From Seattle to sunshine: 5 things to explore in the Tampa Bay Area

Alaska Airlines began daily service between Seattle and Tampa, Florida, on June 20 – the first nonstop flight to link the cities, which cuts a few hours of flight time for tourists and business travelers. Aboard the 5-hour-40-minute inaugural flight, my wife and I left our kids and escaped for a quick two-night trip. At…

Alaska VP asks senators to support extending NextGen ‘all the way to the runway’

Gary Beck, vice president of flight operations at Alaska Airlines, testified Wednesday in Washington, D.C., before a Senate subcommittee on aviation. In the hearing to examine the Federal Aviation Administration’s progress on NextGen, Chairwoman Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, highlighted the work that Alaska Airlines is already doing. “One of the areas I mentioned is the implementation…

Throwback Thursday: the golden what?

Three-quarters of a century after the cries of “Gold! Gold! In the Klondike!” a quirky little airline with deep roots in the state of Alaska decided to pay its own tribute to the gold rush. Alaska Airlines’ “Golden Nugget Service” era launched in the early 1960s, and passengers would not soon forget it.

Recipe: Alaska Airlines’ first class granola

Roasted sunflower seeds and dried cranberries give this simple granola a special twist. “This granola remains one of our most popular first class offerings, and we are often asked for the recipe,” says Kirsten Robinett, Alaska Airlines’ onboard food and beverage services product manager. Custom-designed by Alaska’s executive chef, this popular granola is served in first class…

Destination New Orleans: jazz music and more

This is the first in a multi-part series about Alaska Airlines’ new service to New Orleans. The last time I was in New Orleans was nearly 20 years ago when I was working as a room steward on the American Queen, a sternwheeler plying the Mississippi River with passengers on a week-long cruise of Mark…

When do I get my MVP first class upgrade?

It’s a feeling every MVP knows all too well – that sudden leap of joy at the pre-flight email saying you’ve been upgraded. “It means a lot,” says Keith Hamilton, an MVP Gold 75k who flies anywhere from 25 to 30 times per year. He estimates that he gets upgraded on about two out of…

How to travel with kids (hint: just do it)

Traveling with children can be a daunting proposition. Strollers, car seats, nap times, milk, diapers, escalators – and, not to mention, the children themselves. Add it all up and it’s a recipe for one big headache. But to raise good travelers, you have to start early, says Salt Lake City-area blogger Allison Czarnecki. How?

Co-workers, travelers reunite pilot with camera lost for a year

When Los Angeles-based Alaska Airlines First Officer Rick Russek saw his point-and-shoot camera fall into Resurrection Bay one summer, he was certain he’d never see it, or the precious family photos that were on the memory card, again. But an unlikely series of events combining the forces of nature, the kindness of strangers and co-workers, and simple…

Video: one summer at Alaska Airlines

One season in the life of an airline, filmed during the summer of 2013 in Seattle, Washington.

Season’s first Copper River salmon arrives in Seattle

The smell of fish was in the air early on the morning of May 16, as Alaska Air Cargo delivered 24,100 pounds of the season’s first shipment of Copper River salmon to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Copper River salmon’s arrival marks the beginning of the summer salmon season and is highly anticipated by seafood lovers throughout…