
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…

Behind the scenes: Alaska Airlines’ flight attendant training
It’s more than serving sodas and hot meals – when Alaska Airlines’ flight attendants take to the skies they are ready to fight fires, save lives and take on any obstacle. In fact, learning to serve customers in flight only accounts for a fraction of the six-week training every new Alaska flight attendant goes through.

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…

Video: Passenger pops the question over airplane PA system
Asking the love-of-your-life to marry you is nerve-wracking enough. Add an audience of over 100 people you don’t know, a loudspeaker and an altitude of 30,000 feet and its right up there on the stress meter. But Alaska passenger Brian Connell overcame his fears last month and asked his girlfriend Cassandra to marry him—with a bit…

From brunch to happy hour, eat your way through San Diego
Take a 24-hour eating tour of San Diego? Sounds like a job for an over-energized 20-something on an empty stomach. From a morning breakfast on the beach to a night cap downtown, San Diego is the perfect place to explore and play, live like a 20-something and taste-tour the city for a day.

“Band in Seattle” brings local music to your seat
The Seattle music scene doesn’t disappoint. After Nirvana, Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters found their success it seemed like artists flocked to the Emerald City and the music scene became one of the most cherished parts of Seattle culture. Alaska Airlines passengers can now get a real taste of that culture while inflight. “Band…

Alaska employees help two brothers meet for first time
Imagine meeting your brother for the first time right before taking a cross-country flight. On a recent trip to Orlando, that very thing happened to an Alaska Airlines customer, thanks to help from some Alaska employees. Gary Covington, of Tacoma, was born on June 22, 1948, at Providence Hospital in Seattle and adopted when he…

The adventures of Piglet and Aurora: Two lost toys have an Alaskan adventure
A simple ferry ride turned into an Alaskan adventure for two fuzzy stuffed animals named Piglet and Aurora, when their owner accidentally left them behind. Petersburg, Alaska resident Lizzie Thompson had exchanged stuffed animals with family friends in Virginia for the summer, so their children could learn about each other’s homes through their stuffed animals’…

Beyond sweets: At Seattle Chocolates, it’s all about the journey
Chocolate means something different to everyone. Maybe it reminds you of Halloween, Valentine’s Day, a special anniversary or even just being a kid. At Seattle Chocolates, chocolate is made to be an everyday luxury and experience. Seattle Chocolates is nestled in a corner of Tukwila a few miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Owner and CEO of Seattle…

Outdoor adventure: Mountain biking in the West
Before man stood on the moon, he christened a rolling landscape of sandstone waves near Moab, Utah, as his playground. Well, maybe not before, but definitely that same summer. The Slickrock Trail, though laid out for dirt bikes in 1969, soon morphed into a 10.2-mile-long loop that draws mountain bikers from across the world and…

Flying high at ground level – checking out Alaska Airlines’ newest flight simulator
Learning how to fly an aircraft like the Boeing 737 is no simple task. By the time that most pilots make it through the doors of Alaska Airlines, they already have extensive experience either flying with other airlines or in the military. No matter their background, every pilot will need to go through Alaska Airlines’…

Alaska testing biometric IDs, boarding passes
One carry-on bag. One personal item. A jacket. Your morning coffee. A boarding pass. Two hands to juggle it all as you wait to board your flight. Something about the above equation just doesn’t add up, and Alaska Airlines’ customer research and development team knows it – which is why they’ve spent the past several months…