Check our most frequently asked questions below. For answers to questions not included on this page, please contact us.
Alaska Air Cargo and Hawaiian Air Cargo are still separate operations for now, but we are streamlining customers' access to our networks by co-locating stations in New York (JFK), Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), Honolulu (HNL), Lihu’e, Kaua’i (LIH), Kahului, Maui (OGG) and Kona, Hawai’i Island (KOA).
As we continue to bring our operations together, we will notify customers about changes as they are implemented. We will give you advance notice about any actions you need to take. Sign up for email alerts to be notified about operational changes.
Alaska Air Cargo and Hawaiian Air Cargo are still separate operations for now, but we are streamlining customers' access to our networks by co-locating stations in New York (JFK), Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), Honolulu (HNL), Lihu’e, Kaua’i (LIH), Kahului, Maui (OGG) and Kona, Hawai’i Island (KOA).
As we continue to bring our operations together, we will notify customers about changes as they are implemented. We will give you advance notice about any actions you need to take. Sign up for email alerts to be notified about operational changes.
No. Any AWBs issued before October 21, 2023, are no longer valid. This includes preprints, triplicates and digital AWB blocks. If a shipment is tendered using an invalid air waybill, it will be replaced with the official air waybill in our system at the time of tender.
Yes; however, a paper air waybill that is completed outside of our system is not a valid booking until it is accepted at our cargo facility. Please note that any paper air waybills used to create a booking will be replaced with the official air waybill as documented in our system at the time of tender. As a reference, a fillable air waybill can be found here.
We are working toward a shared booking system; in the meantime, please contact the following teams for your booking needs:
Call our Alaska Air Cargo call center at 1-800-225-2752 for booking or tracking assistance with all shipments EXCEPT live animals (AVI) shipped on Hawaiian Airlines flights. Online booking is also available for shipments that meet these requirements.
Call our Hawaiian Air Cargo team at 1-877-422-2746 or 808-835-3799 for assistance booking or tracking all shipments that originate in Hawai’i on Hawaiian Air Cargo, as well as assistance with live animals shipped on all Hawaiian Airlines flights.
We are working toward fully integrating our complete shared network, but for now, access to our combined network is determined by the origin station of your shipment. An air waybill (AWB) starting with 027 indicates an Alaska Air Cargo shipment, and an AWB starting with 173 indicates a Hawaiian Air Cargo shipment.
Our teams can help you with this now! For international shipments that originate in Honolulu on Hawaiian Air Cargo, please call our Hawaiian Air Cargo team at 1-877-422-2746. For all other international shipments on Alaska or Hawaiian Air Cargo, please book online or call our Alaska Air Cargo call center at 1-800-225-2752.
Depending on the dimensions of your shipment and aircraft availability on your specific origin and destination needs, yes!
Access to our combined network is determined by the origin station of your shipment.
You may continue to ship on Hawaiian Air Cargo to and from the neighbor islands. As of January 2025, Alaska Air Cargo has restored full inbound and outbound service to Kaua'i (LIH) and Maui (OGG). As we co-locate, customers can now access single locations in the Neighbor Islands to drop off and pick up freight shipped on both airlines.
The chargeable weight for your package will be either the actual weight or the dimensional weight of your package, whichever is greater.
For shipping wholly within the state of Hawaii, the weight may not exceed 150lbs. per piece. For shipping to/from Continental US or international destinations, maximum weight is determined by container and airplane type.
Visit our Fleet and Capacity page for more information.
Dimensional weight pricing is based on the volume of the package – how much space it occupies. Dimensional weight is determined by measuring length, width, and height of the package in inches. To determine the DIM weight, multiply its length x width x height. For domestic shipments, divide the sum by 194. For international shipments, divide the sum by 166.
Special rates are available for the following commodities:
SCR 0091 Human Remains
SCR 0113 Tropical Fish and/or Aquatic Plants
SCR 0300 Seafood
SCR 0310 Shellfish
SCR 0316 Fishing Bait
SCR 0666 Cut Flowers, Nursery and Growing Plants
SCR 2199 Foodstuffs: Dairy, Meats, Fruits and Vegetables
SCR 4903 Newspapers, Magazines and Periodicals
View published tariff rates for specific commodities or for commodities not listed, please utilize our standard GoldStreak, Priority, General or Pet Connect pricing.
Rates for animals traveling as cargo can be found here.
For information on surcharges, visit the Cargo Rates and Surcharges page.
A Federal Excise Tax of 6.25% is applied to all U.S. domestic shipments and is based on the basic weight/rate charge, valuation charges and fees such as fuel/security surcharges, dangerous goods/hazardous materials are also taxed. Cargo shipments moving between Alaska or Hawai'i and the Continental U.S. have a reduced tax rate applied based on the city pair. International shipments are not subject to the Federal Excise Tax.
Please note that government employees, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations are not exempt from the Federal Excise Tax. Additional information regarding the Federal Excise Tax can be found here.
Alaska Air Cargo uses eleven geographic zones to determine shipping costs. Here’s a map of our cargo zones.
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Alaska Air Cargo and Hawaiian Air Cargo accept credit cards or billing accounts (Alaska Air Cargo stations are cashless, so please plan accordingly). When paying by credit card, the name on the credit account must match the individual tendering the shipment. Accepted methods of payment to the state of Hawai'i depend upon the airport of origin.
Our Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo teams are now co-located in New York (JFK), Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), Honolulu (HNL), Lihu’e, Kaua’i (LIH), Kahului, Maui (OGG) and Kona, Hawai’i Island (KOA). Our teams continue to operate separately for now, but our co-located stations enable customers to drop off and pick up freight for both airlines at a single station.
Check location details for all Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo stations.
$250,000. If shipment is in excess of $250,000 USD, you must obtain clearance in advance from Alaska Air Cargo. When requesting clearance, provide the shipper’s name and address, consignee’s name and address, type and method of packing, and any other information available.
Alaska Air Cargo has Basic Carrier Coverage for lost or damaged goods. But we encourage our customers to consider added protection in the form of All Risks Insurance or Declared Value, depending on your shipment. There can be a lot of complexity and variances. For personal assistance, please contact our Cargo Call Center at 1-800-225-2752.
Coverage applies to loss or damage to goods in transit from point of origin to the destination shown on the air waybill.
To determine Alaska Air Cargo's per pound liability, multiply the total weight of your shipment by $.50. For example:
Understanding differences in coverage:
Basic Carrier Coverage: Alaska Air Cargo’s Basic Carrier Coverage for lost or damaged goods, if caused by our negligence, is limited to $.50 cents per pound, and a minimum of $50 per shipment. For more information on this limitation, please refer to the Alaska Air Cargo conditions of contract here.
Declared Value: Declared Value coverage allows you to increase the value of your goods up to its actual verified value. Keep in mind that Declared Value coverage only covers loss caused by the negligence of Alaska Air Cargo. Losses caused by other factors are excluded from coverage.
When Should You Consider Declared Value Coverage? We generally recommend considering Declared Value for any shipments of perishable items such as seafood, flowers, produce etc. and live animal shipments.
Is a Customs Value Declaration the Same as Declared Value Coverage? A customs value declaration on an air waybill is different from Declared Value Coverage. It is required to declare a value on an air waybill for international shipments clearing customs. However, this listing does not create additional coverage. Only paying for Declared Value Coverage will ensure this coverage is applicable.
All Risks Insurance Coverage: All Risks Insurance is the broadest insurance you can obtain to cover your shipment. In simple terms, all unnamed risks are automatically covered, whether it is the fault of the carrier or something due to unavoidable situations, such as weather. Practically speaking, it generally covers all losses to your shipment, although there are some specifically excluded losses or perils that will limit the coverage. One common exclusion is loss caused by improper packaging. It is important to read the terms and conditions of the policy offered by the insurer to understand the coverage and exclusions.
When Should You Consider All Risks insurance? We generally recommend All Risks Insurance for any shipments of dry goods. Perishable shipments and live animal shipments are not eligible for All Risks insurance.
Declared Value Coverage may be purchased at $.50 per $100 of value. All Risks Insurance may be purchased at $1 per $100 of coverage.
Excess valuation shall not be charged in addition to insurance. No charge shall be made for insurance when the shipper only declares a value.
We regret that the handling of your shipment with Alaska Air Cargo made it necessary to file a claim. To learn more about the claims process or if you wish to file a claim for missing or damaged goods or for a service failure, please initiate a claim through our online form here: Claims | Alaska Air Cargo.
Please expect a minimum of six weeks from the date of submitting your claim for our team to process your claim.
A Known Shipper is an entity wishing to tender its own goods for air transportation on a passenger air carrier that has gone through an approval process mandated by the TSA. To ship on Alaska or Hawaiian Air Cargo, you must be a Known Shipper or other TSA-approved shipper.
Known Shipper applications and status will continue to be maintained separately by each airline. Please make sure your status is up to date with the carrier you ship on.
Become a Known Shipper with Alaska Air Cargo
Become a Known Shipper with Hawaiian Air Cargo
All shipments must be properly packed and packaged to ensure safe transportation for your contents. Packaging must be sturdy enough for normal handling during loading and transport. Styrofoam may be used as inner packing only.
It’s important to pack your shipment securely so it is protected throughout the flight and arrives damage-free. Here are some basic tips:
Each piece of your shipment must be legibly and durably marked by the shipper with the name and address of the shipper and the consignee. Old and/or non-applicable labels or markings must be removed or completely covered up. Our cargo team will affix a shipping label to ensure the proper destination. And we’ll add special handling labels, such as "This Side Up," "Frozen," etc.
If there are packaging deficiencies when your shipment is tendered, we will note these issues on the air waybill. In such cases, we will not be liable for damages incurred as a direct result of the stated deficiencies or cited inherent defect.
Our Pet Connect™ animal travel service provides quality care when transporting live animals. To learn more about shipping your pet as air cargo visit our Pet Connect page.
Are you planning to travel on the same flight with your pet? Animals traveling with a passenger are subject to different regulations.
If your shipment needs its own portable data logging device to track its temperature, movement or location, that device must be preapproved by our Cargo Policy & Procedures team. Check our list of approved devices and fill out our short form to get your tracking devices preapproved. Learn More.
Alcohol and firearms have various restrictions, depending on government regulations and specific stations. For more information on special handling, please visit our What We Ship | Alaska Air Cargo page.
Dangerous goods may also be referred to as hazardous materials or hazmat. These items are defined as “articles or substances which are capable of posing a risk to health, safety, property or the environment when transported by air.”
Certain biological agents and toxins have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety. Those designated as “select agents” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will not be accepted for carriage. Please visit our Dangerous Goods page for specifics.
Yes. Restrictions apply. Please follow these directions.
While firearms and ammunition may be shipped as cargo, there are restrictions you need to be aware of as many products associated with firearms are considered regulated dangerous goods and must be declared and properly packaged.
Generally, individuals may only ship firearms (such as sporting rifles, shotguns, handguns, silencers, starter pistols, BB guns and flare pistols) to themselves, a Federal Firearms Licensee (FLL) or a government law enforcement agency. If shipping to a FLL, you must have a certified copy of the license with an original signature. Firearms must be unloaded and packaged in a locked, hard-sided case that does not identify the contents as a firearm. Multiple locks may be required on some cases (e.g., both ends and middle) to prevent unauthorized access to the firearm. Any amount of ammunition must be tendered as dangerous goods and requires a Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods. Shipper must comply with all IATA packaging instructions and an additional dangerous goods fee applies. Keep in mind many products associated with firearms, such as cleaning solvents, primers, black powder and exploding targets, are also considered dangerous goods and must be declared and packaged properly. For additional details, please refer to IATA instructions.
Please refer to the Air Waybill (AWB) number of your shipment to start tracking.
Note: Air Waybills starting with 027 indicate an Alaska Air Cargo shipment and Air Waybills starting with 173 indicate a Hawaiian Air Cargo shipment.
How to track shipments online:
How to tell the difference between carrier AWB's.
Airline prefix for flight numbers:
Size charts vary by aircraft type. Please verify the type of aircraft operating the route your cargo is flying on and then view aircraft specific dimension charts here.
Maximum weight for a single piece in the lower cargo compartments is 300 pounds. Please note that while we continue to combine our operations, there are certain station and aircraft-specific restrictions that may affect your shipment.
Exceptions: