From office to the beach: How I flew to Maui on day one as an Alaska intern

June 3, 2024
Destinations
Shaleese Nuckols
4 min read

Within 24 hours, I went from receiving my employee ID to hopping on a plane to Maui. Imagine this: one minute, you’re touring your new job site in Seattle, and the next, you’re boarding a flight to Hawaii. That’s the magic of interning for an airline.

Before I joined Alaska’s internship program, I had never been to Hawaii. It was always on my bucket list, so when I met two other interns who wanted to go, it felt like fate. I could practically hear the 5 o’clock flight calling my name!

Maui is a dream come true

The warm air and stunning island views were exactly how I imagined Hawaii to be. On my first morning there, I ate a mango straight from a tree—it was (and will probably forever be) the best mango I’ve ever had. Grocery store mangos back home just don’t compare.

Our next adventure took us on the ‘Road to Hana.’ We stopped at local shops along the way and bought matching bracelets as keepsakes from the trip. Halfway through, we explored the lava tubes—tunnels that have been around for more than 900 years. It was an experience I’ll never forget. The entrance was surrounded by lush greenery, but once you went down the stairs, it became pitch black and all you could see, and feel was rock. After 2 ½ hours, we finally got to try the famous Maui Huli Huli Chicken. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting the island (10 out of 10). Our final stop on the ‘Road to Hana’ was Koki beach, a perfect and relaxing end to the trip. Hearing the waves crash and feeling the sun warming my skin was a dream come true.

Summer internship at Alaska

As an intern this summer, I felt immediately welcomed by the team at Alaska. They made all 35 of us interns feel like we belonged from day one. The environment is like one big family, and it’s clear that they genuinely care about everyone here.

On our first day, all the interns got to know each other through a fun trivia game that also taught us about the company. I’m excited about the events planned for us this summer, such as ‘Interns at the Mariners’ and lunch with the executive committee. These opportunities to meet new people both inside and outside of the workplace are incredibly valuable.

After my first week as an intern at Alaska, I had the chance to visit places I’ve always wanted to see and make new friends. I’m excited to see what this summer has in store—so many exciting possibilities are on the horizon!

Our Internship program:

Interns at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are embedded within their teams and work on visible projects that impact our guests and the business. Beyond projects, you might rub elbows with our CEO, tour our facilities throughout the Pacific Northwest, or ride along on a cargo delivery flight between towns in Southeast Alaska.

Quick facts:

All internships are paid.
Interns receive unlimited standby travel on any Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air operated flight, beginning on day one of the internship. Interns also receive guest passes that can be used for friends and family member travel.
Internship eligibility is based on graduation year. We typically look for undergraduate juniors.
We offer a 12-week program during the summer, starting in either May or June. Interns are full-time and typically work 40 hours per week for the duration of the program.
We recruit for internships during the fall for the following summer. Opportunities are usually posted to our careers site by mid-October for a two-week period.

For additional questions & info, reach out to us at internships@alaskaair.com or visit careers.alaskaair.com.