Alaska Airlines is Going Global: New Flights to Japan and South Korea

Alaska Airlines is going global. The airline announced it plans to use its access to newly-acquired Hawaiian Airlines’ widebody jets and transpacific routes to transform Seattle (SEA) into an international hub and boost profits by $1 billion through 2027.

Alaska’s fleet was previously limited to narrowbody jets, flown exclusively within North and Central America. With its $1.9 billion purchase of Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska now has 24 widebody Airbus A330-200s and two Boeing 787 Dreamliners in its hangars, with ten more on order.

Photo: Sea-Tac Airport. Courtesy of The Port of Seattle.

Alaska hopes to use these twin-aisle jets to operate 12 transcontinental routes from Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) by 2030, transforming the airport into a “global gateway.”

First Routes: Tokyo and Seoul

The first two routes will launch in 2025: a daily flight to Tokyo Narita (NRT), debuting in May, and a link to Seoul Incheon (ICN), starting as early as October 2025.

These routes are not surprising, as Hawaiian Airlines already operates at these airports from its hub in Honolulu. Consequently, obtaining permits and finalizing operational contracts at both locations should be straightforward, allowing for a smooth launch of the new flights.

Photo: Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines

Tickets for the flights to Tokyo will go on sale on December 10, while seats on the Seoul flights can be booked from early next year.

“From our global gateway in Seattle, we can conveniently connect travelers from across our network as they head to Asia and beyond,” Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said in a statement. “Hawaiian’s spacious widebody aircraft, along with its excellent onboard service and amenities, will make for a terrific trip from one side of the Pacific Rim to the other.”

The Seattle-Narita route will redeploy aircraft currently operating the daily route Hawaiian Airlines operates between its hub in Honolulu (HNL) and the Japanese airport.

Photo: Airbus A330 Premium Cabin. Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines

Alaska Airlines has observed a decline in leisure travel in the Hawaii-Japan market since the pandemic. To address this, the airline will shift some aircraft to Seattle, allowing it to optimize capacity between the two Pacific archipelagos. This means that Alaska Airlines will operate flights with smaller planes while offering more frequent service.

As a result, Alaska said Hawaiian will now fly 14 times weekly from Honolulu to Tokyo’s other major airport, Haneda (HND), up from 12 times. With existing flights from Honolulu to Osaka (KIX) and Fukuoka (FUK), Hawaiian will operate 24 roundtrip flights between Hawaii and Japan weekly.

Airbus is here to stay

To expand its network coverage, Alaska Airlines has decided to retain Hawaiian’s Airbus A321neo fleet and increase its daily utilization time by approximately 25 percent.

Minicucci discussed this topic on the industry-leading podcast, The Air Show, stating that improved utilization will allow the airline to “create seven airplanes’ worth of utilization in 2025.”

Photo: Courtesy of Christian Brinkmann / Airbus

He elaborated, “When we connect both airlines’ networks and enhance their connectivity, utilization increases significantly. This will enable us to generate revenues equivalent to seven airplanes with low incremental costs.”

Additionally, the enhanced operations of existing aircraft will help Alaska Airlines offset delays in delivering Boeing 787 Dreamliners, provide crews with more flying hours, and create more union jobs, according to the carrier.

Regarding the Airbus A330 fleet, Minicucci confirmed that the planes are here to stay, stating, “The A330 will have a place in our fleet moving forward.”

Photo: Airbus A321neo, First Class. Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines

He hinted that these aircraft could be used on high-demand routes, such as Seattle to Anchorage, where the airline operates over 20 flights daily. This strategy would allow them to redeploy some of the 737s to other routes that require additional capacity. “The A330 is exciting for me,” he said.

West Coast – Hawaii Growth

Connections between the West Coast and Hawaii are also increasing, according to the airline. Three of the six daily departures from Seattle to Honolulu will now use widebody aircraft, which will increase seat capacity by 20 percent.

Photo: Courtesy of Oneworld

Capacity between Portland (PDX) and Honolulu will also be increased. Currently, Alaska and Hawaiian each operate a daily flight between the Oregon city and the Hawaiian capital, both departing in the morning. Another flight will be added, and departure times will be staggered, making 25 percent more seats available and adding flexibility for passengers.

Adjusted schedules will also make it easier for travelers from the East Coast and Midwest to connect via the West Coast to Hawaii. New flight times will take effect in late March, with the carrier’s spring schedule launch.

Strong Premium Cabin

To further drum up revenue, Alaska will offer more premium seat options after seeing increased demand for its first class and premium economy seats soar. Twenty-nine percent of the seats on its Boeing narrowbody jets will be premium, with plans to expand the premium cabins on its Airbus A330s underway.

Photo: Airbus A330 Premium Cabin. Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines

“We have a really good base main cabin product … but more people are wanting the opportunity to get into premium economy or first class and we need to serve that demand,” Chief Financial Officer Shane Tackett told CNBC.

He said that first and premium economy cabins are increasingly being filled with paying customers rather than Mileage Plan loyalists using upgrades. He added that most of the airline’s growth in revenue over the last two or three years has come from premium products.

Photo: Alaska Airlines reopening of D Lounge in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Courtesy of Ingrid Barrentine / Alaska Airlines

Further catering to premium travelers, Alaska will open a “flagship international lounge” at its home base in Seattle and a new lounge at San Diego International Airport (SAN).

A new “premium” co-branded credit card is in the works with Bank of America. Details are scant, but the card will presumably come with more perks and higher fees than the existing Alaska Airlines Visa and business credit cards.

Together Yet Apart

Minicucci confirmed at The Air Show that Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will remain separate brands under the company’s umbrella. He noted that the Hawaiian brand will be used for all routes to and from Hawaii, while mainland domestic and international flights will be operated under the Alaska Airlines brand.

Photo: Courtesy of Alaska Airlines

It is still unclear whether the airline will paint its upcoming Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in Alaska Airlines colors. However, competition in Seattle against Delta Air Lines will certainly be intense in the coming years.

Article written in collaboration with Enrique Perrella