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magnifying glass with dark circle in the middle.

It’s unfair to tax all Sea-Tac passengers for new international terminal

Originally published in the Seattle Times on Feb. 23, 2015

By Joe Sprague, senior vice president of communications and external relations for Alaska Airlines.

NOBODY likes waiting in line. It makes sense that the Port of Seattle would want to improve the international terminal at Sea-Tac Airport so that travelers arriving from Shanghai and Paris can clear customs and retrieve their luggage quickly. But when passengers arriving from Yakima, Walla Walla and every other city across the U.S. have to pay for the new international facility, we have a big problem.

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Explore more with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

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At Alaska, we believe our Mileage Plan is best in class. But don’t just take our word for it – in 2014, Mileage Plan ranked highest in J.D. Power’s first-ever 2014 Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction ReportSM. This week, the Los Angeles Times recommended Alaska’s Mileage Plan as a top pick for elite status for fliers in the L.A. area.

As many loyalty programs cut benefits or add hoops to jump through, Alaska’s managing director of loyalty marketing and customer care Caroline Boren says the airline is focused on making its program even better for all members.

“Mileage Plan really punches above its weight class, and we want to keep it that way,” says Boren. “It’s a much bigger program than the size of our airline, and with our 14 partner airlines, you can truly earn and redeem miles for travel worldwide.”

Alaska is working on additional Mileage Plan enhancements in 2015.

New this summer: not only do Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® consumer cardholders get a companion fare each year, but they’ll get their first checked bag free on every flight.

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Travel like a pro: How to snag a better seat on the airplane

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For some, traveling can be a real challenge. Airports are hectic with so much happening at once. It’s no wonder that people get stressed out. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are four simple tricks that can help ease your way and get you to your destination in the seat of your choice with a minimum of fuss.

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Throwback Thursday: Windshield sushi – Alaska Airlines jet really did hit a fish in midair

The airplane that hit a fish is one of the most legendary stories in Alaska Airlines lore.

Like all great fish tales, the size of the fish grows with every telling, but the story that made headlines around the world in 1987 is completely true. (Although it probably didn’t help that newspapers published the story on April Fool’s Day.)

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Alaska Airlines gives a lift to ANSEP students

Oct. 20, 2017 update:

Alaska Airlines is continuing its partnership with the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program by investing an additional $1 million over the next three years. This brings Alaska Airlines total investment in the program to $2 million and will allow an additional 2,000 students from rural Alaska to participate in ANSEP.

This support is a part of Alaska Airlines’ continued commitment to support youth and education efforts in the communities they serve. In 2016, Alaska Airlines donated $3.6 million to over 300 nonprofits in the state of Alaska. Learn more about Alaska’s continued investment in ANSEP here.

Original story:

The temperature was well below zero when the sun began to rise on the frozen Kuskowim River in Bethel, Alaska. The bone-chilling dark slowly gave way to a pink glow that cast a warm light on this rural Alaska community.

When the sun finally peeked over the horizon at 9:45 a.m., residents were well into their daily routines. But this January morning was a bit different: 50 students from Bethel and remote villages gathered with packed bags for a special 12-day journey that could have ripple effects through the rest of their lives.

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How’d they film that? Alaska Airlines’ Disney airplanes star in new air-to-air video

In the world of aviation photography, the money shot looks like this: Alaska Airlines’ bright-blue Disney plane soars through billowy white clouds, perfectly spotlighted by midmorning sun. The Boeing 737-900 banks slightly to showcase its colorful fuselage painted with the “Fab Five” – Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy – along with the cheerful words, “We’re going to Disneyland.”

In an age of computer-generated everything, the surreal scenes look animated. But this magic is real.

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Recipe: Tom Douglas’ tasty tomato soup with brown butter croutons

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At Alaska your journey becomes part of the adventure as you watch free entertainment, snack on food and drinks with inspired flavors from the Pacific Northwest, relax in our custom, power equipped seats, and enjoy our award-winning service. It’s all part of Alaska Beyond™ – a new flight experience designed to go above and beyond your expectations.

At Alaska, we’re all about discovering new flavors to share with our friends and customers. In December, we announced a new partnership with three-time James Beard award-winning chef Tom Douglas to bring a rotating selection of signature items to customers flying from our Seattle and Portland, as well as all West Coast flights to Hawaii.

We also launched our new flight experience Alaska Beyond, featuring delicious food and beverages, comfortable custom-Recaro seats and all-new inflight entertainment featuring hit TV shows and movies direct to your own device.

All content, including premium movies and TV shows, will be complimentary through March 31, 2015. Starting April 1, customers can still enjoy free access to a wide selection of complimentary custom curated content and purchase premium movies and TV shows starting at $1.99.

But you don’t have to be flying to enjoy those signature Tom Douglas flavors, or great content from one of our local inflight entertainment partners: Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF).

You can bring the Alaska Beyond experience home with a delicious recipe for Tom Douglas’ Tasty Tomato Soup and an exclusive offer: up to 40 percent off tickets to movies and events during this year’s SIFF: www.SIFF.net/AlaskaBeyond.

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Phoenix-bound: Seattle fans take off for the big game

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Sea-Tac International Airport is a blur of blue and green as Seattle football fans begin to make their way to Phoenix. Balloons, Skittles and cheers abound throughout the terminals this week.

Headed to Phoenix? Breeze through the airport with these big game travel tips.

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Ask an Alaska pilot: what route do you fly?

By Doug Branch, Captain, Alaska Airlines

Doug Branch’s interest in aviation began around the same time he could say the word “plane.” Captain Branch has deep roots in the Pacific Northwest, including growing up on Bainbridge Island and learning to fly at Eastern Washington’s Big Bend Community College. After three years flying for a commuter airline in the midwest, Doug joined Alaska Airlines in 2001. After 14 years, he has a passion for doing things safely and efficiently and is honored to have the opportunity to educate passengers and to facilitate life’s great memories by getting them safely to where they need to go.

In Ask an Alaska Pilot, he will address common questions he gets from friends, family and travelers. Do you have a question you’ve been wanting to ask a pilot? Let us know in the comments and your question could be featured in a future post.

What route do you fly?

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Sky to ski: A winter escape to Steamboat Springs is just the ticket

Pacific Northwest skiers and snowboarders are suffering another winter of discontent. With snow levels remaining at stubbornly high elevations in this El Niño year and local ski areas struggling to stay open, it’s easy to give in to despair.

I’ve been an avid skier and snowboarder for the past 30 years, so I decided to cheer myself up by heading to one of North America’s best powder destinations, Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It’s just a two-hour flight from Seattle to Hayden, Colorado, then a 30-minute drive or shuttle into the Steamboat resort area.

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Wall Street Journal ranks Alaska #1

When it comes to getting passengers to their final destination on time with their bags, Alaska Airlines is the best. In its annual survey of major U.S. airlines, The Wall Street Journal today ranked Alaska the best airline in the United States for the second consecutive year.

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6 must-have items for traveling busy bags

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By Marie LeBaron, Make and Takes

Marie LeBaron is the editor of Make and Takes, a popular parenting site featuring kids’ crafts, home projects, recipes, parenting tips and more. She lives in Seattle with her family, and loves to travel.

When traveling with children, you might need a few things to keep the kids entertained as you fly. I’ve come up with six must-have items to bring with you as you travel. These are tried and true items I’ve used with my own kids as we’re on the go. They are all things you can simply add to your child’s bag or place in a pocket of your own carry-on. These can all be played with while waiting for the airplane to arrive or as you fly to your destination. Hopefully these items will keep the kids busy for a little while before asking “are we there yet?”

** Be kind to your flight attendants and make sure to take used items off the plane with you when you leave.

Here are my top 6 must-haves for a traveling busy bag:

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