It’s easy to assume that extra fees apply only to those pesky low-cost carriers that need to gouge customers with miscellaneous charges to recoup the revenue from selling deeply discounted tickets, but that isn’t really the case.

Regular airlines also impose a series of fees or charges for ancillary services they offer to us passengers. Let’s look at some of those fees for Alaska Airlines, and even some tips on how to avoid them.

Baggage fees

You should always check the baggage fees and rules when you purchase a ticket — not just to confirm how much baggage you’re allowed to travel with, but also to find out how much it’ll cost you.

On Alaska Airlines, you are allowed a carry-on bag for free, regardless of the type of fare you’re ticketed in.

The standard fee for checked bags is $30 for your first bag, $40 for a second and $100 for a third.

Who gets to avoid this fee:

Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card holders get their first checked bag free.

Elite-level Mileage Plan members get their first and second checked bags free.

Passengers confirmed in first class at check-in get their first and second checked bags free.

Active duty military personnel and their dependents on travel orders get up to five free checked bags.

Overweight and oversized bag fee

If you’re planning to check a bag that’s 51 to 100 pounds or exceeds 63 linear inches, you should be prepared to shed $100 to have them checked.

Who gets to avoid this fee:

Only active duty military personnel and their dependents get some flexibility. They’re able to avoid the overweight free for bags up to 70 pounds, but anything over that will still incur the $100 fee. There are no exceptions for oversized baggage.

Change and cancellation fees

Alaska eliminated change and cancellation fees for all fares except Saver fares (basic economy) in 2021. This means you can change your existing booking to another date without paying extra, as long as the cost of the two tickets is the same. If the new ticket is more expensive, you’ll only have to pay the difference in fares.

If you cancel a nonrefundable ticket, you'll receive a credit towards future travel. If you cancel a refundable ticket, you'll receive a refund to your original form of payment.

Travelers who book Saver fares will get 50% of the fare (plus full taxes and fees) back in travel credit when canceling at least 14 days prior to travel. If you cancel within 14 days of departure, you're not eligible for a refund or travel credit.

Partner award booking fee

You will be charged a partner award booking fee of $12.50 any time you use your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles to book an award ticket on a partner airline. This is applied each way, for each award ticket — that is, you can’t book four tickets at the same time in order to save money.

Who gets to avoid this fee:

Literally nobody.

Call center service charge

If you call Alaska on the phone to book a new reservation, it will cost you $15 per itinerary, regardless of whether you're booking a revenue ticket paid in cash or an award ticket on Alaska or its partners. That means if your itinerary is round-trip for five people, you’ll pay $15 total.

Who gets to avoid this charge:

Mileage Plan Elites with MVP Gold or MVP Gold 75K status.

Anybody who books online at alaskaair.com.

If you are booking an award on a partner that cannot be booked on alaskaair.com, you can get this fee waived.

Unaccompanied minor fee

This $50-$75 fee — depending on whether it’s a direct/nonstop or with connections — is what you are charged on top of your regular ticket for your kid to fly on their own. This service covers proper identification for your child to carry while in transit, a meal on flights over two hours and an entertainment tablet on coast-to-coast flights or to Hawaii. You can use this service for kids ages 5 through 17; it's mandatory for ages 5 through 12, but optional for 13- to 17-year-olds.

Who can avoid this fee:

MVP Gold or MVP Gold 75K members are exempted from this fee, though it's worth noting that the minor needs to be an elite member — so only mini frequent flyers are exempt.

Pet travel fee

Traveling with your pet will set you back $100 on any ticket on Alaska, for either bringing your pet into the cabin or into the baggage hold. I will clarify that only dogs, cats, rabbits and household birds are allowed in the cabin. Consult Alaska Airlines’ website for restrictions on breeds, carrier sizes and blackout dates during which you’re not permitted to travel with pets in baggage.

Who can avoid this fee:

Passengers who don’t fly with pets… but seriously, there are no waivers for pet fees.

In NerdWallet's most recent analysis of airline fees, we compared seat selection, checked baggage and overhead carry-on baggage fees charged by the major U.S. airlines on typical one-way fares. Here's how they stacked up:

Frequently asked questionsHow much does Alaska Airlines charge for checked luggage?

Alaska Airlines charges $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second ($70 total for two checked bags) each way. It does not charge for overhead carry-on bags.

Do I get a free checked bag with Alaska Airlines?

No, for most fares, including international tickets, you do not get free checked bags with Alaska Airlines. This excludes first class tickets.

Do I get a free carry-on bag with Alaska Airlines?

Yes, all passengers get one free overhead carry-on and one personal item. This also applies to Saver fares.

How can I avoid paying for bags on Alaska Airlines?

There are three ways to avoid baggage fees on Alaska Airlines: Carry the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card, have Alaska elite status or purchase a first class ticket.

How much does Alaska Airlines charge for checked luggage?

Alaska Airlines charges $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second ($70 total for two checked bags) each way. It does not charge for overhead carry-on bags.

Do I get a free checked bag with Alaska Airlines?

No, for most fares, including international tickets, you do not get free checked bags with Alaska Airlines. This excludes first class tickets.

Do I get a free carry-on bag with Alaska Airlines?

Yes, all passengers get one free overhead carry-on and one personal item. This also applies to Saver fares.

How can I avoid paying for bags on Alaska Airlines?

There are three ways to avoid baggage fees on Alaska Airlines: Carry the

Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card

, have

Alaska elite status

or purchase a first class ticket.

The bottom line

Sometimes the price you see when looking on a search engine isn’t necessarily the price you pay. Fees can add up if you’re not careful. Take some time and make sure you’re familiar with all the different charges you might run into and how you can avoid them, before you go about changing your mind — and your ticket — or adding extra services you might not need.