Kauai/Kalalau Trail May 2013 - Alaska Airlines 848 Economy Class (LIH-SJC)

***This post is the conclusion to a full trip report. Click here for the index***

After a quick and easy rental car return at Thrifty, I caught the shuttle bus to the airport and was dropped off right in front of the Alaska Airlines check-in area. There was a small line, but the wait was manageable. I paid the $20 baggage fee to check my large backpack and then took it to the agriculture screening area. As I walked over to the security check, I noticed a long line that stretched down the entire length of the terminal as far as the eye could see.

I wasn't too worried since I had about two hours before departure. Still, I wasn't looking forward to a massive wait through security. Luckily, just as I reached the end of the line, an announcement over the loudspeakers indicated that Check Point 2 at the very end of the terminal would be open due to the long waits. I immediately walked over and got through the security check in less than ten minutes.

Kauai/Kalalau Trail May 2013 - Alaska Airlines 321/873 Economy Class (SJC-SEA-LIH)

***This post is part 2 of a full trip report. The index can be found here***

I've written extensively about Alaska Airlines on my previous trip report covering Fairbanks, so I will dispense with some of the minor details here. As I mentioned in the introduction, my direct flight from SJC-LIH was canceled a few months prior to departure. In fact, the daily non-stops have been trimmed down to four times weekly since the first of May. My itinerary was then rerouted through SEA, which added a couple of hours to the journey, but it wasn't a huge deal in the end.

Terminal B at SJC has become like a second home to me these past few months, and I still think it has a very cool and modern vibe to it. Unfortunately, I had an issue with checking in online, so I arrived at the airport before 5:15 am, hoping to get my large backpack checked in and print out my boarding pass. At $20 for the first checked bag, Alaska is still slightly cheaper than the other legacy carriers.

As luck would have it, a huge tour group literally swarmed the queue just as I was entering the terminal. What would have probably been a five minute wait turned into more than half an hour. Luckily, I got through with just enough time to spare and made my up to security, where it took no more than ten minutes to arrive airside. I walked over to Gate 27, and within a few minutes, boarding began.

Alaska Airlines 321
Boeing 737-800

San Jose (SJC) - Seattle (SEA)
Wednesday May 1, 2013
Departure: 6:30 AM (scheduled) / 6:21 AM (actual)

Arrival: 8:26 AM (scheduled) / 8:28 AM (actual)

Duration: 1h 56m (scheduled) / 2h 7m (actual)
Seat: 11D (Economy)

It was a light load on our short flight up to Seattle. There were plenty of open seats, and the spot next to me remained empty. Learning from my experience last time, I avoided row 15 because of the non-reclining seats. With a quick and efficient boarding process completed, we departed the gate almost ten minutes ahead of schedule.