Attention Oregonians! Alaska Airlines announces three new nonstops around the state

Rhea-AI Summary

Alaska Airlines (ALK) has announced three new year-round nonstop routes starting May 15, 2025: a daily flight between Portland and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, twice-daily service between Portland and Eugene, and a new route between San Diego and Medford, Oregon.

The Portland-Houston route marks Alaska's first connection between these cities, with Portland flights departing at 10:30 a.m. and Houston departures just before 6 p.m. The airline is also increasing service frequency on existing Oregon routes, with Portland-Medford increasing to four daily flights and Portland-Redmond operating year-round with three daily flights.

Portland serves as one of Alaska's key West Coast hubs, currently offering more than 100 daily departures to 58 nonstop destinations, including four international routes. The airline remains the largest carrier in Portland for over 20 years.

Positive

• Expansion of route network with three new year-round destinations
• Increased flight frequency on existing routes (Portland-Medford and Portland-Redmond)
• Strategic entry into Houston market, previously largest unserved city from Portland hub
• Strengthening presence in key West Coast hub with over 100 daily departures

Negative

• None.

Insights

Aviation Industry Analyst

The expansion of Alaska Airlines' route network reflects a strategic move to strengthen its West Coast presence and capitalize on underserved markets. The new Portland-Houston route targets a significant business corridor while filling the largest unserved market gap from Portland. Adding two daily Portland-Eugene flights and increasing frequencies to Medford and Redmond demonstrates a calculated effort to dominate Oregon's regional market.

The timing of these routes is particularly strategic - the early morning Eugene departure and late evening return enables business travel without overnight stays, potentially capturing high-yield business travelers. The deployment of E175 aircraft on regional routes is noteworthy, as these planes offer superior passenger comfort with no middle seats and three service classes, potentially commanding higher yields per seat.

The increased presence in San Diego, marking the 41st destination from that city, positions ALK to better compete against Southwest Airlines in this key market. This network expansion, combined with the recent Hawaiian Airlines acquisition, significantly enhances ALK's competitive position in the Western U.S. market.

Market Research Analyst

This route expansion represents a calculated market penetration strategy with potential revenue implications. The Portland-Houston route connects two major economic hubs, tapping into the growing energy and technology sectors. The timing suggests ALK has identified sufficient demand to maintain year-round service, indicating strong revenue potential.

The enhanced intra-Oregon connectivity through increased frequencies and new routes demonstrates ALK's commitment to regional market dominance. By offering four daily Portland-Medford flights (up from one) and year-round service to Redmond, ALK is creating barriers to entry for competitors while maximizing network utility for passengers.

The investment in E175 fleet upgrades, adding 400,000 Premium Class seats annually, indicates a focus on higher-yield segments. This, combined with the no-middle-seat configuration, positions ALK to capture premium leisure and business travelers who prioritize comfort and are willing to pay for it.

We'll fly daily between Portland and Houston starting this spring along with two daily Portland-Eugene roundtrips and a new Medford-San Diego route

SEATTLE, Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Y'all, for the first time, Alaska Airlines is linking the Rose City to the largest city in Texas. We're adding a new daily, nonstop flight between Portland and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston starting May 15, 2025. We'll also resume twice-daily nonstop service between Portland and Eugene, Oregon, and offer a new route between San Diego and Medford, Oregon. All three routes will fly year-round. Tickets can be purchased now at alaskaair.com.

Portland is one of our key West Coast hubs, with more than 100 average daily departures currently serving 58 nonstop destinations from Portland, including four international routes.

"We're based in Seattle, but Portland is a second home for us where we've been the largest carrier for more than 20 years," said Kirsten Amrine, vice president of network planning and revenue management at Alaska Airlines. "Our new flights out of Portland, Eugene and Medford show our continued focus on connecting Oregon with the rest of the country."

"As passenger traffic at PDX continues to grow, so does the opportunity for airlines," said Dan Pippenger, chief aviation officer at the Port of Portland. "We appreciate the continued partnership with Alaska that gives travelers more options to connect to major markets and more flights within our state."

Route highlights

• Portland-Houston: Houston is currently our largest unserved city from Portland. Our new nonstop connects a pair of dynamic destinations that will be attractive to both business and leisure travelers. The flight will depart Portland at 10:30 a.m. and will depart Houston just before 6 p.m. This will be the third nonstop route from Portland to Texas joining Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin.
  
  
• Portland-Eugene: We worked hard to make sure the timing of the two roundtrips between Portland and Eugene hit the right mark for our guests, especially for itineraries that require a connection in Portland. Another benefit: There's a 5:30 a.m. departure from Eugene that can be paired with a 9:55 p.m. return flight that allows for a full day in Portland without staying the night.
  
  
• Medford-San Diego: This route also offers convenient flight times with a late morning departure from San Diego and a mid-afternoon departure from Medford. In mid-May, we'll offer the most daily departures and the greatest number of seats from Medford. This new service also supports our continued investment in San Diego and marks our 41^st destination from there.

New nonstop routes

City Pair	Start Date	End Date	Frequency	Aircraft
Portland – Houston Bush	May 15	Year-round	Daily	737
Portland – Eugene, OR	May 15	Year-round	2x Daily	E175
San Diego – Medford, OR	May 15	Year-round	Daily	E175

We have also increased our flying within Oregon this summer. Beginning May 15, our Portland-Medford route will be served four times a day instead of once, and Portland-Redmond will start flying year-round three times daily. Tickets for these flights can be purchased now at alaskaair.com.

Alaska's elevated travel experience offers a blend of comfort and caring service for a seamless journey, including no change fees, the most legroom in First Class* and Premium Class, and the most generous Mileage Plan with the fastest path to elite status.

For inflight entertainment, our guests can enjoy hundreds of free movies and TV shows streamed to their devices. Our mainline flights are enabled with streaming-fast satellite Wi-Fi available for purchase, the option to pre-order from a range of fresh meal selections and power outlets at every seat to charge devices. 

Our E175 regional aircraft also offer three classes of service with all seats along the aisle or window – no middle seats. We recently retrofitted our entire fleet of E175s to add 400,000 Premium Class seats annually.

*Out of any U.S. legacy airline excluding lie-flat seats

About Alaska Air Group
Alaska Air Group, Inc. is based in Seattle and comprised of subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., Horizon Air and McGee Air Services. With our recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, we now serve more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Central America, Asia and the Pacific. We are committed to safety, remarkable customer care, operational excellence, financial performance and sustainability. Alaska Airlines is a member of the oneworld Alliance. With oneworld and our additional global partners, our guests have more choices than ever to purchase, earn or redeem on alaskaair.com across 30 airlines and more than 1,000 worldwide destinations. Book travel throughout the Pacific on Hawaiian Airlines at hawaiianairlines.com. Learn more about Alaska Airlines at news.alaskaair.com and Hawaiian Airlines at newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/blog. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK."

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SOURCE ALASKA AIRLINES

FAQ

When will Alaska Airlines (ALK) start its new Portland-Houston route?

Alaska Airlines will begin its daily nonstop service between Portland and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport on May 15, 2025.

How many daily flights will ALK operate between Portland and Eugene?

Alaska Airlines will operate two daily roundtrip flights between Portland and Eugene starting May 15, 2025.

What is the new flight frequency for ALK's Portland-Medford route?

Starting May 15, 2025, Alaska Airlines will increase Portland-Medford service from once daily to four times daily.

How many nonstop destinations does ALK serve from Portland?

Alaska Airlines currently serves 58 nonstop destinations from Portland, including four international routes, with more than 100 average daily departures.

What are the departure times for ALK's new Portland-Houston route?

The flight will depart Portland at 10:30 a.m. and depart Houston just before 6 p.m.