More convenience––less contact! Alaska Airlines is making travel almost entirely touch-free

Photos by Ingrid Barrentine.

Updated June 30, 2021

As more of our guests prepare to fly again, we’re gradually, thoughtfully and safely reintroducing onboard food and beverage services and have implemented numerous ways to make your travels almost entirely touch-free.

With the Alaska mobile app, you can check in for your flight, pre-order meals, generate a mobile boarding pass and so much more. Plus, our improved technology allows us to scan boarding passes up to six feet apart, print bag tags without touching the check-in kiosk and purchase food and beverages on board using your stored payment preference.

See what’s in the works to make your journey more convenient and touch-free:

Pre-order meals & store payment for touch-free purchase in the air

Great trips call for great planning! Now available in all cabins on trips 1,100+ miles, you can reserve your favorite snacks/meals using the Alaska mobile app or alaskaair.com from 2 weeks to 20 hours prior to your flight.

You can also store your payment preference using your Alaska Airlines account so when it comes time to pay for your meal in the air, you can do so touch-free.

For more details visit our website.

Print bag tags without touching the check-in kiosk

At the airport, you can print your bag tags by simply scanning your boarding pass (mobile or printed at home) at one of our kiosks.

Here’s how it works: Once you pay for your baggage fee(s) using the Alaska mobile app or online, you can simply walk up to our kiosk at the airport, scan your boarding pass and your tags will be printed from the kiosk where you can safely grab the tag from the machine to place it onto your bag(s). You can also print your bag tags from home if that’s easier or ask one of our agents for assistance.

Once you’ve placed your tag on your bag(s), you can safely drop off your baggage to one of our agents, while maintaining physical distance.

Scan boarding passes from a distance

Our gate agents are able to scan guests’ boarding passes using a mobile tablet or scanner while boarding. To help create more distance between guests, we’re providing our agents with the ability to scan a boarding pass from six feet away—if the conditions are just right. To scan from that far away, the boarding area will need to have good lighting and the barcodes need to be printed clearly. While we can’t achieve this laser-focus every time, our agents are working hard to “mind their wingspan” and taking every measure to keep our guests safe.

Touch-free check in, mobile boarding pass, prepaid bags

The Alaska mobile app is still the single best tool to limit contact while travelingYou can make sure your trip is as smooth as possible every step of the way by using it to check in for your flight, generate a mobile boarding pass, change seats and prepay for your bags. The app also keeps you up to date on your flight status, gate changes and boarding notifications. Download the app today if you don’t already have it!

Get a text or email instead of paper

Coming soon to an airport near you will be a messaging tool that our customer service agents will use—to avoid printing & handling boarding passes or receipts—that is capable of sending you a text message that includes all of your travel information with a link to your boarding pass, gate and seat assignment.

Agents can also email any receipts, such as bag fees, if needed.

Staying safe and connected: A message from Ben Minicucci

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Alaska has implemented nearly 100 actions to keep guests and employees safe, all part of Alaska’s commitment to Next-Level Care.

Some examples include:

  • Require guests and employees wear a cloth mask or face covering at all times when at the airport or onboard Alaska aircraft. Flyers must also complete a health agreement at check-in to acknowledge and attest to their willingness to adhere to the mask requirement.
  • Sanitizing wipes readily available to guests during beverage service on all Alaska and Horizon Air flights.
  • Enhanced cleanings of our planes in between every flight.
  • Hospital-grade HEPA air filters on every aircraft; an air filtration system that circulates fresh, outside air into the cabin every three minutes.
  • Limited onboard service to reduce interactions.
  • Hand-sanitizer stations throughout the journey and more.

next level care