alk tail logo

Alaska Airlines

Alaska

HA tail logo

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian

Q
magnifying glass with dark circle in the middle.
Sign up for news

News Hub

In search of Australia’s most ‘smashable’ wine: Tasting our way through the Yarra Valley

Archie the Jack Russell terrier greets wine tasters who visit winemaker Paul Bridgeman, right, and Levantine Hill Vineyard in Australia’s Yarra Valley.

“Would you like some more wine, Mr. Anderson?”

Sunset in Australia’s Yarra Valley.

That’s a question I heard several times on my business class flight from Los Angeles to Sydney on Qantas, an Alaska Airlines Global Partner. (My first time flying business, actually, and hands down the best 15 hours I’ve ever spent on a plane!)

“Yes, please” I quickly responded to the sommelier in the sky, after she gave me several recommendations, and told me all about the wines and where in Australia they’re from.

I nodded along in agreement, and expressed my extreme appreciation for the wine she recommended. The truth is: I literally didn’t know anything about wine. Absolutely nothing. I can’t emphasize that enough.

But after flying with Qantas and spending the most incredible day wine-tasting in Australia’s Yarra Valley — I’ve definitely become a beginner wine connoisseur.

I spent 12 amazing days in Australia – exploring the beautiful coastal walks in Sydney, getting an epic quokka selfie on Rottnest Island, and driving the insanely beautiful “Great Ocean Road.”

But my absolute favorite day was wine-tasting in the Yarra Valley! Sometimes the best moments on trips are the unexpected ones.

Read More

What’s an ATC delay? Here’s what can cause them – and what Alaska Airlines is doing behind the scenes

Few things are as frustrating as sitting on an airplane waiting out an “ATC delay.”

ATC is airline-speak for Air Traffic Control, a program governed by the Federal Aviation Administration. It manages the flow of planes as they arrive and depart airports. ATC’s top priority: safety. That includes maintaining a safe amount of separation between aircraft.

In perfect conditions, planes can fly closer together. When airport conditions deterio­rate – wind, snow, poor visibility, or even too many flights scheduled in the same time period – controllers ensure the highest levels of safety by requiring more space between planes as they arrive or depart. Instead of 60 airplanes arriving every hour, for instance, ATC might restrict the flow to 30 airplanes. Of course, that slower rate creates a backlog.

Airplanes must wait their turn in the air, at the departure gate or on the taxiway. Other times, airlines cancel flights to help minimize the snowball effect of delays, and passengers are rebooked on the next available flight.

Read More

Our heart in San Francisco: Alaska Airlines unveils artwork in T2 at SFO

Keep an eye out for our big heart the next time you fly through Terminal 2 at San Francisco International Airport.

The sculpture was unveiled on Valentine’s Day and signifies Alaska Airlines’ ongoing commitment to delivering kind-hearted service to the Bay Area community.
Read More

Love at first flight: Alaska Airlines flight attendants fall for each other in class, get engaged 1 year later

Alaska Airlines flight attendants Benjamin Cripps and Carline Kintigh. Photos by Victoria Fitch.

It sounds like a Hallmark movie: Two people “meet cute” in Alaska Airlines flight attendant training, fall head over heels for each other, covertly find ways to spend time together, are separated by their jobs for a time and then come back together and become engaged exactly one year after they met.

Oh, and one other thing: Both sets of their parents met working at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, and still work there today.

But it’s not the latest Hollywood rom-com starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. It’s the real-life story of Portland-based flight attendants Benjamin Cripps and Carline Kintigh.

In a nod to Alaska Airlines for bringing them together and their deep roots with the company, they recently had all of their engagement photos taken on and around the Portland Timbers-themed airplane and Portland International Airport. The photos were taken by Victoria Fitch, also a Portland-based flight attendant. Their wedding date is set for Sept. 6, 2018.

Read More

Is this the cutest animal in Australia? In search of the perfect ‘quokka selfie’ on Rottnest Island

My alarm clock started loudly chiming at 7 a.m. and I sprang out of bed with excitement.

While I normally loathe the idea of waking up that early, the day I had been impatiently waiting for had finally arrived.

Today … I’m finally exploring the idyllic Rottnest Island!

Now if you’ve never heard of this place before — prepare to add it to your bucket list! I’ll never forget the first time I saw pictures of Rottnest Island off Australia’s west coast near Perth, and I immediately knew that I had to visit this place someday. It’s been at the top of my “dream destinations” list for years now, and I was ecstatic to experience its beauty for myself.

I could barely contain my excitement while on board my business class flight from Sydney to Perth with Qantas, an Alaska Airlines Global Partner. During the flight, I definitely enjoyed some Rottnest Island dreams in my comfy lie-flat bed.

Read More

To increase overhead storage 48%, Alaska Airlines is first to get new Space Bins from Boeing

Aiming to improve onboard storage and make flying easier for customers, Alaska Airlines is the first carrier to get Boeing’s innovative Space Bins. The larger overhead bins have a similar look and feel to Alaska’s Boeing Sky Interior pivot bins yet hold more bags.

All 79 of Alaska’s 737-900ER aircraft have Space Bins, which hold as many as 174 standard carry-on bags, a 48 percent increase compared to traditional overhead bins that hold up to 117 bags. Space Bins are deep enough to store nonstandard items, such as a guitar.

Read More

Weekend trip: San Diego to Steamboat Springs

By Abe Kislevitz 

We made it to Steamboat! The skies are blue and the snow is soft. Knowing where to go on a good day like this is key to finding the goods!

Last week I got the chance to escape sunny San Diego for a weekend, and get thrown straight into winter!

My friend and fellow content creator Chris Rogers accompanied me as we explored Steamboat Springs, Colorado for three days in partnership with Alaska Airlines. They run a social media campaign called #WeekendWanderer where they’ll send you somewhere for a weekend to explore and document your travels! When you only have a few days to explore a new location, it’s best to have done some research beforehand. I tossed out a couple Instagram posts asking for recommendations and got a good list going!

Even more, we linked up with local mountain guru Alex Pashley, who works for Smartwool, a rad company based in Steamboat! With all the plans set it made 3 days feel like 2 weeks! It was the perfect weekend getaway.

  • Need a ride to Steamboat? Turn your dream into reality with these flight deals.

Read More

Here’s why the Great Ocean Road should be on your Australia bucket list – and catch a ride with Qantas, Alaska’s Global Partner

Travel writer and photographer Dave Anderson.

What’s on your “Australia bucket list”?

Many people might include snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, seeing a koala or a kangaroo, and learning to surf in Sydney.

While all of these experiences are indeed awesome, no Australia bucket list should be complete without driving the Great Ocean Road – one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives – along the south-eastern coastline of this undeniably beautiful country.

The Great Ocean Road begins in the town of Torquay, about 60 miles southwest of Melbourne , and follows B100 west about 150 miles/243 km to the small town of Allansford. Along the drive are sandy beaches, lush forests, and historical and geological sites.

Here are just a few of my favorite stops.

Read More

Here’s to one team, one goal in 2018

We recently closed the books on a very good 2017, and before we get too much further into 2018, I want to pause and reflect on what you, our customers, have helped create.

Measured as a whole, 2017 was a remarkable year. We flew 44 million of you around this incredible country – and beyond – with the great value and the caring and genuine service that has made Alaska Airlines successful for more than 85 years. We also made significant progress in our merger with Virgin America, achieving a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration in early January. By the end of April, we will have a single shopping/reservations/check-in system, and we will be 75 percent complete with the process of merging our companies – which means a more streamlined experience for you.

Looking ahead to 2018, Virgin America is bringing fresh energy and ideas as we update our guest experience. A recent article in Condé Nast Traveler says the merger of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America is “what happens when the cool kid of the skies hooks up with the straight-A student. You get a straight-A student who’s now dressing a little more punk rock and cracking open a beer in the parking lot.”  

Our teams have been working hard at Alaska to incorporate all that guests love about Virgin America into the Alaska Airlines brand they respect and can count on. We’re two incredible, pioneering airlines in the business and we’re linking arms for the future.

Read More

Alaska Airlines donates $1.5 million to remodel Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

If you’ve been to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., you know how spectacular it is – a place filled with history and exhibits that inspire, educate and entertain.

That’s why Alaska Airlines is donating $1.5 million in support of the “America by Air” gallery, part of the overall remodeling of the museum’s flagship building. From large aircraft to smaller artifacts – such as uniforms, models and engines – the gallery traces the history of commercial aviation in the United States.

“Alaska Airlines is committed to working in our communities to introduce young people – especially those most at risk – to job opportunities in aviation and beyond, to set them up for success in future career options,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines vice president of external relations. “We are honored to support one of the world’s most premier education centers and a national treasure as it gears up to inspire future aviators and young adults in person, around the country and around the world. And for Alaska Airlines guests traveling to our nation’s capital, you can go see your favorite airline playing a part in our nation’s history.”

Read More

Japan Airlines and Alaska Airlines expand codeshare network

Alaska Airlines and Japan Airlines (JAL) are expanding their partnership with additional codeshare flights that include former Virgin America routes, such as San Francisco to Boston, to Denver and to Newark.

Japan Airlines will start selling tickets for the new codeshare flights on Feb. 6 for travel after May 20, 2018.

“Travelers will now enjoy an enhanced network to travel between Japan and more cities in the U.S., taking full advantage of the combined Alaska and Virgin America network,” said Charles Breer, managing director of alliances.

Read More

Watch: Dad returns from deployment and surprises daughter on flight

Airline employees witness emotional reunions all of the time – that’s what happens when your business is bringing people together from long distances. But it’s not that often that we get to help behind the scenes to plan and facilitate such a reunion.

Last month, Alaska Airlines was contacted by a woman named Aimee from Ketchikan, Alaska. Aimee’s husband, Brian, was returning from a U.S. Coast Guard deployment in Saudi Arabia, and Aimee had arranged for him to be on the same Seattle-Ketchikan flight as her daughter, Rachel, who was coming home for the holidays after her first semester away at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.

Rachel had no idea her father, who she had not seen since last May, would be on the flight. Aimee was hoping the reunion would be a total surprise – something that would require several Alaska Airlines employees to pull off.

Read More

Loading...