Alaska Airways has introduced a begin date for certainly one of its most anticipated new worldwide routes.
The Seattle-based service on Tuesday revealed that its new nonstop service from the Pacific Northwest to London will launch Might 21, 2026 — simply forward of Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial begin of the summer time journey season.
These new flights to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) will come simply weeks after Alaska Airways makes its debut on the continent with Rome service that is set to start in late April.
When to go: These are the perfect occasions to purchase a global flight
Heathrow flights had been set to go on sale straight away on Tuesday. That features Atmos Rewards redemptions for purchasers hoping to guide a flight to Europe for subsequent summer time on factors.
Alaska Airways’ worldwide push
Including London (and Rome, amongst different long-haul worldwide locations) is a significant shift for Alaska Airways.
The airline traditionally operated solely home and short-haul worldwide flights with its fleet of Boeing 737s and regional jets.
However after buying Hawaiian Airways in 2024, Alaska gained entry to a brand-new fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners that Hawaiian had ordered earlier than the merger.
Alaska will fly a type of new 787-9s that includes the brand new worldwide livery the service is about to unveil within the new yr on its London route.
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Associated: Alaska Airways plots international growth — with a little bit assist from Portland, San Diego and Atmos Rewards
The planes sport 34 lie-flat business-class suites with sliding privateness doorways — the identical swanky “laborious product” that Hawaiian debuted in early 2024.
Whereas Alaska Airways’ flights from Seattle to Rome will solely function through the hotter months, the service’s service to London will function all yr.
London is among the world’s prime enterprise journey markets and a significant hub for the Oneworld alliance, which Alaska Airways is a part of.
As a part of its new London service, Alaska teased an “anticipated deepening of their alliance” with fellow Oneworld members British Airways, which calls LHR house, and American Airways.
Particulars: Alaska Airways’ new London service
Here is how the itinerary will shake out for Alaska’s new London service to and from its Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) house base — once more, launching Might 21, 2026.
- SEA-LHR: Departs at 9:40 p.m. and arrives at 3:05 p.m. the subsequent day (all occasions native)
- LHR-SEA: Departs at 5 p.m. and arrives at 6:50 p.m. (all occasions native)
Reserving Alaska Airways flights with factors and miles
The easiest way to guide Alaska Airways flights with factors and miles is to make use of its Atmos Rewards program — the joint loyalty program it launched with Hawaiian Airways in August.
If you do not have a stash of Atmos Rewards factors in your account, word that this system is a 1:1 switch associate with Bilt Rewards.
Learn extra: Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Atmos Rewards Summit: Which card is finest for factors and perks for Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways?
Wanting forward
Alaska Airways plans to launch at the very least a dozen new long-haul worldwide routes from Seattle by 2030, the service has mentioned repeatedly.
That features Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea, flights that kicked off earlier this yr aboard Hawaiian Airways, although these flights shall be onboard Alaska-branded planes beginning in some unspecified time in the future subsequent yr.
Starlink Wi-Fi replace
Alaska additionally shared one bit of reports on Tuesday about its plan so as to add high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi to all its planes.
The Starlink service ought to begin showing on its Dreamliner fleet by subsequent fall, the service introduced.
As soon as dwell, Alaska plans to make its Starlink Wi-Fi service free to all Atmos Rewards members, matching connectivity already provided on most of Hawaiian’s long-haul planes.
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