Excess time in ANC after tour/before flight

Hello everyone! I just booked my outbound flight after my cruise. I am planning on taking the Kenai Fjords cruise on debarkation day and then the 6p train from Seward to Anchorage and my understanding is that it gets to the airport about 10p.

My flight is at 5a the following morning. It really doesn't seem worth it to get a hotel room for less than 5 hours, since I'll need to be at the airport around 3a anyway.

Are there things open at the airport before security during these hours? Are there ample sitting/lounging areas?

That 6pm train from Seward does not go to the airport. It will take you to the Alaska Railroad Depot in downtown Anchorage which is about 20 minutes by cab from the airport.

As Chenega said, you'll arrive in Anchorage at the depot downtown. You'll have to take a taxi to the airport. There should be taxis waiting at the rail depot.

The Anchorage Airport is active around the clock. Who are you flying on? The seasonal airlines that just have few flights a day only have their ticket counters open a few hours before the flight. So you might have to wait to check in. But either way, you'll find plenty of places to sit and wait.

If you can check in and get through security, you'll find shops and dining on the other side. Upstairs you'll find a great display of Alaska Native artwork.

This link shows passenger services at the airport and whether the services are inside or outside the screening area.

http://dot.alaska.gov/anc/travelerInfo/passengerSrvcs.shtml

There is a dandy area with nice large chairs on the 3rd level Mezzanine along with a Native art collection.

http://dot.alaska.gov/anc/travelerInfo/SouthTerminal_Summer2013pdf.pdf

Good to know about the train - I must have misread. And thanks for the tip about the native artwork display and waiting area.

I booked through AA but my first flight out of ANC is operated by Alaska.

Alaska Air's check in counter will be open at that time. Some airlines won't let you check luggage until 4 hours before departure. You can check Alaska's policy on their website. The mezzanine mentioned above is after TSA security, so you can't access it until after you check in and drop your luggage.

ETA: Just checked and Alaska's policy is checked bags are accepted up to 4 hours before the flight departure time. So you will have a couple of hours to hang around the landside portion of the airport. Not a lot to do there, though there are some nice stuffed animals in glass cases and a couple of restaurants.

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/checked-bags.aspx

Alaska Air's check in counter will be open at that time. Some airlines won't let you check luggage until 4 hours before departure. You can check Alaska's policy on their website. The mezzanine mentioned above is after TSA security, so you can't access it until after you check in and drop your luggage.

 

ETA: Just checked and Alaska's policy is checked bags are accepted up to 4 hours before the flight departure time. So you will have a couple of hours to hang around the landside portion of the airport. Not a lot to do there, though there are some nice stuffed animals in glass cases and a couple of restaurants.

 

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/checked-bags.aspx

Good to know, thanks! So if the train gets back around 10:15 (according to the website) and it's about a 20 minute taxi to the airport, taking it slow, I can get there about 11 and have 2 hours until I can check my bags at 1. I better get a really good night's sleep the night before!

I just googled the train station and there are a few late night pubs/restaurants open until 2:30, so that could be an option of killing time too, as long as they don't mind the bags. Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse and McGinley's Pub.

I just googled the train station and there are a few late night pubs/restaurants open until 2:30, so that could be an option of killing time too, as long as they don't mind the bags. Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse and McGinley's Pub.

If you're arriving on the weekend those places may be packed with people at midnight making it difficult to navigate the bar with baggage. If you're looking to camp out for a couple hours, Denny's, Shari's or Leroy's might be a better option.

If you're arriving on the weekend those places may be packed with people at midnight making it difficult to navigate the bar with baggage. If you're looking to camp out for a couple hours, Denny's, Shari's or Leroy's might be a better option.

Good to know, thanks! Definitely don't want to be in people's way with luggage but I'm also definitely not a Denny's person.