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Alaska Airlines now flies nonstop between Anchorage and New York City 

We offer the only nonstop service connecting Alaska and New York JFK
for summertime adventures; we’ll have the most nonstop destinations ever this summer from Anchorage 

Just as the long days of summer have engulfed the state of Alaska, Alaska Airlines launched seasonal nonstop service today between Anchorage and New York JFK. It’s the only nonstop service between the two airports. Flights are available for purchase at alaskaair.com for daily flights through Aug. 19. 

Book now

Our new nonstop between the Big Apple and the Great Land offers New Yorkers an easier option to get away and enjoy the wilds of Alaska with its countless outdoor adventures, rich Alaska Native culture, wild Alaska seafood, jaw-dropping scenery and history-filled towns.    

Alaskans love travel options and love them even more when they include nonstop flights,” said Marilyn Romano, regional vice president of Alaska for Alaska Airlines. “Our new service to New York JFK is a perfect addition to our flight schedule for Alaskans wanting some adventure in one of the world’s most dynamic cities, and for New Yorkers eager for new experiences in our great state.” 

At 3,385 miles, our Anchorage-New York JFK route is the longest in our network. We’ve scheduled this service with our new 737-8 aircraft. It has the longest range of any plane in our fleet. 

Route schedule

Click to enlarge

All times local 

This summer, we’re flying to 14 nonstop destinations from Anchorage to the Lower 48 and Hawaii: Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New York JFK, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Seattle/Everett (Paine Field). 

Our guests can take advantage of a premium travel experience on their next Alaska flight. We are the West Coast’s premier airline offering our flyers the most legroom in First Class* and Premium Class; no change fees; multiple fare offerings; the most generous loyalty program with Mileage Plan with the fastest path to elite status; 30 global partners; and West Coast food and beverage on board. We’re also making it easier for our guests to buy tickets and earn Mileage Plan miles with our domestic and global partners directly at alaskaair.com. 

For inflight entertainment, our guests can enjoy hundreds of free movies and TV shows streamed to their devices. Our flights are also enabled with streaming-fast satellite Wi-Fi available for purchase and the option to pre-order from a range of fresh meal selections. Our mainline flights also offer power outlets at every seat to charge devices. 

* Out of any U.S. airline excluding lie-flat seats   

Progress continues as Alaska Airlines negotiates a new, market-competitive flight attendant contract 

You’ve probably heard that we’re in active contract negotiations with our flight attendants through their union, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA). We have a strong history of successfully negotiating with our union partners and reaching agreements that benefit employees while also securing the long-term success of the company.  

We agree with our flight attendants that we need a new contract, which is why we’ve been working hard to get an agreement. We recently passed a comprehensive economic proposal that included boarding pay, wage, per diem and set future wage increases, industry standard Ratio-in-Guarantee (RIG; a common component of Flight Attendant pay throughout the industry), and a two-year duration. We’ve also closed more than 50 tentative agreements – representing dozens of topics where we’ve found common ground.  

We remain optimistic in the negotiations process and are committed to reaching an agreement that pays our flight attendants the increased wages they deserve while also preserving our business model. With seven recently closed labor deals at the company, including a new contract for our aircraft maintenance technicians reached in February, we’re hopeful to do the same for our flight attendants as soon as possible. AFA and Alaska leadership have met two times in the last month and are continuing to bargain and meet with a mediator. The graphic below illustrates the negotiating process. We are currently in the “Mediation” phase. 

Additionally, you may see off-duty flight attendants demonstrating in various hubs today as part of the union’s mobilization efforts. We respect and support the right of our flight attendants to engage in these activities and do not expect any disruption to our operation or service as a result. 

10 Highlights from Alaska Airlines’ Annual Sustainability Report

Aviation connects people and businesses, brings families together, contributes to local economies, and enables opportunity. At Alaska Airlines, we take these opportunities and our responsibilities personally. And when we refer to sustainability, we mean keeping one another and our guests safe, managing our business in balance, and improving our impact on people, our communities, and the planet we share. 

Since 2009, our sustainability reports have transparently tracked our progress toward our short- and long-term goals, learnings over the year, and the work ahead.  

Here are some highlights from our 2023 report: 

Swissport fuel manager Jarid Svraka fuels an Alaska Airlines flight powered with a 20 percent blend of biofuel made from forest residuals in Sea-Tac Washington on Nov. 14, 2016.
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1. Operational Efficiency:

Contributing to our goal of being the #1 most fuel-efficient airline, our pilots helped save 1.6 million gallons of jet fuel by using single-engine taxi procedures when safe to do so, and dispatchers saved 1.2 million gallons of jet fuel by optimizing flight paths with the help of AI software, Flyways. We have more ahead toward this goal and other operational efficiency initiatives to continue on our trajectory of being the #1 most fuel-efficient airline.  

2. Inflight Recycling:

Flight attendants worked to increase average annual onboard recycling from 41% in 2022 to 63% in 2023 – on our way back to our pre-covid level.  

3. Reducing Plastic:

By replacing plastic cups with responsibly sourced paper cups, we eliminated the use of more than 55 million plastic cups annually. 

4. Reducing Food Waste:

Enabling passengers to pre-order meals drove a 61% reduction in our food waste compared to 2019, equivalent to 460,000 meals. 

5. Inclusive Culture:

We were proud to achieve a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index and score of 100 for the second year in a row in Disability:IN’s Disability Equality Index.

6. Supporting Communities:

16.8% Alaska and Horizon employees contributed their time and resources to support others, with a total of 42,282 hours volunteered in our community, and the company donated over $16 million to support community-based nonprofit organizations.  

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7. Celebrating Indigenous Culture:

We partnered with Alaska Native artist Crystal Kaakeeyáa Rose Demientieff Worl to create a new special livery called Xáat Kwáani (“Salmon People” in the Alaska Native Tlingit language) reflecting the interconnected significance of the salmon— environmentally, culturally, and economically.

8. Maui Wildfire Relief:

We were humbled to help support impacted Maui residents, including airlifting over 220,000 pounds of relief to Maui wildfire zones and, in collaboration with Kanu Hawai’i, distributed 32 million donated miles to those in need.

9. Advancing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for the future:

We’re coming at SAF – one of the best opportunities aviation has to decarbonize– from all angles. In 2023, we piloted a first-of-its-kind option for individual guests to support SAF and earn elite-qualifying miles (EQMs). The program offered a sustainability-linked alternative to the year-end mileage run and supported over 515,000 gallons of SAF in just over a month (and a reduction of 4,334 metric tons of CO2e). It inspired us to expand the opportunity to support SAF to all guests who purchase a ticket online—directly in the booking path, in addition to before or after their travel.

10. Enabling Innovation:

New technology is critical for a more sustainable future, and we’re fortunate to partner with and learn from several innovative companies. One example is ZeroAvia – a leading manufacturer of hydrogen-electric engines working to prove their zero-emissions retrofit technology on increasingly larger-capacity regional aircraft like one of our former Horizon Air Q400 planes. Another is REGENT, which is collaborating through the Hawai‘i Seaglider Initiative to explore the promise of zero-emission, high speed, 100% electric seagliders for sustainable transportation throughout the islands of Hawai‘i.

☝🏼 These are just the highlights.

Click here to read our
full sustainability report

Alaska Airlines adds British Airways flights to London at alaskaair.com 

Our guests can now purchase nonstop British Airways flights between London and Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, San Diego and other cities directly at alaskaair.com 

Alaska Airlines is expanding our long-standing partnership with British Airways, a founding member of the oneworld alliance, to now enable our guests to purchase convenient, nonstop flights to London directly at alaskaair.com. Guests can buy British Airways flights at alaskaair.com for a seamless travel experience between London Heathrow and Alaska’s gateway airports in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego as well as Chicago and New York JFK. 

London is one of the most searched-for international destinations on alaskaair.com, with service between Seattle and London being one of the most in-demand routes for our guests in the Pacific Northwest. 

We’re excited to add our longstanding partner, British Airways, to our growing portfolio of alaskaair.com book direct airlines,” said Andrew Harrison, chief commercial officer for Alaska Airlines. “London is one the most requested global gateways by our guests and no one serves it better than British Airways and the oneworld alliance.” 

British Airways offers significant service to London from our key West Coast gateways that can be purchased directly on alaskaair.com: Seattle (two daily flights); Portland (daily flight); San Francisco (two daily flights); Los Angeles (three daily flights); and San Diego (two daily flights). Flyers can also book British Airways nonstop flights from Chicago (three daily flights) and New York JFK (eight daily flights) on our website. British Airways tickets purchased on alaskaair.com are for flights beginning on June 18 and beyond. Starting later this year, guests will also be able to purchase Alaska flights connecting to British Airways, along with flights beyond London on British Airways. 

Photos courtesy of British Airways

“We are extending our partnership with our fellow oneworld member Alaska Airlines to offer travelers seamless access to British Airways flights to London directly at alaskaair.com,” said British Airways Chief Planning and Strategy Officer Neil Chernoff. “It will enhance the travel experience for our customers, providing convenient connections between London Heathrow and Alaska’s key gateway airports. We look forward to connecting even more travelers between the Pacific Northwest and the UK capital.”  

When booking a British Airways flight directly at alaskaair.com, Mileage Plan members earn 100% of the miles they fly – one mile for every mile flown.* For lengthy overseas roundtrips, that’s thousands of Mileage Plan miles earned. Our members earn 100% elite qualifying miles (EQMs) when booking partner flights on alaskaair.com, such as British Airways flights.* And status with us equals matching tier status within oneworld and all the benefits that come with it. 

All flights purchased on alaskaair.com with the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card earn triple miles, and that includes overseas flights on our partners including British Airways. Every dollar spent is three miles earned when using our credit card to purchase all flights on our site. 

In addition to purchasing tickets, Mileage Plan members can also redeem their miles for flights on British Airways.   

* Saver or basic economy tickets are excluded.    

The Alaska Airlines credit card program is issued and administered by Bank of America, N.A. Visa and Visa Signature are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association and are used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A., Inc. 

Aviation Day expands career horizons for Hawaiʻi Scouts

The two teenagers were quiet, concentrating intently as 17-year-old Jeb Vaughn prepared the Boeing 737 for landing.

“Nice, dude,” said Matthew Meinert, as his fellow Scout lined up navigational sights with markers on the runway.

A few seconds later, Jeb landed the plane safely. But instead of taxiing to the terminal, the image in front of them reset. It was Matthew’s turn to operate the flight simulator.

Jeb, Matthew, and four other Scouts from Kailua, Hawaiʻi were in Alaska Airlines’ Flight Training Center in Seattle to participate in Aviation Day, Alaska’s annual event to inspire young people to pursue careers in aviation and aerospace.

Aviation Day provides the opportunity for youth to gain hands-on experience and meet professionals from across the aviation industry. Captain Tom Rogers founded the event in 2008 to introduce young people to various career paths in the industry. This year, Seattle’s Aviation Day welcomed around 1,500 participants including Scouts, STEM groups, Civil Air Patrol, and other clubs from across the Pacific Northwest. This is the first year Alaska has flown Hawaiʻi youth to participate in Aviation Day.

Welcoming the next generation of aviators

The Hawaiʻi Scouts from Troop 331 and Aviation Explorer Hawaiʻi Post 2013 were selected because of their interest in careers in aviation. The Aviation Exploring Program focuses on hands-on learning and is affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America.

Throughout the day, the Hawaiʻi Scouts operated a second, immersive flight simulator, learned about safety systems by practicing emergency evacuations, and toured various aircraft at Alaska’s Sea-Tac Hangar. Their favorite aircraft? The Apache helicopter, manned by the U.S. Army. They also visited the Alaska Airlines Network Operations Center and learned how different teams come together to run the Alaska Airlines network safely and efficiently.

For the Scouts, participating in Aviation Day affirmed their future career paths.

“I want my entire career, my whole life, to be flying,” said Explorer Nathan Grach. “I got to meet a lot of different pilots and engineers, and it really opened my eyes to how much there is to aviation. Growing up in Hawaiʻi, you only see a little bit of it. By coming out here, I got to see so many things and meet a lot of people.”

“I’m a big aviation nerd. I love all things aviation and I jumped at the opportunity to come to Seattle,” said Jeb, a Troop 331 Life Scout who plans to follow in his father’s footsteps by pursuing a career as a U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot. “Aviation Day made me more excited because there are opportunities outside of the military for aviation and some other cool career paths with helicopters that I haven’t been informed of before now.”

Jeb’s father Chad Vaughn is now a Hawaiian Airlines First Officer and serves as a leader to Troop 331. He joined Hawaiian Airlines following a 26-year career as a Marine Corps aviator.

Any time we can expand their horizons, especially by seeing things away from the Islands and seeing different ways of doing things, it’s an awesome opportunity,” said First Officer Vaughn. “Mentors were very important to me growing up, both on the military aviation side, as well as the commercial aviation side. I think all of us want to continue to give back and provide that mentorship and that spark to the Scouts.”

Our amazing volunteers

The Hawaiʻi Scouts were guided through Aviation Day activities by Mauricio Guerra Escamez, Alaska’s Managing Director of the Enterprise Project Management Organization. Aviation Day is a volunteer-led effort, with more than 250 aviation professionals lending their time to lead young people through the activities—all while dispensing advice about their own careers. Many of the volunteers are current or retired Alaska employees.

As volunteers, we are custodians of this great event,” said Guerra Escamez. “We all share a passion for this industry, and that is what makes this event so special. We want to be able to build the leaders of tomorrow within our communities.”

Throughout the day, the Scouts spoke with a variety of volunteers, including aviators, engineers, flight attendants, and operations specialists. Each emphasized that the day’s activities serve as a glimpse into the aviation industry’s shared spirit of teamwork.

“It’s easy to look at a plane and say, ‘I want to go fly the plane,’” said First Officer Vaughn. “But the more that you understand the background of what goes into making that plane fly, whether it’s the maintenance, the operations center, the cabin crew—all those different pieces work together as a team.”

“For me personally, it is a time when I can share my passion for the aviation industry with young adults and share my career path that allowed me to join the Alaska Airlines Group,” said Guerra Escamez. “We measure success today with smiles from attendees experiencing Aviation Day and sharing with them what a career in this industry can offer.”

Alaska Airlines offers guests largest summer schedule ever in preparation for busy travel season

We’re flying to new destinations, adding more flights for convenience and implementing new technology for a premium travel experience this summer

In response to an increase in travel demand, Alaska Airlines is offering the largest summer schedule in the company’s history, including new nonstop routes and international destinations we’ve never served before during our busiest months of the year.

We’re also expanding the number of daily flights in our network for convenience, flying to popular destinations based on guest feedback, unveiling innovative bag drop stations in some of our hubs and continuing to operate an industry-leading safe operation.

As best-in-class operators, our top priority is consistently delivering on our promise to guests to take them where they’re going safely and on time – all while showing them the care for which we’re known,” said Andrew Harrison, chief commercial officer at Alaska Airlines. “This summer, we’re prepared to do more flying and welcome more guests to experience not only a safe operation, but also a premium experience. We’ve been hard at work on elevating all aspects of the travel journey for our guests from start to finish.”

During this year’s peak summer months (June, July and August), we’ve added almost one million seats versus last year; these added seats will help guests get to more barbeques, baseball games, and beaches than ever before. Our busiest days will be before and after Independence Day, where we expect to see almost 160,000 guest boardings each day.

Guests are excited to travel away from home this year. This past Memorial Day weekend, we connected more than 500,000 guests to their destinations or 6% more people over the holiday weekend compared to last year.

Outside of our hub cities, which are seeing notable growth, our guests have been particularly interested in exploring new places: we’ve seen tremendous interest in Guatemala City, where travelers can marvel at the pyramids of Tikal National Park or explore the shores of Lake Atitlán.

National Parks have been especially popular: to support this demand, we’ve added 16% more flights to Jackson Hole, Wyoming—the gateway to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. We’ve also launched nonstop service from New York (JFK) and San Diego to Anchorage, in our namesake state; these flights will help connect adventure seekers with the grandeur of the 49th state.

Here’s how we’re prepared for this summer’s busiest days:

More Flying & More Destinations

  • We’ve added nearly 10% more flights to our guests’ favorite destinations—from Alaska to Zihuantanejo, we’ve got your summer travel covered!

  • We’re expanding our reach to the east this summer with new nonstop routes connecting Anchorage and New York, Portland and Nashville, and San Diego with both Atlanta and Anchorage.

  • For the first time this summer, we’re flying guests to new international destinations: Guatemala City, The Bahamas, and Toronto.

  • Our summer schedules have grown at many of our hubs: with 16% more flights in Portland, 10% more in Seattle, 23% more in San Diego and 13% more in Anchorage.

  • Summer doesn’t have to stop! Starting this fall, we’re growing Los Angeles (LAX) departures 33%, giving guests even more opportunities to soak up the California sun.

  • We offer more flights to Mexico from the West Coast than any other U.S. airline, with service to Cancun, Guadalajara, Los Cabos, Loreto, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta and Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo.
Go on an adventure this summer with our largest summer schedule ever, like our new nonstop routes connecting Anchorage and New York, Portland and Nashville, and San Diego with both Atlanta and Anchorage.

Enhanced Travel Experience

  • We’re moving to San Francisco International Airport Harvey Milk Terminal 1 later this month, culminating a major investment in modernizing our infrastructure and providing our guests with a seamless travel experience.

    When it opens in July, our newest Lounge at SFO T1 space will be 11,000 square feet with 55% more seating and offer the ultimate comfort with our signature Loungers for kicking back, an expanded menu made with fresh ingredients, a barista staffed coffee bar and complimentary West Coast wine, spirits and craft brews.

  • In Anchorage, we’re renovating and upgrading our popular Lounge with more space, seating and thoughtful touches.

  • At Portland International Airport, we’ll be moving into a brand new, bolder and brighter lobby in August.

  • At Los Angeles International Airport, a complete overhaul of the gates, including new carpet, lighting, seating with power outlets and signage will be complete by the end of July at Terminal 6 where Alaska is the primary airline.

Premium Products

  • We’re elevating our guests’ culinary experience in the sky with an expansion of our pre-order for-purchase hot meal options to Premium Class and the Main Cabin for flights 1,100 miles or more. Check out our premium onboard menu 🍽

  • We’re giving you the chance to upgrade – for free with our new program called upgrade unlocked! Every day this summer we’re surprising and delighting at least one guest seated in our Main Cabin to Premium Class as a “thank you” to our guests for flying us this summer. Learn more

  • Can’t wait to learn if you’ve been selected for upgrade unlocked? We’re making it easier for you to upgrade! Now you can pay to upgrade to First or Premium Class up to 30 minutes before departure under Manage Trip on www.alaskaair.com, or through the Alaska Airlines mobile app.

  • Frequent flier, savvy traveler? Sign up for our newest subscription service, Alaska Access, to receive a monthly one-time free use voucher for our streaming fast Wi-Fi and to get early access to some of our biggest fare sales of the year.

Reliable, Safe Operation

Most importantly, running a safe and reliable operation is our top priority. Halfway through the second quarter, we rank in the top of three of the industry for both completion rate and on-time performance. Our highly dedicated Maintenance and Engineering teams are focused on safety, reliability and excellence and utilize the latest aircraft maintenance technology to access information that keeps us flying.

Remember to download the Alaska Airlines mobile app, which keeps your travel needs at your fingertips. You can use our app to check in, pay for your bag(s), get your boarding pass(es), track flights, make seat changes and much more right from your phone. You can also preorder your meal to have it conveniently sent to your seat from our app anytime from 2 weeks to 20 hours before travel.

Don’t forget that we offer the most legroom in First* and Premium Class, no change fees, multiple fare offerings and the most generous loyalty program with the fastest path to elite status.

 * Out of any U.S. legacy airline excluding lie-flat seats    

Fly our partner airlines to Paris, this summer’s hot spot

Every four years, the world’s best athletes converge for more than two weeks in the heat of summer. Games become spectacles. 

If you’re looking to pole vault your way into the middle of the action, we can help you dismount in Paris—the 2024 site of pageantry and dozens of wide-ranging events, from archery to wrestling, with plenty of gymnastics, swimming and soccer (or football to our friends across the pond) tossed in. 

Alaska’s global airline partners offer convenient flights to the heart of France, even if you’re being tempted by a last-minute trip. 

Choose the best option for you:

You can book flights directly with our partners or redeem Mileage Plan miles, all on our website.

Thinking of business class all the way? You can buy tickets and use miles to fly in style at alaskaair.com. 

Fly to Paris

Alaska’s global airline partners offer convenient flights to the heart of France, even if you’re being tempted by a last-minute trip. Alaskaair.com has options for what works best for you: You can book flights directly with our partners or redeem Mileage Plan miles, all on our site. Thinking of business class all the way? You can buy tickets and use miles to fly in style at alaskaair.com. 

Here’s a look at how several of our global partners can get you to Paris from our West Coast gateway cities: 

Air Tahiti Nui 

  • Seattle Twice weekly nonstop flights to Paris with departures on Wednesday and Saturday 

  • Los Angeles Five times a week nonstop flights to Paris with departures on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 

Aer Lingus 

  • Seattle Six times a week nonstop flights to Dublin with connections to Paris on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

  • San Francisco Daily flights to Dublin with connections to Paris 

  • Los Angeles Daily flights to Dublin with connections to Paris 

American Airlines 

  • Connect to American Airlines in Chicago or New York via one of Alaska’s several daily nonstop flights from Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, San Diego and Anchorage (service starts June 13) 

  • Chicago O’Hare Daily nonstop flights to Paris 

  • New York JFK Daily nonstop flights to Paris 

Don’t forget: When you book a flight with one of our partners on Alaskaair.com, you earn at least 100% of the miles you fly. And guests with Mileage Plan elite status receive matching tier status within the oneworld alliance and all the benefits that come with it. 

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

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.  

Click to enlarge

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.

Alaska Airlines Board elects Justin Neff vice president strategic sourcing & supply chain management and Ann Ardizzone vice president special projects; McGee Air Services Board elects Jeff Helfrick president and secretary

Previously, Neff served as president of McGee Air Services, where he set a new standard of safety and operational excellence for the subsidiary and built an industry-leading recruiting and training program based on relationships and taking care of people. Prior to McGee, he held pivotal roles at Alaska Airlines, including managing director of engines, components, material, and leasing and managing director of supply chain. Prior to Alaska, he worked in IT contracting and procurement for Black & Veatch.

“Justin embodies our values to own safety and deliver performance. His ability to build genuine relationships with internal and external stakeholders coupled with his innovative solution-focused mindset creates a remarkable experience for his employees, peers and vendors alike,” said Shane Tackett, Alaska Airlines executive vice president of finance & CFO.

Ann Ardizzone named vice president of special projects for Alaska Airlines

Neff succeeds Ann Ardizzone, who will take on a new role as vice president of special projects, leveraging her expertise for the airline’s potential integration with Hawaiian Airlines.

Ardizzone started her career with Alaska Airlines in 1981, initially in finance. In 1998, she became managing director of marketing programs, where she oversaw Mileage Plan (Alaska’s award-winning loyalty program), and the alaskaair.com website. She later was promoted to vice president of inflight and then to vice president of supply chain. Last year, she was recognized for her dedication and service to the company being named an Alaska Airlines Legend, the highest honor an employee can achieve. 

Tackett noted that Ardizzone, with four decades at the company, brings more experience across Alaska Airlines than any other leader and that she will be key in the new role in helping to ensure the company is positioned to deliver a successful integration, should its planned acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines proceed.

Jeff Helfrick named president of McGee Air Services

New to Air Group, Jeff Helfrick will oversee 2,000 employees at Alaska Airlines’ subsidiary, managing ground services across eight airports. He’ll direct strategy, growth, and finances, fostering a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, service, innovation and taking care of its people.  

Helfrick comes to McGee with an impressive background in airline, airport and customer operations, including as vice president airport operations for Hawaiian Airlines from 2016 to 2023. He also served as general manager/senior vice president of airports for Air New Zealand and vice president of airport operations-the Americas for Qantas Airways; and spent 20 years at United Airlines. He has a business administration degree from Loyola University Maryland.

“Jeff’s extensive background in airline and airport operations, both nationally and internationally, puts him in an ideal position to lead McGee and its dedicated management team,” said Wayne Newton, chairman of McGee Air Services board of directors and Alaska Airlines’ senior vice president of airport operations and customer service. “His leadership will be pivotal as we expand our business and become a leader in aviation and airport services in North America.”

Celebrating International Flight Attendant Day at Alaska Airlines 

Photos by Joe Nicholson, Alaska Airlines | Video by Ken Boyer, Alaska Airlines

Today, we join the global aviation community in celebrating International Flight Attendant Day! At Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, we are incredibly proud of our dedicated flight attendants who ensure every journey is safe, comfortable and enjoyable.

On this special day, we extend our heartfelt thank you to our flight attendants. Their expertise and warmth not only elevate our service but also strengthen our connections across the globe. 

This year, we recognized the outstanding careers of several distinguished flight attendants by naming them “Alaska Legends” and “Horizon Pathfinders.” These top honors celebrate those with illustrious careers who have consistently aspired to greater heights, prioritized others, and exemplified the very best in all of us.

Tilli Buchanan

Flight Attendant, SEA
Alaska Airlines Legend ’24

“I absolutely love people, getting to travel and see the world, meet new people. Every day is a new adventure,” said Tilli Buchanan, flight attendant, SEA, who became a flight attendant at 40 years old. “Everyone’s journey is different. All you have to do is have a desire and dream big and bright.”  

Chris Cardenas

Flight Attendant, LAX
Alaska Airlines Legend ’24

“I enjoy my job and try to have fun,” said Chris Cardenas, flight attendant, LAX. “Interacting with people, the different walks of life that come on that plane every day—people losing someone, somebody’s going to a wedding, you’re taking people to see a family member they haven’t seen in 30 years—that’s one thing they teach you when you become flight attendants: ‘always think about what that person’s going through that day.’ You never know what they’re going through but you can find out and at least make the experience a little bit easier.” 

Rita Daniels

Flight Attendant, LAX
Alaska Airlines Legend ’24

“I’ve enjoyed this whole journey,” said Rita Daniels, flight attendant, LAX. “I love seeing children who obviously have an interest in becoming a pilot or a flight attendant–passing out the wings is my favorite. More than 20 years later, here I am, and still loving it!”

Dankeith “Keith” Chadd

Flight Attendant, SEA
Alaska Airlines Legend ’24

“I enjoy most working in the Main Cabin. My people are the people who aren’t comfortable traveling, my people who are on the discounted ticket. I like those people. I have something to offer them because I am one of those people,” said Keith Chadd, flight attendant, SEA. “I know why they hired me, I know why they hired you, it’s because you are a hero. It’s because you will never leave me behind.”

Sylvia Newbill

Flight Attendant, PDX
Alaska Airlines Legend ’24

“I’ve always loved being a flight attendant from the time I started,” said Sylvia Newbill, flight attendant, PDX. “I got hired with Alaska in 1991, Alaska’s people are the secret sauce.” 

Tanya Santana

Flight Attendant, SEA
Alaska Airlines Legend ’24

“When your peers recognize you as a legend, that’s the highest honor, it goes right in there with the guest telling me that that was one of the best flights. I am so grateful I followed my dream,” said Tanya Santana, flight attendant, SEA. 

Peter Oxentenko

Flight Attendant Instructor, PDX
Horizon Air Pathfinder ’23

“We make connections with people in 45 minutes or less,” said Peter Oxentenko, flight attendant instructor, PDX. “Everybody that works here—they’re still the reason I’m here for 19 years. They know what they’re doing and they care about one another.”

Jennifer Levcun

Flight Attendant, PAE
Horizon Air Pathfinder ’23

“I enjoy people, have a passion for travel, and I wanted an adventure,” said Jennifer Levcun, flight attendant, PAE. “It’s my hometown (Seattle), I knew that they were a safe airline and thought ‘this is a perfect fit for my life and family.’ I was thrilled when I got hired.” 

Alaska Airlines invests in new world-class training facility to support flight attendants, pilots and more

The Longacres facility in Renton, Wash. was purchased from Unico Properties and will open in 2025

A new future for Alaska Airlines’ employees and their careers begins today with the purchase of a facility that will become home to the airline’s world-class training programs. The new training hub will enhance the training experience for flight attendants, pilots, customer service agents and more, as well as centralize operations into one facility. 

Conceptual rendering of the new training facility. Credit: NBBJ

Our remarkable operations team members will, for the first time in our history, all come together and train under one roof,” said Constance von Muehlen, chief operating officer at Alaska Airlines. “We’re excited to build on Alaska Airlines’ culture of safety, performance and care in this purposefully-designed space worthy of our frontline team’s contributions to every guest and every flight.”

New world-class training facility

Alaska already houses nine full-motion flight simulators in the facility and has plans to add a tenth in the next few years. In addition to simulators, the new space will include a mock aircraft for inflight simulations, classrooms, an auditorium, a production studio and significant office space. 

The property is part of Longacres, which Unico Properties purchased from Boeing in December 2021 and which housed Boeing Commercial Airplane HQ in prior years. Located at 1901 Oakesdale Ave. S.W., Longacres is a 173-acre campus that is being planned for a vibrant, diversified, mixed-use campus that includes an Arts and Entertainment District, miles of walking and jogging trails, ponds and scenic wetlands, and direct access to the Renton/Tukwila Sound Transit Station.  

Alaska Airlines has purchased the 19-acre property from Unico Properties for $85.75 million, which includes the 600,000-square-foot facility that Boeing purposefully built to house an aviation training facility. Alaska plans to invest an additional $100 million to renovate the space.

Click to enlarge

“This major commitment by Alaska alongside the significant investment made by the Sounders in opening its new training facility earlier this year, has created significant momentum for the mixed-use campus. Given these events, Renton is a bright spot in the region and we’re excited to build upon these announcements to bring other beloved Northwest brands to our exciting new community,” said Liz Thorson, Unico Properties Director, Market Leader. “We’re pleased to have secured in excess of 670,000 square feet of occupancy since acquiring the property in a difficult office environment throughout the country.”

We’re thrilled to invest in our Puget Sound home,” said Shane Jones,  senior vice president of fleet, revenue products and real estate at Alaska Airlines. “The growth opportunity this purchase provides us cannot be overstated, and it really feels like a perfect match. Having access to a facility that was purpose built for aviation training that we then get to customize was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. As Longacres continues to be built out, our employees will have access to amenities that will truly make this a world class training experience.” 

Conceptual rendering of the new training facility. Credit: NBBJ

While pilots already train on the campus using the existing simulators, other employee groups will begin moving into the facility following renovations towards the end of 2025. 

Click to enlarge

“It is great to see this special 173-acre campus come to life with the opening of the Sounders FC practice facility and now the thousands of Alaska Airlines employees that will frequent the site,” said Ned Carner, Founder Wing Point Partners who worked with Unico to facilitate the sale. “We are one step closer to achieving our goal of an active campus that seamlessly brings the community to work, live, and recreate together.”

Download photos and renderings of the new property:
Press Kit

Alaska Airlines celebrates summer travel season with “upgrade unlocked” – get ready for a surprise upgrade to Premium Class!

Every day, all summerlong, at least one Main Cabin guest will be randomly upgraded to Premium Class

Every day this summer, Alaska Airlines is surprising and delighting at least one guest seated in our Main Cabin with an upgrade to Premium Class to celebrate the start of the busy travel season. upgrade unlocked, which runs from June 1 until Sept. 2, allows our guests to experience the airline with the most legroom in Premium Class.*

“upgrade unlocked is one way we’re showing guests our appreciation for choosing to fly with us to their favorite destinations this summer. Premium Class is just one of the many premium products and services we offer to our guests, including our best-in-class lounges, the freshest West Coast food and beverage line-up and our award-winning Mileage Plan program with the fastest path to elite status. Whether it’s their first time or they’ve experienced Premium Class before – we can’t wait to hear from our guests who receive this surprise upgrade!”

– Eric Edge, managing director of marketing and advertising at Alaska Airlines

Each day we’ll notify one of our guests (and their travel partner, if they have one) through the Alaska Airlines mobile app or by email that they’ve been randomly selected to be upgraded from their Main Cabin seat to Premium Class.

These rows of seats, which are behind First Class, are typically reserved for our loyalty program elite members or for purchase. Alaska’s Premium Class offers our guests four extra inches of legroom – the most of any U.S. legacy airline – custom-designed leather seats and complimentary beer, wine or cocktails for our guests 21+ on most flights over 350 miles. Our Premium Class guests also enjoy early boarding and they’re among the first to get access to overhead bin space and deplane.

upgrade unlocked is launching as the busy summer travel season is underway. This past Memorial Day weekend, we saw an increase of 6% of passengers traveling away from home to sunnier destinations. We expect to see even more flying when bookings increase ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend.

To respond to the summer travel demand, Alaska Airlines has added more flights to our existing schedule in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We’ve greatly expanded our service from Anchorage to destinations such as Chicago, Denver, and Salt Lake City and are excited to begin new service to New York City in June. We’re also expanding our reach to the east this summer with new nonstop routes connecting Portland to Nashville, and San Diego to both Atlanta and Tampa. That’s all in addition to our recently-inaugurated international expansion to Guatemala, The Bahamas, and Toronto!

Can’t wait to learn if you’ve been selected for upgrade unlocked? We’re making it easier for our guests to upgrade! Now you can pay to upgrade to First or Premium Class up until check-in is closed.

For our press kit, including still images, click here.

*Among U.S. legacy airlines

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