Alaska Airlines launches new era of widebody international flying in Seattle with daily nonstop service to Tokyo Narita operated by Hawaiian Airlines

Rhea-AI Summary

Alaska Airlines (ALK) has launched daily nonstop service between Seattle and Tokyo Narita, operated by Hawaiian Airlines' widebody aircraft, marking a significant expansion of its international operations. The service represents the beginning of Alaska's ambitious plan to serve at least 12 international destinations with widebody aircraft from Seattle by 2030.

The Seattle-Tokyo route, operated with Hawaiian's A330 aircraft, offers three service classes: Business Class, Extra Comfort, and Main Cabin. The service includes complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi, extensive entertainment options, and premium dining. A second international route to Seoul Incheon will begin on September 12, 2025.

This expansion leverages Seattle's strategic location as the closest U.S. mainland connection to Tokyo, being 7% closer than San Francisco and 13% closer than Los Angeles. The route has shown strong demand, with ticket sales from over 80 U.S. cities and approximately 400 daily passengers in each direction.

Positive

• Expansion to 12 international destinations from Seattle by 2030, including European routes
• Strong demand demonstrated with ticket sales from 80+ U.S. cities
• Strategic advantage of Seattle's location as closest U.S. mainland connection to Tokyo
• Integration of Hawaiian Airlines' established Tokyo market presence (15 years experience)
• Free high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi on all Japan flights

Negative

• Initial operations dependent on Hawaiian Airlines' aircraft and service style
• A330 fleet requires upcoming refresh for premium experience
• Complete long-haul experience still under development by Alaska

Insights

Aviation Industry Analyst

Alaska's international expansion with Hawaiian Airlines' widebody aircraft marks strategic shift to transform Seattle into a global hub by 2030.

Alaska Airlines' inaugural Seattle-Tokyo flight represents a strategic pivot into long-haul international markets following its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. This expansion leverages Seattle's geographical advantage as the closest continental U.S. gateway to Tokyo—7% closer than San Francisco and 13% closer than Los Angeles—creating significant operational efficiencies.

The company's ambition to serve at least 12 international destinations with widebody aircraft from Seattle by 2030 marks a fundamental shift in Alaska's business model from a primarily domestic carrier to a global competitor. These aren't tentative steps but a comprehensive strategy to transform Seattle-Tacoma into the West Coast's premier international gateway, building upon its existing position as the largest airline hub on the West Coast serving 104 North American destinations.

Early booking data reveals promising demand patterns—half of U.S.-originating tickets to Tokyo come from over 80 cities outside Seattle, demonstrating effective utilization of Alaska's extensive domestic network to feed these new long-haul routes. This validates the hub-and-spoke synergy the merger aimed to create.

The strategic focus on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners for future international expansion while maintaining the A330 fleet for Hawaiian operations shows thoughtful fleet planning. Initial service on Hawaiian's A330s allows immediate market entry while the carrier develops its comprehensive long-haul product for 2026 deployment. The company is navigating the complex integration challenges of merging two distinct premium service cultures while maintaining their respective brand identities—a crucial balance for successful airline consolidation.

This expansion positions Alaska to compete more directly with Delta, which has built a significant international presence in Seattle over the past decade. By targeting Tokyo, Seoul, and eventually European destinations, Alaska is entering markets with established premium demand and strong business travel components—a necessary evolution beyond its traditional strength in leisure and regional markets.

• We're transforming Alaska's hometown airport into the West Coast's premier global gateway
• We're planning for at least 12 international destinations with long-haul aircraft from Seattle by 2030
• Nonstop transpacific flights between Seattle and Seoul Incheon begin in September

SEATTLE, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines celebrates a new global connection between the Pacific Northwest and Japan with an inaugural flight today between our hometown hub in Seattle and Tokyo Narita, operated by Hawaiian Airlines' long-haul aircraft. The new service marks the start of daily nonstops between the two dynamic cities and the beginning of a new era of widebody international flying for Alaska.

With the combination of Alaska and Hawaiian, we're transforming Seattle into the West Coast's new premier global gateway. Our hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is already the largest airline hub on the West Coast, serving 104 nonstop destinations across North America. Seattle is the closest connection point between the continental U.S. and Tokyo – 7% closer than San Francisco and 13% closer than Los Angeles.

"Our growing fleet of widebody aircraft, which includes the flagship 787 Dreamliner, unleashes a world of possibilities of where we can fly to from Seattle," said Ben Minicucci, CEO at Alaska Air Group. "Looking ahead, we'll have exciting additional milestones as we share the new international routes we'll be launching in the coming years, including destinations in Europe, as part of our plans to serve at least 12 international destinations with widebody aircraft from Seattle by 2030."

Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon are our first two long-haul flights from Seattle of the 12 we're looking to add. We've seen strong interest in our nonstop flights to Tokyo, with half of the tickets we've sold in the U.S. for flights to Narita originating from more than 80 cities outside of Seattle. Flights between Seattle and Seoul begin on Sept. 12.  

"Hawaiian has been serving the Tokyo market for nearly 15 years. We're thrilled to open this new global gateway with Alaska, giving more Pacific Northwest travelers and beyond the opportunity to experience the award-winning hospitality that Hawaiian is known for," said Joe Sprague, CEO at Hawaiian Airlines.

Tokyo is the second-largest intercontinental market in Seattle for both business and leisure. Seoul is third; London is first. In 2024, about 400 passengers traveled between Seattle and Tokyo in each direction every day, and that's not including connecting flights – an indication of the popularity of the route. From across our robust network, guests can travel to Tokyo Narita and Seoul with one stop in Seattle.

"This is a monumental step for our hometown carrier, Alaska Airlines, and a reflection of the commitment of this entire region to international travel and trade," said Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins. "SEA's position as a global hub is a boon to the Pacific Northwest and provides more choices and opportunities for business and leisure travelers."

The future of our international service from Seattle will be with our growing fleet of Boeing 787-9 aircraft as we lean into the strong presence of the Alaska brand in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. Onboard service will initially mirror the Hawaiian hospitality that Hawaiian Airlines guests know and love, while Alaska develops a comprehensive, long-haul experience that will be deployed from Seattle in the future. The Airbus A330 fleet, based in Honolulu, remains a proud part of the Hawaiian Airlines brand as we invest in that aircraft's future for flying to and from Hawai'i. We'll refresh the A330s in the coming years to provide a premium, modern global experience. This includes investments in seating, cabin interiors and onboard products and amenities. We'll share details in 2026.

Initial flights between Seattle and Tokyo Narita will be on the A330s operated by Hawaiian:

• Guests can choose from three classes of service: Business Class with full-flat seating, Extra Comfort and Main Cabin.
• Business Class offers pre-departure beverages and a choice from three elevated meal options with Japanese and Hawaiian influences and a vegetarian selection, along with two dessert options. There's also a mid-flight snack and another hot meal before arrival.
• Main Cabin guests can choose from two complimentary hot entrees, with ice cream offered as a dessert option along with mid-flight snacks and a second hot meal pre-arrival.
• Our A330 aircraft offer the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky – for free – on all flights to and from Japan. Guests can easily connect to Starlink's high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi and experience internet at speeds suitable for working, streaming video and gaming. Plus, every seat in Business and Extra Comfort is equipped with power outlets.
• Guests in all classes of service receive an amenity kit in partnership with the Hawai'i lifestyle brand Noho Home. In Business Class, guests will enjoy full bedding in their full-flat seats with a mattress pad, duvet, pillows and even slippers. With sustainability in mind, they also choose which amenity items they'd like.
• Staying entertained on board is not a problem. Guests can choose from nearly 200 new releases and classic movies, and more than 500 TV shows. The Hana Hou! TV and Hawaiian Skies categories within our entertainment system also include a curated selection of Hawaii-focused local shows and short films.

We're also celebrating our new Seattle-Tokyo Narita service in the Alaska Lounge at the N Concourse in Seattle with a specially curated signature cocktail called the Narita Banana. It's in partnership with Westland Whiskey, based in Seattle, and the popular bar Tokyo Confidential in the Japanese capital.

Mileage Plan members achieve elite status more quickly than they would on any other airline. When booking flights directly at alaskaair.com, members earn at least 100% of the miles for the distance they fly (Saver and basic fares earn 30%). Those miles are also counted as valuable elite-qualifying miles (EQMs) – the building blocks toward earning elite status. On long-haul flights, miles add up fast, and so do EQMs. Plus, members can choose from a selection of perks when they hit various EQM milestones between elite status levels.

Mileage Plan members can also earn EQMs on their mileage redemption travel with us or our airline partners based on the distance of the flights. For example: If a member redeems a roundtrip award ticket in the main cabin between Seattle and Tokyo Narita, which covers a total distance of 9,538 miles, that translates to 9,538 earned EQMs – a sizable leap toward attaining elite status or the next milestone in our loyalty program.

HawaiianMiles members can link their HawaiianMiles and Mileage Plan accounts together to have their status matched, allowing them to enjoy elite benefits when traveling on either airline.

About Alaska Air Group
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, with McGee Air Services a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. 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. Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance with Hawaiian scheduled to join in 2026. With oneworld and our additional global partners, guests can earn and redeem miles for travel to over 1,000 worldwide destinations. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Learn more about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian. 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 its Seattle to Tokyo Narita flights?

Alaska Airlines launched its daily nonstop service between Seattle and Tokyo Narita on May 12, 2025, operated by Hawaiian Airlines' widebody aircraft.

How many international destinations does Alaska Airlines plan to serve from Seattle by 2030?

Alaska Airlines plans to serve at least 12 international destinations with widebody aircraft from Seattle by 2030, including routes to Europe.

What aircraft type is Alaska Airlines using for the Seattle-Tokyo route?

The Seattle-Tokyo route is initially operated using Hawaiian Airlines' A330 aircraft, offering Business Class, Extra Comfort, and Main Cabin service classes.

When will Alaska Airlines begin Seattle to Seoul Incheon flights?

Alaska Airlines will begin nonstop flights between Seattle and Seoul Incheon on September 12, 2025.

What amenities are offered on Alaska's Seattle-Tokyo flights?

The flights offer free Starlink Wi-Fi, three service classes, full-flat Business Class seating, complimentary meals, entertainment system with 200+ movies, and Noho Home amenity kits.