Alaska Airlines is now selling tickets for new nonstop flights between Seattle and London Heathrow on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft

Rhea-AI Summary

Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK) is selling tickets for new nonstop daily, year-round Seattle–London Heathrow flights on Boeing 787-9 starting May 21, 2026. Fares begin at $699 roundtrip for U.S.-originating travel. The widebody service features 34 enclosed lie-flat Business Class suites, Premium and Main Cabin dining, Alaska Lounge access in Seattle, and oneworld connections at Heathrow Terminal 3. Atmos Rewards members earn 1 point and 1 status point per mile; Atmos Titanium will receive complimentary day-of-departure lie-flat upgrades in spring 2026. Ultra-fast Wi-Fi via Starlink arrives in fall 2026, free for Atmos members.

Positive

• Service start May 21, 2026: daily, year-round Seattle–LHR
• Lowest fares advertised at $699 roundtrip for U.S. origin
• 34 enclosed lie-flat Business Class suites on 787-9
• Ultra-fast Wi-Fi via Starlink fall 2026, free for Atmos members
• Atmos Summit Visa offers 25,000-point Global Companion Award

Negative

• International service subject to government approval
• Fleet constraint: four Boeing 787-9s currently in fleet

Key Figures

Intro London fare $699 roundtrip Seattle–London Heathrow launch pricing

Loyalty earn rate 1 point and 1 status point per mile Intercontinental Atmos Rewards accrual

Card foreign spend earn 3 points per $1 Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite foreign purchases

Airline spend earn 3 points per $1 Eligible Alaska and Hawaiian purchases on Atmos card

Status earn on spend 1 status point per $2 Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card

Global Companion Award 25,000 points Companion award benefit after qualifying spend and annually

Intercontinental destinations 5 destinations Europe and Asia from Seattle bookable after London launch

Current 787-9 fleet 4 aircraft (5th delivered) Boeing 787-9 fleet size noted in expansion plans

Market Reality Check

$49.19 Last Close

Volume Volume 3,759,918 vs. 20-day average 3,658,664 (relative volume 1.03) shows only slightly elevated trading ahead of this route announcement. normal

Technical Shares at $49.19 are trading below the 200-day moving average of $51.20 and about 37% under the 52-week high of $78.08.

Peers on Argus

ALK was down 0.93% while key peers were mixed: AAL up 0.37%, JBLU up 2.48%, and CPA, SKYW, LUV modestly negative. The lack of a uniform move suggests this London expansion news was more stock-specific than sector-driven.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 02	Holiday operations update	Positive	+0.3%	Strong Thanksgiving reliability metrics and promotional fare activity across networks.
Nov 24	Conference participation	Positive	+2.5%	Goldman Sachs conference webcast highlighting strategy, hubs and upcoming Europe service.
Nov 18	Lounge expansion	Positive	-0.1%	Announcement of a large new San Diego lounge to support network growth.
Nov 13	New Rome route	Positive	-2.5%	Opening ticket sales for Seattle–Rome on 787-9 Dreamliners with premium cabins.
Nov 12	Management changes	Neutral	+3.3%	Executive appointments and promotions across operations and maintenance functions.

Pattern Detected

Recent positive network and product announcements have produced mixed price reactions, with some route and lounge expansions seeing short-term weakness despite constructive narratives.

Recent Company History

Over the past month, ALK has highlighted operational reliability over Thanksgiving, upcoming Europe service, and participation in a major Goldman Sachs conference. It announced a large new lounge in San Diego and opened 787-9 ticket sales for Seattle–Rome, alongside leadership changes to support operations. Today’s Seattle–London announcement fits this strategy of building a global hub in Seattle and expanding premium long-haul offerings on the Dreamliner fleet.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement adds London Heathrow as a key intercontinental route from Seattle, reinforcing Alaska’s goal of expanding long-haul connectivity on its 787-9 fleet. It builds on recent Rome and Reykjavik launches and a broader push to enhance premium cabins and Atmos Rewards economics. Investors may watch how demand, corporate travel from Seattle, and 2026 execution on new routes interact with the company’s recent earnings and operational updates.

Key Terms

lie-flat seats technical

"including lie-flat seats, enclosed suites and multi-course dining in Business Class"

Lie-flat seats are airline cabin seats that recline fully into a flat, bed-like surface for sleeping, typically offered in premium classes. For investors, they matter because they let airlines charge higher fares, attract long-haul business passengers, and influence how many premium seats fit on an aircraft—affecting revenue per flight, operating economics, and competitive positioning much like upgrading a hotel room to a suite increases what a property can earn.

787 dreamliner technical

"on board our widebody, long-haul 787 Dreamliner aircraft – reimagined for a global travel"

A 787 Dreamliner is a modern, long-range, fuel-efficient wide-body passenger jet designed for medium to long-haul airline routes. Investors care because the aircraft changes airlines’ operating costs, route choices and passenger capacity much like a new car model that gets far better mileage and seats more people; its sales, delivery schedules and technical performance affect manufacturers, suppliers, airline profitability and related stock prices.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

• We'll offer daily, year-round service to London on our long-haul, twin-aisle 787-9 aircraft starting May 21, 2026
• We recently began selling tickets for our new nonstop flights between Seattle and Rome
• Guests will enjoy a new onboard global experience, including lie-flat seats, enclosed suites and multi-course dining in Business Class

SEATTLE, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning today, Alaska Airlines is selling tickets to our fifth intercontinental destination from our growing global gateway in Seattle: Hello, London! We'll offer daily, year-round service between Seattle and London Heathrow* starting on May 21, 2026, on board our widebody, long-haul 787 Dreamliner aircraft – reimagined for a global travel experience.

Guests traveling from the U.S. can now purchase airfares to London for as low as $699 roundtrip at alaskaair.com, just in time for planning summertime travel in Europe. We recently announced that our new service from Seattle to Rome is now available for booking, along with new nonstop flights to Reykjavik, Iceland.  

Atmos™ Rewards, our award-winning loyalty program, is designed to deliver more choice, more rewards and more global access than ever before to our members. Intercontinental flights earn big points: 1 point and 1 status point for each mile flown. (Points can be redeemed for flights, hotels and more, and status points track progress toward status levels and milestones.) Later in 2026, members can choose how they earn based on distance traveled, price paid or segments flown – whichever works best for them.

Plus, Atmos Titanium status holders will receive complimentary lie-flat upgrades on our intercontinental routes on the day of departure, beginning in spring 2026, subject to availability. We're the only airline loyalty program to offer this upgrade type without requiring a certificate or points.

Our new Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® card is designed for the global traveler. Cardholders earn 3 points for every $1 spent on all eligible foreign purchases, and that's in addition to earning 3 points for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases. Plus, earn 1 status point for every $2 spent on eligible purchases, making the card the fastest path to earning status. A key benefit: A 25,000-point Global Companion Award that's earned after qualifying purchases on a new account and annually after each card anniversary – cardholders can redeem it for up to 25,000 points off a companion award ticket.

Flight times for our Seattle-London route will allow guests to spend a whole day in either city before boarding their flights – a potential benefit for business travelers. London is the largest corporate market from Seattle. Alaska will operate out of London Heathrow's Terminal 3, which facilitates convenient connections to additional destinations across Europe and beyond on oneworld member airlines and our additional global partners.

New nonstop service to the United Kingdom

City Pair	Start Date	End Date	Departure	Arrival
Seattle – London Heathrow	May 21, 2026	Year-round	9:40 p.m.	3:05 p.m. +1
London Heathrow – Seattle	May 22, 2026	Year-round	5:00 p.m.	6:50 p.m.

All times local 

Alaska's expansion into the London market presents significant opportunities. Facilitated by American Airlines and British Airways and based on an anticipated deepening of their alliance with Alaska, this expansion will offer even greater value and connectivity to consumers.

Our new international flights can take you to the heart of all the action – infused with the award-winning service, comfort and care that you expect from us as we connect the Pacific Northwest and Europe. Alaska is introducing a new curb-to-cabin experience on our widebody aircraft that will set the bar for international journeys from the U.S.

Business Class amenities

• Ultimate comfort with 34 enclosed suites outfitted with fully lie-flat seats in 1-2-1 seating configuration, privacy doors, direct aisle access from every seat, 18" HD monitors to enjoy inflight entertainment with noise-reducing headsets, a power outlet at each seat and wireless charging.
• Enjoy Alaska Lounge access in Seattle to kick off your journey in style with West Coast-inspired light meals, wines, brews and cocktails in a relaxing space. Guests departing from London Heathrow Terminal 3 will have access to oneworld lounges.
• Multi-course, elevated dining on board with a variety of selections to choose from that can be pre-ordered, along with fine wines and inspired cocktails.
• We're creating a culinary journey by bringing the best of the West Coast to the world with our Chef's (tray) Table program, and partnerships with Salt and Straw, Straightaway Cocktails and Stumptown Coffee, to name a few.
• Enhanced comfort and care with Filson bedding and blankets, and amenity kits with products from Salt & Stone – collaborations with our West Coast partners.

Premium Class and Main Cabin amenities

• Premium Class seating that offers more legroom, priority boarding and personal power outlets.
• Two chef-inspired meals served in Premium Class and the Main Cabin during the flight, along with complimentary beer and wine (complimentary spirits are also offered in Premium Class).
• An extra layer of comfort with Filson blankets and comfort kits with Salt & Stone products.
• Free onboard entertainment provided with seatback monitors showcasing new release movies and classic films, as well as dozens of TV shows.

Alaska is set to bring ultra-fast Wi-Fi to our 787-9 aircraft in fall 2026, thanks to T-Mobile and powered by Starlink. The service will be free for Atmos Rewards members.

With London flights now available for booking at alaskaair.com, guests can purchase Alaska-operated flights to five intercontinental destinations in Europe and Asia from our expanding global gateway in Seattle:

• London Heathrow, United Kingdom: Daily, year-round flights beginning May 21, 2026
• Rome, Italy: Daily, summer seasonal flights beginning April 28, 2026
• Reykjavik, Iceland: Daily, summer seasonal flights beginning May 28, 2026
• Tokyo Narita, Japan: Daily, year-round flights that are now flying
• Seoul Incheon, South Korea: 5x weekly, year-round flights that are now flying

By 2030, we plan to serve at least 12 intercontinental destinations from Seattle, with additional routes to be announced in the years to come. We currently have four Boeing 787-9s in our fleet, with a fifth aircraft recently delivered.

*Subject to government approval. Sales available for U.S.-originating fares in U.S. dollars only.

The Atmos Rewards credit card program is issued and administered by Bank of America, N.A. Visa and Visa Infinite are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association and are used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.

About Alaska Air Group
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. We'll serve Europe beginning in spring 2026. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance, with Hawaiian scheduled to join oneworld in spring 2026. With oneworld and our additional global partners, guests can earn and redeem points for travel to over 1,000 worldwide destinations with Atmos Rewards. Learn more about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian at news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK."

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SOURCE Alaska Airlines

FAQ

When does Alaska Airlines (ALK) start daily nonstop Seattle to London flights?

Service begins May 21, 2026 with daily, year-round flights between Seattle and London Heathrow.

How much do Seattle–London (ALK) nonstop tickets start at?

Alaska is selling U.S.-originating fares from $699 roundtrip at alaskaair.com.

What Business Class seats and amenities will Alaska offer on its ALK 787-9 London flights?

The 787-9 features 34 enclosed lie-flat suites in 1-2-1 layout, 18" HD monitors, privacy doors, and multi-course dining.

Will Atmos Rewards members get extra perks on Alaska's new London flights (ALK)?

Yes—intercontinental flights earn 1 point and 1 status point per mile; Atmos Titanium gets complimentary day-of-departure lie-flat upgrades in spring 2026.

When will Alaska (ALK) offer onboard high-speed Wi-Fi on 787-9 aircraft?

Ultra-fast Wi-Fi powered by Starlink is scheduled for installation in fall 2026 and will be free for Atmos members.

What terminal will Alaska (ALK) use at London Heathrow and how does it affect connections?

Alaska will operate from Heathrow Terminal 3, supporting convenient connections with oneworld partners including American Airlines and British Airways.