Alaska Airlines waives first-bag fee – for a month

Christmas continues for passengers on Alaska Airlines with today's announcement that the airline is waiving its $25 first-bag fee for the month of January.

"Starting the year by sampling Alaska's award-winning loyalty program and beginning to earn miles toward a weekend getaway or the vacation of a lifetime is a great way to kick off 2015," said Caroline Boren, Alaska Airlines' managing director of loyalty marketing and customer care, in a statement announcing the perk.

To take advantage of the offer, passengers must be a member of Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan. Those who are not yet members can sign up for free online or at the airport before they check their bags.

There are, of course, some rules and conditions accompanying this offer: The promotion is good on flights between 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1 through 11:59 p.m. Jan. 31, 2015, and will apply to Mileage Plan members and their companions if they are traveling on the same reservation. Also, all flight miles must be credited to Alaska's Mileage Plan to qualify.

For those who haven't checked bags on Alaska Airlines before (or in a while), there's another checked-baggage benefit to keep in mind: Alaska's baggage service guarantee, which promises that if a checked bag doesn't reach baggage claim within 20 minutes of the plane's arrival at the gate, the customer is entitled to a $25 discount for use on a future Alaska Airlines flight or 2,500 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles.

Harriet Baskas is a Seattle-based airports and aviation writer and Paste BN Travel's "At the Airport" columnist. She occasionally contributes to Ben Mutzabaugh's Today in the Sky blog.