Alaska Airlines 401(k) match, vesting and fees
What Alaska Airlines' 401(k) plan says about matching contributions
Employer Contributions - The Company contributes matching contributions per the terms of the applicable collective bargaining agreements and the Plan. The rate of matching contributions varies depending on whether an employee is participating in a certain Company-sponsored defined benefit plan, as described in the Plan document. For employees in the IAM workgroup, matching contributions equal 50% of either the first 7% or 9% of pre-tax and/or Roth contributions. For employees in the AMFA workgroup, matching contributions equal 50% of the first 11% (but prior to April 1, 2024, 9%) of pre-tax and/or Roth contributions. For employees in the TWU workgroup, matching contributions equal 100% of the first 3% or 50% of the first 7% of pre-tax and/or Roth contributions.
Quoted directly from the filing. Plan terms may have changed; check your current Summary Plan Description.
Plan features
Indented passages are quoted word for word from the audit report; plan terms may have changed since, so check your current Summary Plan Description.
| Employer match | Quoted from the filing above | Audit report, p. 48 ↗ |
| Match vesting | Vesting - Participants are vested immediately in their own contributions plus actual earnings thereon. Vesting in the Company contribution portion of their accounts is based on years of service. A participant is 100% vested after five years of service. Forfeited Accounts - As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, forfeited nonvested accounts totaled approximately $162,000 and $250,000, respectively. In 2024, approximately $4,330,000 in forfeited accounts were used in accordance with the provisions specified in the Plan document. | Audit report, p. 49 ↗ |
| Automatic enrollment | Newly eligible, rehired, and transferred employees are automatically enrolled to defer into the Plan at a specific pre-tax deferral rate based on their work group unless they elect a different deferral rate or elect not to participate in the Plan. Automatic enrollment rates are 7% for COPS or RSSA; 9% for AMFA automatic enrollment notices issued before April 1, 2024 and 11% thereafter; and 3% for TWU. Employees of COPS or RSSA work groups who were automatically enrolled will have their deferral rate increase by 1% each year, up to a maximum of 10%, unless otherwise elected by the participant. | Audit report, p. 48 ↗ |
| Roth contributions | Employee Contributions - Participants may elect to defer up to 100% of eligible compensation as pretax, Roth, and/or traditional after-tax contributions. | Audit report, p. 48 ↗ |
| Loans | Notes Receivable From Participants - Participants may borrow from their accounts a minimum of $1,000 up to a maximum equal to the lesser of $50,000, 50% of their vested account balance, or the value of their employee contributions accounts. Loan terms range from one to five years or up to ten years for the purchase of a primary residence. | Audit report, p. 49 ↗ |
| Recordkeeper | Fidelity Investments Institutional | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Clark Nuber Ps (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
| Late participant contributions | Reported on the filing | Schedule H ↗ |
All rows are from the plan year 2024 filing; plan features from its audit report.
How the plan compares
Plan year 2024 medians for 53 defined-contribution plans in transportation and warehousing with 5,000 to 9,999 participants.
| Alaska Airlines: employer contribution per participant | $2,784 | |
| Peer median | $2,217 |
| Alaska Airlines: average balance | $107,040 | |
| Peer median | $65,929 |
| Alaska Airlines: admin expenses ÷ assets | 0.07% | |
| Peer median | 0.12% |
Admin expenses are the plan's reported administrative expenses divided by its assets; they do not include fund expense ratios.
Plan history
Plan assets went from $806M at the end of plan year 2023 to $929M at the end of plan year 2024.
| Plan year | Participants | Assets | Employer contributions | Per participant | Admin expense ratio | Match formula | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8,721 | $929M | $24.2M | $2,784 | 0.07% | Quoted in the audit report, p. 48 ↗ | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2023 | 10,901 | $806M | $24.4M | $2,250 | 0.11% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
Other Alaska Airlines plans (7)
Each plan files its own Form 5500. Figures are from each plan's latest filing.
Alaska Airlines, Inc. Flight Attendant 401(k) Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | Fidelity Investments Institutional | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Clark Nuber Ps (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
| Late participant contributions | Reported on the filing | Schedule H ↗ |
Alaska Airlines, Inc. Alaskasaver Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | Fidelity Investments Institutional | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Clark Nuber Ps (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
| Late participant contributions | Reported on the filing | Schedule H ↗ |
Alaska Airlines, Inc. Pilots Investment and Savings Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | Fidelity Investments Institutional | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Clark Nuber, P.S. (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
| Late participant contributions | Reported on the filing | Schedule H ↗ |
Alaska Airlines, Inc., Retirement Plan for Clerical Office & Psgr Service Employees
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Independent auditor | Clark Nuber, P.S. (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | Pension (defined benefit) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
Alaska Airlines, Inc., Retirement Plan for Mechanics & Related Crafts Employees
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Independent auditor | Clark Nuber, P.S. (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | Pension (defined benefit) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
Alaska Airlines, Inc., Fixed Income Retirement Plan for Pilots
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Independent auditor | Clark Nuber, P.S. (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | Pension (defined benefit) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
Alaska Airlines, Inc. Retirement Plan for Salaried Employees
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Independent auditor | Clark Nuber, P.S. (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | Pension (defined benefit) · Frozen | Form 5500 ↗ |
Common questions
Does Alaska Airlines match 401(k) contributions?
The audit report attached to the Alaska Airlines, Inc. Cops, Mrp & Dispatch 401(k) Plan's plan year 2024 Form 5500, page 48 says: “Employer Contributions - The Company contributes matching contributions per the terms of the applicable collective bargaining agreements and the Plan. The rate of matching contributions varies depending on whether an employee is participating in a certain Company-sponsored defined benefit plan, as described in the Plan document. For employees in the IAM workgroup, matching contributions equal 50% of either the first 7% or 9% of pre-tax and/or Roth contributions. For employees in the AMFA workgroup, matching contributions equal 50% of the first 11% (but prior to April 1, 2024, 9%) of pre-tax and/or Roth contributions. For employees in the TWU workgroup, matching contributions equal 100% of the first 3% or 50% of the first 7% of pre-tax and/or Roth contributions.” Plan terms may have changed; check your current Summary Plan Description.
When is the Alaska Airlines 401(k) match vested?
The audit report attached to the plan year 2024 Form 5500, page 49 says: “Vesting - Participants are vested immediately in their own contributions plus actual earnings thereon. Vesting in the Company contribution portion of their accounts is based on years of service. A participant is 100% vested after five years of service. Forfeited Accounts - As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, forfeited nonvested accounts totaled approximately $162,000 and $250,000, respectively. In 2024, approximately $4,330,000 in forfeited accounts were used in accordance with the provisions specified in the Plan document.”
Who manages the Alaska Airlines 401(k)?
The recordkeeper listed on Schedule C of the plan year 2024 filing is Fidelity Investments Institutional. The plan administrator is Alaska Airlines, Inc..
I left Alaska Airlines. How do I find my old 401(k)?
Your account stays in the plan until you move it. Contact the plan administrator (Alaska Airlines, Inc., (206) 392-5000) or the recordkeeper, Fidelity Investments Institutional. The Alaska Airlines old 401(k) page lists the contacts from every plan filing. Find an old Alaska Airlines 401(k)
Data from the public Form 5500 annual reports Alaska Airlines filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (plan years 2023 and 2024) and, where noted, the attached independent auditor's report. Plan terms may have changed since the filing; check your current Summary Plan Description. PlanFacts is not affiliated with Alaska Airlines. Not financial advice. Report a correction · Methodology