Alaska Airlines Unveils Plans for New International Experience

Fresh off last year’s acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines is set to announce a “beautiful new international experience,” likely featuring the Boeing 787 Dreamliners that Hawaiian ordered before the merger. This exciting development comes just as the two carriers announce their inaugural long-haul flight to Asia from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

CEO Ben Minicucci highlighted that this new Dreamliner experience will serve as a cornerstone for Alaska’s future international expansion, including flights to Europe planned to begin next year. “What you’ll see is all the flights — international flights — out of Seattle on 787s… operated by Alaska,” he stated, adding it will be a “fantastic new international look.”

This initiative will mark Alaska’s first significant entry into wide-body service, enhancing their offerings as Hawaiian continues its operations, including the new Seattle to Tokyo route. The acquisition provided Alaska access to Hawaiian’s larger twin-aisle jets, a key factor in the deal.

While the new Dreamliner product is still a year or two away, contingent on labor deal completions, Alaska also plans a facelift for Hawaiian’s older Airbus A330 jets, making necessary updates for long-haul routes.

In addition, Alaska is preparing to launch a joint loyalty program in August that will cater to both Alaska and Hawaiian passengers. Minicucci assured, “We’re not going to take anything away,” while teasing new features for the program.

As Alaska Airlines moves forward, the travel industry eagerly anticipates these developments that promise to enhance passenger experiences significantly.