Hold onto your carry-ons, folks, because Alaska Airlines is raising the baggage fee bar.
Starting January 2nd, 2024, checking that extra suitcase just got a bit pricier: $35 for the first one, up from $30. Feeling adventurous with a second bag? That’ll be $45, not the previous $40.
Now, for the frequent fliers and credit card-waving elite, worry not, your sweet free-bag deal remains intact. But for the rest of us, budget airlines just got a bit more… budget-y.
So, does this mean the sky’s falling and our packing plans are doomed? Not necessarily. Think of it as a friendly nudge (okay, maybe a not-so-friendly shove) towards the carry-on life.
Time to embrace the art of minimalist packing and channel your inner Tetris master. After all, who needs five pairs of shoes and that slightly-too-tight formal outfit “just in case” anyway?
But this bag-fee bump does raise a bigger question: is Alaska setting a precedent? Will other airlines follow suit, turning our overhead compartments into sardine cans and our bank accounts into bottomless pits of ancillary fees?
Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: the air travel landscape is about to get a little more interesting (or perhaps, a little more frustrating).
So, what’s the takeaway? Pack smart, embrace the carry-on, and maybe start budgeting for that extra “luggage fee fund.”
