The announcement comes as the carrier works to add a total of 12 new non-stop international routes.
An Alaska A330-200 in Seattle (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
Alaska Airlines plans to add a non-stop flight connecting Seattle and Europe, according to its CEO.
Ben Minicucci, who took the top job at Alaska in 2021, told The Seattle Times the route will be operating by 2026, though he did not say where in Europe the carrier will be flying to and from.
Neither Alaska nor its sister airline, Hawaiian, which is also owned by Alaska Air Group, have a presence in Europe, but Minicucci said the calculated risk is necessary for the company to stay competitive and expand its global network.
“I want to give our people the ability not to be afraid,” he told the Times. “I want you to be bold, aggressive, try things. Because nobody ever does great things if you’re always safe. Sometimes you have to put yourself out there and take a little bit of a chance, and feel a little bit that nervousness in your stomach and say ‘Wow, is this going to work?’”
Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning, told the newspaper that Alaska made a similar gamble by starting non-stop service to Belize in 2021. The data didn’t necessarily support the decision, she said, but the company knew its customers liked adventurous destinations and a non-stop flight to nearby Costa Rica was performing well. That bet paid off, and the number of people flying from Seattle to Belize has tripled.
Alaska is working to add a total of 12 non-stop flights from Seattle to international destinations by 2030. Two have been announced so far: a flight between Seattle and Tokyo, which launched on Monday, and a flight between Seattle and Seoul, which will start Sept. 12.
The Seattle-Tokyo flight is being operated by Hawaiian using Airbus A330s, which were part of Hawaiian’s fleet before its acquisition by Alaska between 2023 and 2024. Hawaiian already operates flights to both cities from its base in Honolulu.
Alaska said demand from customers for the Seattle-Tokyo service has been strong since it was announced late last year.
Tokyo is the second-largest intercontinental market in Seattle for both business and leisure, the company said, and in 2024 about 400 passengers traveled between Seattle and Tokyo in each direction every day, not including connecting flights.
Alaska envisions building its 12 new global routes around its growing fleet of Boeing 787-9s. The airline became an “all Boeing” carrier in 2023, but that description could soon be challenged by the integration of Hawaiian’s Airbus fleet.
A Hawaiian Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)
Alaska said it plans to keep Hawaiian’s A330s, refurbish them, and use them mainly for flights traveling to and from Hawaii.
Minicucci has said that while Hawaiian will operate under Alaska, he reiterated that the two carriers will maintain their separate identities.
“That brand is just too special,” he told the Times. “It has a lot of equity and value, especially in the state of Hawaii. I am convicted and resolute that brand is there forever.”
Receive a daily dose of the airline industry's top stories along with market insights right in your inbox.
Delta and United have suspended their flights to Israel, citing ongoing security concerns in the region. Delta confirmed that its…
United on Saturday launched a nonstop seasonal route connecting the U.S. and Greenland for the first time in almost 20…
Spirit plans to end a batch of routes later this year. The ultra-low-cost airline has been shifting its network after…
Leave a Reply