Alaska Airlines to Upgrade One Economy Passenger Each Day This Summer

Every day this summer between June 1 and September 2, Alaska Airlines will surprise one lucky passenger and their travel companion with a free upgrade to its Premium cabin.

The “upgrade unlocked” promotion will transport passengers from the Main cabin to Premium Class, where they can stretch out in four extra inches of legroom, enjoy complimentary beer, wine, and cocktails (provided they’re 21 and over and on flights over 350 miles), and take advantage of priority boarding.

Photo: Courtesy of Alaska Airlines

The custom-designed leather seats in Premium Class are usually open only to elite members of Alaska’s loyalty program Mileage Plan or travelers willing to pay to upgrade, for fees starting at $15 per flight.

Premium Class isn’t quite as luxurious as Alaska’s First Class, where travelers can access expedited check-in and security screening, check two bags free of charge, and use lounges operated by Alaska and its oneworld partners. But it’s definitely a cut above the main cabin.

“Upgrade unlocked is one way we’re showing guests our appreciation for choosing to fly with us to their favorite destinations this summer,” Eric Edge, managing director of marketing and advertising at Alaska Airlines, said.

“Whether it’s their first time or they’ve experienced Premium Class before – we can’t wait to hear from our guests who receive this surprise upgrade.”

Passengers will be notified if they’re the chosen traveler through the Alaska Airlines mobile app or by email. If they’re traveling with a partner, that person will also be upgraded to Premium Class.

Photo: Courtesy of Joe Nicholson-Alaska Airlines

Edge highlighted other premium products and services from Alaska Airlines, including “best-in-class lounges” and fresh West Coast food and beverages.

In a perk returning this summer for the first time in several years, Premium and Main Cabin travelers can pre-order hot meals to enjoy during their flight.

While First Class travelers receive complimentary meals on long flights, Premium and Main Cabin ticket holders have to purchase their meals. Since 2017, their menu has exclusively featured cold meals and snack boxes, a knock-on effect of Alaska Air acquiring Virgin America in 2016 and inheriting its 61 Airbuses, which didn’t have kitchens.

Alaska Airlines retired the last of those aircraft in early 2023, and as part of its fleet standardization, it’s installing ovens in the main galleys of all remaining aircraft. That means enhanced menus in the back of the plane, including at least one hot item.

Photo: Alaska Airlines, Boeing 737 MAX 9. Courtesy of Boeing

Breakfast menu items include a carnitas breakfast bowl featuring slow-roasted pulled pork and salsa verde accompanied by breakfast potatoes and scrambled eggs and a Monte Cristo breakfast sandwich, stacking smoked turkey breast, sliced ham, Swiss cheese, cream cheese, and raspberry jam on a square croissant bun.

For lunch and dinner, some travelers will have the option of a dish of Panang curry chicken, a red coconut curry served with grilled chicken breast, pretzel roll sliders, layering Angus beef patties, caramelized onions, and Swiss cheese.

Prices range from $8 to $11.50 for these dishes, which must be pre-ordered between two weeks and 20 hours before your flight departs.

Meanwhile, Alaska is readying itself for a busy summer as it awaits government clearance of its proposed $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines and shuttles vacationers to holiday destinations. For the summer, Alaska has upped frequencies on many of its flights within the Pacific Northwest and expanded its seasonal service from Anchorage (ANC) to destinations such as Chicago (ORD), Denver (DEN), New York (JFK), and Salt Lake City (SLC).