Alaska Airlines officially launches its electronic bag tag program, but it comes at a cost

It’s official: Alaska Airlines is the first US airline to launch an electronic bag tag program. 

The program allows travelers to tag their own luggage through the mobile app and could reduce the use of paper tags and the wait time at check-in by up to 40%.

The electronic tags were created in partnership with BAGTAG and are said to be so durable that they were tested by being run over by a truck. The tags are reusable and don’t require charging or batteries, either. 

So, how do you get your hands on one?

The first group of people who will be able to get their hands on the bag tags are the 2,500 elite status members who opted into the program earlier this year. To qualify, they also had to have traveled in the last 12 months and have checked in at least one bag. 

The second phase of the rollout will be the public sale starting in 2023. The tags will cost around $70 each. Only one tag can be scanned per bag, so it could end up costing a pretty penny if you don’t travel light. 

For now, it looks like checking in early or traveling without a checked bag is still more cost-effective, but down the line, the bags could save time for frequent flyers.