Alaska Airlines launches first service to Europe

Alaska Airlines is betting big that the United States has room for a fourth truly global airline to join powerhouses American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

The Seattle-based airline this week took its biggest step yet onto the global stage: Alaska Airlines made its first transatlantic landing Wednesday afternoon, touching down in Rome.

The flight marked a new era for an airline that, for most of its history, has been something of a niche airline on the West Coast.

But not anymore.

Fresh out of your acquisition of Hawaiian AirlinesAlaska now has the large twin-aisle planes needed to fly to overseas destinations, and is planning at least a dozen routes by the end of this decade from its base at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

But this week’s flight to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO) was a true milestone for the airline, marking the “hard launch” of a new Alaska Airlines flagship international travel experience that the airline He’s been teasing for almost a year.

I attended the inaugural flight in the comfort of Alaska’s business class suites and saw firsthand the new flagship product.

Here’s what it was like, and what you can expect, flying with Alaska to its new long-haul destinations, from Rome and Seoul to Tokyo and the rest of the world. Next route to Heathrow Airport (LHR).

Why Alaska Airlines goes long distance

Alaska would not have flown to the Eternal City this week if not for its Hawaiian merger in 2024.

That deal solidified Alaska and Hawaiian, together, as the nation’s fifth-largest airline and created a popular new loyalty program. It also gave Alaska access to the order New Boeing 787 Dreamliner that Hawaiian had placed before the two united forces.

Now with a new coat of paint and updated amenities On board, these sleek aircraft will be front and center as Alaska pushes beyond its traditional short-haul domestic and international footprint and challenges the “Big Three” U.S. airlines at 35,000 feet above the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

New check-in experience

Before boarding one of Alaska’s freshly painted Dreamliners, passengers riding in Alaska’s comfortable seats enjoy one of the most premium land experiences available to business class travelers in the U.S. today.

Alaska has taken the proverbial wrapper off a sleek new check-in hall at SeaTac. It is available to anyone flying in a lie-flat seat in Alaska or Hawaii, or to members who reach the top-tier Titanium level on airline shared flights. Atmos Rewards loyalty program. (Remember: Alaska and Hawaiian continue to operate as two separate brands.)

If you’ve tried American Airlines’ premium check-in facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City, or Delta’s in Seattle, it’s a relatively similar concept.

Instead of braving the crowds at the terminal, you can check in with some peace, quiet, and refreshments, before continuing through a tunnel and reaching the front of the line at the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint.

An Italian-themed party on the spot

From there, it was headed to the Alaska International Gates on the N Concourse. I visited the Alaska Lounge there, which is personally one of my favorite “standard” airline lounges in the US.

Waiters served destination-inspired Aperol spritzes to travelers with business class tickets or premium credit card holders. who receive free access to premium cocktails in the living room.

Related: Alaska Airlines plans global expansion, with a little help from Portland, San Diego and Atmos Rewards

Stay tuned: Alaska has big plans for a unique business class concept that could help it better compete with a a certain TPG award-winning outpost in SeaTac.

In the airport lobby (at least on that day) music was blaring, passengers were eating scoops of ice cream, and Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci was serving cannolis before the flight that would officially open Alaska’s path to Europe. (To be clear, I wouldn’t expect the latter on any future flights.)

After the ribbon cutting, it was time to leave.

Among those boarding Tuesday night’s flight to Rome? Twenty-year Alaska veteran Kirsten Amrine now serves as the airline’s senior network planner. He couldn’t help but marvel at the importance of this inaugural flight compared to those he had scheduled in the past.

“I remember when we started routes to San Antonio, Oklahoma and Minneapolis… and that was exciting,” Amrine said, standing in the shadow of the door. “I guess, at the time, I didn’t dream big enough to think we’d start flights to Tokyo, Seoul and Rome, so… it’s a little beyond me how exciting this is.”

Aboard Alaska Airlines’ new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

When I boarded the plane, one thing was obvious: it was very similar to the (beautiful) Dreamliner. That Hawaiian debuted in 2024. Look no further than coral-inspired blue seat covers.

The same was true for the 34 enclosed business class suites, which, yes, have sliding privacy doors that have become standard in the front. There were 18-inch inflight entertainment screens, phone charging pouches, ambient lighting in the suite, and of course, reclining beds.

In the future, Alaska will quite succinctly call this cabin its “Suites.”

Beyond that, however, the airline has taken steps to ensure that everything else on board evokes its Pacific Northwest, rather than Hawaiian, heritage.

A new ‘soft product’ with the Alaska brand

This week, Alaska officially launched its line of new “soft goods” items that will be staples on its long-haul flights in the future.

This includes tan bedding and amenity kits from Pacific Northwest outdoor brand Filson, beauty products from Salt & Stone, and a food and drink menu that clearly pays homage to the West Coast, from Stumptown Coffee to ice cream courtesy of Portland, Oregon-based Salt & Straw.

I actually found the entire catering experience impressive, starting with a pre-dinner cheese plate (a longtime staple of flights to Alaska) and continuing with asparagus soup, caprese salad, and butternut squash ravioli that clearly prepared my palate for the destination ahead.

Looking ahead: Wi-Fi and premium economy

Any new flight or international franchise, like Alaska, will have its difficulties when launching a new route, and this one was no different.

The two most glaring gaps in this impressive Dreamliner?

First of all, the plane lacked any type of Wi-Fi. Alaska plans to install Starlink fast service throughout its fleetwhich will be free for Atmos Rewards members. However, that is expected to happen later this year; So for now, download those shows and podcasts ahead of time.

Second: Unlike other major global airlines, this 787 did not have a premium economy cabin, although Alaska executives did. he said he would come in the coming years.

Those measures are likely necessary to keep pace with the full-service global airlines that Alaska now increasingly competes with. The most notable competitor is Delta, as it shares a hub in Seattle with Alaska and decided to match the Alaska to Rome route. with a new service to the Italian capital in 2026.

Color Alaska leaders without bothering.

“We know our competition is looking at what we want to do and they will match us,” Amrine said. “But I think we have a larger facility than our competition – it’s the largest facility on the West Coast. We believe in our people and the service they provide, and in fact, bookings indicate that guests, particularly in Seattle, choose us over our competition.”

A new transoceanic chapter

The flight landed in Rome shortly after 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday local time. It was Alaska’s first trip to Europe, but it won’t be the last.

Service to London begins on May 21, just before Memorial Day weekend. Also coming soon: flights to Iceland.

Additionally, flights from Seattle to Asia via Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) and Seoul’s Incheon Airport (ICN) were temporarily flown with Hawaiian-branded Airbus A330 last year, but now they are completely Alaska.

What long-haul destination could be next?

“I want to count all the other places I want to go,” Minicucci said Tuesday, before thinking better of it.

I guess we’ll keep an eye out.

How to Book Alaska Airlines Flights with Points and Miles

Meanwhile, travelers looking to book flights to Alaska can quickly rack up points in the Atmos Rewards program, which operates in both Alaska and Hawaii, with one of its co-branded credit cards.

Or you can transfer Bilt to Atmos in a ratio of 1:1.

You can also book Alaska partner award flights using miles from one of their Oneworld alliance partners, including American Airlines.

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