbonation will have a party of its own!

Mezcal Mule at-home recipe

What you’ll need:

  • 1.5 ounces Mezcal, like Prolijo Mezcal Blanco
  • 5 ounces ginger beer or ginger ale
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • Lime wheel, to garnish
  • Tajin (chile pepper-lime-salt seasoning) or chile powder, to garnish

 

Related cocktail recipes: moscow mule, ginger sunrise

8K filing: Alaska Airlines operational update (5/5)

 

 

Get ready to face the world: Make your own no-sew mask in 6 easy steps

Last week, we announced guests will be expected to wear their own mask throughout the airport and flight experience starting May 11. To help with this, we tapped Seattle couture designer Luly Yang who’s behind our new uniforms, to show you how to make your own mask.

Luly Yang debuting Alaska Airlines custom uniform collection.

Luly’s got you covered with these simple steps below — no sewing machine necessary.

What you’ll need:

  • Cotton cloth (T-shirt, pillowcase, etc.) suggested size: 15″W X 13″H
  • Hair ties or rubber bands
  • Two safety pins
  • Scissors

1. Place the fabric on a clean, flat surface.

2. Fold top and bottom section to midline.

3. Fold bottom half over to create a pleat.

4. Ensure there is a zig-zag shape along the sides.

5. Slide the fabric into hair ties and position to complement the dimensions of your face.

6. Pin inner layers to secure the fabric.

(Ensure that the pin does not show on the outer and inner-most layers.)

Ta-da! You’re Finished.

Once the mask is on, you can adjust the fit on your face by pulling the top and bottom slightly away from each other.

Want to sew your own mask? Try out Luly’s custom face mask pattern using this link.

Note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises: “the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.” – from the CDC website.

From masks to airports and aircraft cleaning, safety is our top priority

Updated August 5:

These days Alaska Airlines may look a little different when you fly. From our check in counters to our aircraft, you’ll notice changes to ensure the health and safety of our guests and employees. From social distancing stickers on the floor to our guests & employees wearing masks, we want you to know our care is never cancelled.

Masks

To align with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations and to keep our guests and employees safe, masks will be mandatory for all our guests. Additionally, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air employees who cannot maintain six feet of physical distance during interactions with guests or co-workers have been required to wear masks since May 4. This includes pilots, flight attendants and customer service agents.

Starting August 7, all Alaska passengers will be required to wear a cloth mask or face covering over their nose and mouth (except for children under the age of two) – with no exceptions. Cloth masks or face coverings will be required on all flights, at ticket counters, throughout gate areas and any other location where Alaska conducts business.

Guests will be expected to bring their own mask and will be required to wear it throughout the airport and flight experience. Additional supplies will be available for those who forget their face masks. Specific details about the face mask requirements will be shared with guests in pre-trip communications before their date of travel. The temporary policy will be reevaluated periodically as guidance evolves.

Safety is our most important value at Alaska Airlines, and thanks to our employees we have an incredibly safe operation. In light of COVID-19, we’re in a new era and are continually updating our safety standards to better protect our guests and employees. For now, this includes wearing masks, which is another layer of protection that can reduce the spread of the virus,” said Max Tidwell, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of safety.

Questions? Read our FAQ about masks & physical distancing 

Enhanced cleaning

Our planes have never been cleaner.

We’ve always had robust cleaning processes on our aircraft and will continue using disinfectants that use of high-grade, EPA registered disinfectants to sanitize critical touchpoints like tray tables, seat belts, overhead bins, armrests and lavatories, etc.

As an extra level of precaution, we’ve implemented an enhanced aircraft cleaning process between our flights that are on the ground longer than an hour at our hubs. We’ve also expanded the use of electrostatic sanitizing spray to disinfect aircraft at all of our hubs.

At the airport – mind your wingspan!

We’re installing decals to remind people to ‘Mind Your Wingspan,’ at each one of our airports where we fly. The stickers, spanning 6 feet apart, can be found at our ticketing counters, baggage drops, customer service centers and gate areas. The Alaska branded stickers will be deployed systemwide over the coming weeks.

On the plane

Through July 31, 2020 and beyond, we’re limiting the number of guests on our flights and blocking select seats. Families or large groups may request to sit together. Learn more here.

Finally, we’ve also updated our onboard service to limit the interaction between our flight crews and guests. You’ll also notice we have removed all seatback contents, except for the safety card, to limit the spread of germs.

Safety remains our top priority at Alaska Airlines – for you, and for our employees. We will continue to evaluate best practices to ensure the health and safety of our guests and employees.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and see you soon.

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