Alaska Airlines Is Restricting Access to Airport Lounges — What’s Changing

Alaska Airlines is making it more difficult to access its airport lounges as travelers take to the skies — and airports — in record numbers.

Starting Feb. 15, 2023, Alaska Airlines will start to limit lounge access for passengers booked on a first class ticket based on how far they are traveling. Customers traveling on a first class ticket or first class award ticket will have access to the lounge if they are flying a distance of at least 2,100 miles, according to the airline, which includes coast-to-coast, Hawaii, and international long-haul flights.

The new policy applies to bookings made on or after Nov. 18.

These passengers will be granted lounge access on the day of their flight and will receive access to all lounges in their itinerary, including connecting flights that are less than the 2,100 mile threshold.

Members of Alaska’s Club 49, a free program offered exclusively to Alaska residents, will not be subject to the new flight distance rule.

First class travelers who do not have free lounge access can purchase a day pass at a reduced rate. Non-members can purchase a day pass for $60 per person in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.

Alaska MVP Gold, Gold 75K, and Gold 100K members can also get access to a lounge when they travel on a Oneworld member airline to a destination outside of the United States, Canada, or Mexico, according to the airline.

A representative for Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Travel + Leisure. 

Alaska Airlines travelers can now earn miles for money they spend on Lyft rides. Customers will earn one mile for every $1 spent on most Lyft rides in the U.S. and Canada.

The company also recently expanded its flight subscription pass to include Salt Lake City. The pass, first launched in February, allows travelers to book six, 12, or 24 roundtrip flights per year at a fixed monthly rate.