Alaska Airlines is pushing deeper into long-haul territory, confirming plans to connect Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with London Heathrow from May 2026 as part of a sweeping international expansion strategy.
The move comes as Alaska Air Group prepares to integrate Hawaiian Airlines following its acquisition and works to reposition Seattle as a major global hub. The carrier has already begun branching into Asia with new services to Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon, and is due to expand into Europe next spring with flights to Rome and Iceland. Now, a third European destination has been added to the schedule, one of the most competitive transatlantic markets.
Daily flights between Seattle and London Heathrow will be operated by Alaska’s incoming fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, aircraft configured with 34 business-class seats and 266 economy seats and set to debut a new long-haul brand identity. The 4,800-mile route is scheduled at 9 hours 25 minutes eastbound and 9 hours 45 minutes westbound.
Tickets are already on sale, with economy return fares starting from $699. Award-pricing via Alaska Atmos Rewards varies significantly: typical one-way redemptions appear at around 42,500 points in economy or 200,000 points in business class.
London has long been regarded as the prize destination for any US airline building an international portfolio, but gaining a foothold at Heathrow is notoriously difficult due to strict slot controls. Industry sources say Alaska secured access by leasing a slot pair from alliance partner American Airlines, enabling the launch without participating in the major transatlantic joint ventures that dominate the market.
Competition on the Seattle–London route is already fierce, with British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic operating daily frequencies. While Alaska and BA are both members of the oneworld alliance, ensuring extensive onward connectivity across Europe, Alaska does not yet participate in British Airways’ or American Airlines’ revenue-sharing joint ventures, leaving the new route outside the most lucrative partnership frameworks.
Analysts note that this absence may complicate efforts to secure corporate travel contracts or benefit from coordinated schedules and pricing. Yet Alaska’s dominant presence in the Pacific Northwest and its rapidly expanding international ambitions may offset these challenges.
The carrier has previously indicated its intention to join one or more long-haul joint ventures, though such moves require approval from partners and regulators. For now, the Heathrow service marks Alaska’s boldest step yet in repositioning itself from a domestic-focused airline to a global competitor.
With its first Dreamliners arriving in 2025 and a target of launching a dozen long-haul routes by 2030, Alaska’s transatlantic debut signals the beginning of a dramatic new chapter.