Alaska Airlines, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Alaska Airlines, Inc. Cops, MRP & Dispatch 401(k) Plan
Seattle, WATransportation & Warehousing6,816 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,544Employer $ per active participant
$6,303Employee $ saved per active participant
0.07%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$928.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$107,040Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity36.5 / 5073th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost17.0 / 2568th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.1 / 1574th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score62 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Transportation & Warehousing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (123 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 73th |
| Lower admin cost | 68th |
| Employee saving | 74th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 46% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($1,540,693 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $9,235 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Alaska Airlines put in about $3,544 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,834). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $24,156,756 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $42,956,986 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,700,510 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $612,444 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $424,996 |
| Benefits paid out | $75,028,444 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $806.4M / $928.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 6,821 / 6,810 |
| Participants with account balances | 8,676 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Clark Nuber PS |
| Employer stock held by plan | $58,355,819 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $424,996 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $188,472 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009175607NAL0016217442001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 92-0009235, plan #013, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.