The magic of mezcal: 7 cocktails to try in Mexico City

Ah, mezcal – tequila’s smoky sister. Mezcal is derived from various types of agave and is known for its smoky flavor. It’s just something you must drink when you visit Mexico City. You’ll find extensive mezcal collections and incredible mezcal cocktails throughout the bars here, and I enjoyed drinking my way through as many of…

Must-visit cocktail bars in San Francisco

Noelle Chun is a San Francisco-based journalist and photographer specializing in food and cocktails. Her work has been featured in Newsweek, The Guardian and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Here, she shares her favorite cocktail bars in San Francisco. In the early 2000s, San Francisco became one of the cradles of the modern cocktail movement, shaking up…

From the archives: How Alaska Airlines evacuated 49,000 Yemenite Jews to Israel ‘on the wings of eagles’

In 1949, the world was continuing to recover from the end of one of the most horrific wars in human history. After the horrors of the Holocaust, Jewish refugees scattered throughout the world were looking to start over in Israel, but the process was not easy. Not only did many groups face logistical challenges, but…

Around the world in lounges

With Alaska Mileage Plan and Alaska Global Partners, you can earn miles to more than 900 destinations worldwide. But we wouldn’t just send our loyal guests globetrotting without a place to kick back and relax along the way, and an Alaska Lounge membership can provide exactly that. Together with our partners, Alaska Lounge members have…

Share your spare: Captain and flight attendant return to work after kidney donation

Nothing can keep these two women down. An Alaska Airlines captain with a big heart and two great kidneys gave a flight attendant a new lease on life earlier this year, and now Captain Jodi Harskamp and Flight Attendant Jenny Stansel are back to work.

Calling all eclipse chasers: Enter to win and prepare for the “Great American Eclipse”

Not since 1918 has a total eclipse of the sun crossed the continental United States. But on August 21, 2017 history will again be made when a total solar eclipse is set to travel coast-to-coast for the first time in nearly 100 years. An estimated 12 million people live in the path of totality, with…

Like father, like daughter: Pilot team flies together on Father’s Day

This Father’s Day, a special pair of pilots is scheduled to fly together for Alaska Airlines: Captain Nick Cosmakos and First Officer Niclina Cosmakos plan to work as a father-daughter flight crew on Sunday. They are scheduled to fly together all month. Niclina credits her love of flying to her father, and fondly remembers flying…

Alaska Airlines’ beloved ‘Spirit of Alaska Statehood’ airplane officially retires

When Alaskans celebrated 50 years of statehood in 2009, Alaska Airlines decided to honor its namesake state by painting a special Alaska-themed paint theme on a Boeing 737-400. But with a state so vast and unique, the company had difficulty coming up with a design that was inclusive of everything from the ice in the…

Dog’s best friend: Alaska Airlines honors Iditarod mushers who provide best care

Mushing over 1,000 miles in the frozen Alaska wilderness is no easy feat. At the Iditarod Awards Banquet in Nome, Alaska, the mood is one of excitement and accomplishment as rookies, veterans and fans of the Last Great Race pour into the Nome Recreation Center to celebrate the culmination of the 2016 Iditarod. It’s no…

How to view and photograph the Northern Lights

When the cruise ships and tour buses leave, and the weather starts to cool, the night sky in Alaska comes alive with bands of green, and sometimes red, lights. This phenomenon is known as the aurora borealis, or the Northern Lights. While the Northern Lights are often visible from various parts of the state, Fairbanks…

Welcome to the Arctic Circle Club, President Obama

When President Barack Obama announced plans to visit the state of Alaska, the entire state was buzzing with rumors and suspicions as to where he would go. Many suspected Dutch Harbor, some had heard that it would be Barrow. Others suspected Kotzebue. But when Kotzebue Station Manager Dawn Carl received a phone call from the…

Keep your camera ready: Coastal train from Anchorage to Seward offers panoramic views of wild Alaska

Winding through snow-capped mountains and lush green fields decorated with an array of colorful wildflowers is Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic Train. The four-hour, one-way train trip carries passengers from Anchorage to Seward in the summer months (May 9 to Sept. 13) and offers views of stunning glaciers and ample opportunity for photos and wildlife viewing.

Caitlin Goettler