Alaska Airlines adds new nonstop between Honolulu and Seattle area’s second airport

June 9, 2023
Destinations
Alaska Airlines
4 min read

Daily, year-round service between Seattle/Everett (Paine Field) and Oahu starts Nov. 17 with introductory fares starting as low as $149 one-way

Alaska Airlines is celebrating more aloha with new nonstop service between Seattle/Everett and Honolulu starting this fall – our first flight connecting Paine Field-Snohomish County Airport and the Hawaiian Islands. The daily, year-round flight begins on Nov. 17, just in time for travel during the holiday season.

For a limited time, introductory fares between Seattle/Everett and Honolulu start at $149 one-way along with Mileage Plan award redemptions as low as 12,500 miles one-way. Tickets are available for purchase now at alaskaair.com. This is our first new route to Honolulu in more than a decade and it will be the longest flight we will operate from Paine Field.

If there’s one place our guests told us again and again that they wanted to fly to from Seattle’s northern airport, it’s beautiful Hawaii. We’ve been eager to make it happen,” said Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning for Alaska Airlines. “We’ve proudly served the Hawaiian Islands for more than 15 years. This new route adds Seattle/Everett to our list of West Coast gateways to Honolulu. We’ll be ready to say aloha to our guests on this new flight this fall.”

Seattle/Everett is a closer, more convenient airport when traveling to and from points north of Seattle. We launched our regularly scheduled service there in March 2019 when the new facility opened. Many of our guests enjoy the smaller terminal’s location and upscale lounge atmosphere instead of spending time and money driving to Seattle’s main airport. The airport recently welcomed its one-millionth passenger on a departing flight from Seattle/Everett.

“For those traveling between Honolulu and Washington State, flying into Seattle/Everett will be a terrific, less congested option and a great way to access the greater Seattle area,” said Daniel Chun, director of sales, community and public relations in Hawaii for Alaska Airlines. “With this new flight, we’ll fly a combined six nonstops a day to the two Seattle area airports from Oahu, providing our leisure and business travelers with a variety of flight times that work best for them.”

The initial seven weeks of the flight schedule for the Thanksgiving and winter holidays varies from the winter schedule that starts on Jan. 8, 2024:

Thanksgiving-Winter Holiday 2023 Schedule

Start Date	City Pair	Departs	Arrives	Frequency	Aircraft
Nov. 17	Seattle/Everett-Honolulu	9:10 a.m.	1:38 p.m.	Daily	737
Nov. 17	Honolulu-Seattle/Everett	11:25 p.m.	7:10 a.m.	Daily	737

All times local

Early Winter 2024 Schedule

Start Date	City Pair	Departs	Arrives	Frequency	Aircraft
Jan. 8	Seattle/Everett-Honolulu	9:25 a.m.	1:40 p.m.	Daily	737
Jan. 8	Honolulu-Seattle/Everett	2:40 p.m.	10:47 p.m.	Daily	737

All times local

With this new service in the fall, we’ll fly from eight West Coast gateways to Hawaii.

We currently fly to the Islands from Anchorage, Seattle/Everett, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles and San Diego. We serve Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Island of Hawaii from these airports with an average of 30 nonstop, peak-daily flights.

We fly to nine destinations from Seattle/Everett.

Most of our flights serving Seattle/Everett are on our E175 regional jets flown by our sister carrier Horizon Air. We fly from Paine Field to Anchorage, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orange County, Palm Springs (seasonal), Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and Tucson (seasonal). In February 2022, we started mainline service on select flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix on our 737 aircraft.

With our award-winning service, we offer onboard amenities for a terrific trip to the Islands. Our 737s have a three-class cabin including First Class and Premium Class. With power outlets at every seat, you can enjoy hundreds of free movies and TV shows that can be streamed inflight to your own devices. Our flights are also enabled with streaming-fast satellite Wi-Fi available for purchase, as well as the option to pre-order from a range of fresh meal selections.

Alaska marked 15 years of flying to Hawaii this past fall. We launched our first flight between Seattle and Honolulu on Oct. 12, 2007. Service between Seattle and Lihue, Kauai, started two weeks later, followed by Anchorage-Honolulu service in December 2007. In 2008, Alaska began serving Kona on the Island of Hawaii and Kahului on Maui.

Alaska Airlines employee sparks innovative recycling tactic in Nome, Alaska, changing the game for Cargo business & planet

June 7, 2023
Sustainability
Denise Clifton
5 min read

Living in Nome, Alaska, which is famously only accessible by air, sea and dogsled, Caitlin Auktweenna “Auk” Tozier knows intimately how important it is to recycle.

Tozier has been an Alaska Airlines ramp agent for more than three years and also works as a technology specialist at Kawerak, a Native nonprofit corporation in Nome that supports the region through programs ranging from education to natural resource management to economic development.

Through her work with Kawerak, Tozier has observed her community’s efforts to collect recycling, which sometimes sits for months waiting for space on barges headed to Seattle. Materials come in and never leave, she said. Sometimes, it’s heavy equipment, lead-acid batteries, electronics — things that are usually expensive to transport and unhealthy for the environment if left unattended. So, Tozier was inspired to do something to fix it.

As part of her job as a ramp agent, Tozier fills and loads water jugs used as ballast, a process in which water or other material is used onboard an aircraft to help control or maintain its stability – something that is needed given the harsh winds often experienced in Nome.

“Rather than send these empty jugs to Nome, and then fill them all with water to send back, I thought, ‘why don’t we just send some of these recyclables?’” Tozier said.

With family roots going back generations in Nome and in the village of Deering on Kotzebue Sound, Tozier was raised to care for her environment — a responsibility embedded deep in her family’s Inupiaq values — and she saw an opportunity to bring those values into her work with Alaska. “Respect for the land and nature is important to us,” she said. “Any recyclables we can carry out won’t have to remain in this community, where we don’t have the resources to process them.”

Tozier took the idea to use recycling as ballast to her station manager, Crystal Andersen-Booth, and the Alaska Air Cargo leadership team. The team agreed and actions were set in motion.

Following successful test runs last summer (before the ground froze in Nome), this spring, Alaska Air Cargo launched a program to carry up to 50,000 pounds of recyclable waste each year out of Nome, supporting clean-up efforts in rural communities along the Bering Sea and saving valuable water resources – all thanks to Tozier’s inventive thinking. The recyclables are collected from 16 communities around the Seward Peninsula Bering Strait region and packed onto pallets by Kawerak employees.

“Empty planes fly much better with ballast, but instead of moving water and throwing it away, we’re going to use clean electronic scrap as ballast and really do something good for the community,” said Jeff Olver, Alaska Air Cargo director of cargo operations for Seattle and the state of Alaska. Because the recyclables will replace water jugs that had been filled in Nome to create the ballast weight, this program will also save more than 6,000 gallons of local water each year — the equivalent of 20 days of water used by an average American family household.

The new recycling program joins initiatives across Alaska Airlines to reduce Alaska’s environmental impact , and allows a smaller airport like Nome to contribute to the company’s larger recycling efforts in a big way.

Our rural terminals don’t have the same resources as our bigger terminals companywide,” Tozier said. “We are responsible for bringing a lot of consumables into the community, [and we need to take responsibility] so they don’t all end up in the landfills, which are running out of space.”

What it means to the communities around Nome

Rural communities, like Nome, regularly burn trash at the landfills to make room for more waste. By creating a system to get recyclables out of communities we serve, we’re helping them maintain a clean environment, improving human health and also reducing our reliance on clean water.

For over a decade, Kawerak has been partnering with regional carrier Bering Air to move clean recyclables like electronics, lead-acid batteries, and fluorescent bulbs from smaller communities to Nome, where it often sits to wait for the barge space.

“People save their recyclables so they can be backhauled,” said Anahma Shannon, environmental program director at Kawerak. “They want to protect their environment here because they know how essential it is to their livelihood and the subsistence way of life.”

The new partnership with Alaska Air Cargo will allow more of the electronic waste to leave Nome each year and reach recycling plants in Seattle faster. Eliminating wasted water is important to the community, too.

The opportunity to expand to other communities

Alaska Air Cargo is open to working with other community organizations to expand the program to carry recyclables out of other regions across the state of Alaska. “This starts with Nome but has the potential to benefit a lot of communities as part of our longstanding commitment to the state of Alaska,” Olver said.

The biggest benefit is to public health, Shannon said. “People here rely on their environment for subsistence resources all year long,” she said. “They eat the meat, the berries, the greens, they drink the water, and they breathe the air of our environment. The great part about doing this work is that you know you’re contributing to the health of our region’s people.”

Alaska Airlines 14th Fallen Hero Cart arrives at San Antonio Airport

May 29, 2023
Community
Dianne McGinness
5 min read

Custom designed cart to honor active, retired and veteran military service members

Last week, our 14th Fallen Hero Cart arrived at San Antonio International Airport after a journey of more than 2,000 miles from SeaTac, Washington.

The cart will be used by San Antonio International Airport to ensure the remains of those who’ve served our country and those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice are treated with respect and honored while being transported to and from the aircraft. It will be available for any airline to use.

This one-of-a-kind cart is specifically designed with an interior plaque dedicated to San Antonio and also acknowledging the important role of law enforcement. With blue paint, red carpet and American flag curtains, the customized cart’s exterior also features plaques representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force.

Pioneered by a group of Alaska maintenance & engineering team members in 2011, the Alaska Airlines Fallen Soldier Program was founded to provide proper Department of Defense protocols for handling and transporting fallen military service members.

This program is designed to make sure every service member, active, retired or veteran, and their families are honored for their service and sacrifice in a respectful and dignified manner on their final journey,” said Brian Bowden, Alaska line aircraft technician and founder of the Fallen Soldier Program. “The goal is to have a cart at every station we serve.”

Months in the making

While the basic elements of the Fallen Soldier Carts are the same, each one also features some unique elements.

The planning to create a cart begins months in advance with most of the work being done by volunteers in Seattle.

“We chose San Antonio because we’ve had several Fallen Hero flights in and out of there over the years. There are also four military bases nearby,” said Kevin Kruse, Alaska line aircraft technician and founder of the Fallen Soldier Program. “When we consider destinations, we prioritize cities with a strong military presence.”

Alaska also has two inspectors based in San Antonio, Todd Gibson and Tom Wertman, who have been instrumental in the design and building of each cart since 2011.

The basic elements of the carts are identical. They have American flag curtains and red carpet on the inside. They are painted Navy blue with the emblems of each branch of the United States Armed Forces on the front and back, and a large decal mounted on the top representing the program. Each cart also features some unique elements.

“The build team puts a lot of effort into customizing each cart specific to the station it’s dedicated to,” Kruse said. “Our machine shop makes a ‘license plate’ with the airport code, and there is artwork mounted inside each cart representing the city and state. The San Antonio cart has the city seal on one end, and a woodcarving dedicated to the State of Texas Peace Officers on the other.”

Sendoff to San Antonio

On May 10, more than 50 Alaska and Horizon Air employees, community members, leaders and members of the Patriot Guard gathered at Angle Lake Park near Alaska’s Corporate Headquarters to send the Fallen Hero Cart off on its journey to San Antonio.

Accompanied by members of the Patriot Guard, the cart was transported on its 2,000-mile journey by trailer and arrived to San Antonio International Airport (SAT) on May 22.

“This was my first time being part of such a remarkable event, and I was deeply moved by the passion and dedication of everyone involved,” said Brandon L., Horizon project manager. “The cart itself was incredible, and the words shared by the Patriot Guard Riders resonated deeply. I feel immensely grateful to be a part of this program, honoring the sacrifice of our servicemen and women.”

Dedication ceremony in San Antonio

On May 22, Alaska Airlines employees, in conjunction with San Antonio International Airport and San Antonio Aerospace, a Commercial Aerospace unit of ST Engineering, held a hand-off ceremony today for a new Fallen Hero Cart based at SAT.

It was the largest Fallen Soldier Cart dedication we’ve ever had and the first time two military livery aircraft have been able to join the hand-off.

Due to the size of ST Engineering’s facility, we had the opportunity to bring our 737-800 ‘Honoring Those Who Serve’ special aircraft in from Seattle and Horizon flew the E175 with a similar livery in from Portland to use as a backdrop for the ceremony. Several employees who made contributions to the program traveled on those aircraft to witness the ceremony.

Carlos Zendejas, Horizon VP of flight operations, speaks at the ceremony in San Antonio.

The event in San Antonio was especially impactful because in just a few days on Memorial Day, we will remember all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
– Carlos Zendejas, Horizon VP of flight operations

“It was an amazing experience to see both aircraft side by side and to see the cart presented to San Antonio. These carts ‘Honor Those Who Serve’ and transport our fallen heroes home to their final resting place with honor and dignity,” Zendejas said. “The event was especially impactful because on Memorial Day, we remember all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice; we owe them and their families a debt of gratitude that we can never repay.”

How ready are you for summer travel? Here’s everything you need to know.

May 25, 2023
Guest Experience
Tricia Bruckbauer
5 min read

Do you have lots to learn when it comes to summer travel, or could you teach the course yourself? Get ready to fly Alaska Airlines this summer with these tips.

It’s getting warmer, students are getting antsy, and everyone is ready for a summer vacation. Like last summer, we expect full aircraft, busy airports and lots of guests. It’s nothing we haven’t handled before and some insider tips that can help make summer travel a breeze.

Pre-reading 📚

This summer is going to be one for the record books:

We’ve returned to our pre-pandemic level of flying, operating 1,200 daily flights to more than 120 cities.
We expect June 30 – the Friday before Independence Day – to be our busiest travel day of the summer. Fridays and Sundays continue to be our peak travel days, but guests are stretching trips due to flexible work policies.
Our guests are loving Latin America, so we’ve increased seats to our destinations there by 30%. We’re also seeing strong demand for travel to national parks and have added service from five West Coast cities to the Yellowstone area.
We’re staffed up and ready for summer with about 6% more staff than we had in 2019. Our pilot schoolhouse is graduating twice as many pilots each month compared to last spring.

The essentials – Summer Travel 101 🧳

Get travel ready before coming to the airport

Guests should check-in and get a boarding pass on the Alaska app or online at alaskaair.com before heading to the airport. You can download a digital boarding pass to your phone, text it to yourself, or even print one before arriving to the airport.

Pros know that Alaska is transforming our airport lobbies with new technology, so preparing before you get to the airport will help you get to your gate faster.

Know when to arrive

You know your needs best. We recommend arriving at the airport 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours for international. If you’re traveling with a large number of guests or checking bags, you might decide you need more time. If you’re not checking a bag or are enrolled in a trusted traveler program, then you might decide you need less time.

Some of our hub airports – including Seattle – are undergoing construction that may increase congestion. Pros know to read all email communication from Alaska leading up to a trip to stay up to date with the latest information.

101 extra credit: not checking bags? If you’re flying with just a carry on, skip the lobby and head straight to security with your digital boarding pass.

So close to pro – Summer Travel 201 🥪

Pay for your checked bags ahead of time

With new Bag Tag Stations coming to every airport we serve, you’ll be able to quickly pay for and tag your bags and go. But why not cut that time spent in the lobby even more? You can pay for checked bags on the Alaska app or online when you check in and be on your way in minutes.

Pre-order that in-flight snack

We just announced our drool-inducing summer menu, and we want to make sure you can try every dish you have your eye on. The way to sample everything is by pre-ordering your meal on the app or online up to 20 hours before your departure. How good does that smoked salmon bagel sandwich sound?

Enroll in a Trusted Traveler program

Programs like TSA’s Global Entry and Pre-Check provide expedited screening that reduces your time in the security line and comes with a few other perks including allowing children between 13-17 to enter with an enrolled parent. CLEAR members also rarely worry about being late because they’re always at the front of the security line. And our hometown airport, SEA, offers a program called Spot Saver to save a spot in the security line. Pros know to use one (or all!) of these programs to make security a breeze.

201 extra credit: if departing out of Seattle, set a reminder on your phone to sign up for Spot Saver in advance. You can sign up 5 days before your flight.

Talk about elite – Summer Travel 301 ✈

Upgrade your seat

If there’s room, we offer the opportunity to upgrade to First Class for only 15,000 miles. There may also be an opportunity to pay for an upgrade within 24 hours of departure through online check-in or at the airport.

Become a Lounge member

With airports getting busier this summer, our relaxing lounges offer the chance to start your vacation before you board the plane. Pros know how much a pre-flight pancake can relax you before the runway.

Start planning your next trip

You can book flights on many of Alaska’s partner airlines right on alaskaair.com. Why not spend your miles while you’re earning even more at 35,000 feet? All made easy with our streaming fast $8 Wi-Fi.

301 extra credit: Alaska Airlines Visa Signature cardholders get $100 off a Lounge+ membership. Sign up today.

Put your new knowledge to use on your next Alaska flight.
We can’t wait to spend our summer with you!

How Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez can score you a flight on Alaska Airlines

May 24, 2023
Community
Alaska Airlines
2 min read

Baseball is back! And we’re stoked to add Seattle Mariners’ Center Fielder Julio Rodriguez (aka J-Rod) to our roster as his official airline. Not only will T-Mobile Park’s center field be a “No Fly Zone” this season because of Julio, but fans can also score Alaska flights whenever he hits a home run. Learn more below.

Fly, Fly Away Fridays

Baseball fans who use the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card can earn 2X miles for purchases during Mariners’ Friday home games at T-Mobile Park. And if a Mariner hits a home run during the fourth inning of each home game, one lucky fan will win 100,000 Alaska Airlines miles.

Julio’s home runs = free flights

Ready for Flights With #44? Starting this season, each time Julio launches a ball over the fence for a home run, number 44 is sending 44 fans to the Alaska Airlines destination of their choice with a round trip flight. Wherever Julio’s home run lands, 44 fans sitting in that section will win. Belize? Hawaii? You name it and Julio could help get you there.

“We’re so excited to be teaming up with Julio,” said Eric Edge, MD of marketing & advertising. “He represents a new era in baseball and has already inspired so many people in the Seattle community. He’s a great partner for the Alaska brand!”

Does this center fielder feel at home in a middle seat?

We talked to Julio about how he prefers to travel, and his answers might inspire your next trip to a tropical destination or the ballpark.

✈ Window, middle or aisle seat?

Window!

🎧 What is something you always make sure to pack when you travel?

An iPad and always headphones.

📺 What are your favorite movies or shows to watch on board?

When I’m not watching film preparing for our next game, I’m watching anime (Naruto is my favorite).

🌴 What is your favorite Alaska destination to fly to?

Florida! I train there in the offseason and the weather is always nice and warm.

Alaska Air Cargo to deliver season’s first catch of Copper River salmon at Sea-Tac Airport

May 16, 2023
Other News
Alaska Airlines
1 min read

The annual rite of spring continues as Alaska Air Cargo flies the season’s first catch of prized Copper River salmon from Cordova, Alaska, to Seattle and points beyond. The first shipment is scheduled to arrive at approximately 7 a.m. on Tuesday, May 16, at the Alaska Air Cargo Warehouse at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Every year Alaska Air Cargo partners with the state of Alaska’s three largest seafood processors – Trident Seafoods, OBI Seafoods and Copper River Seafoods – to bring the coveted fish to Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska, where it will then be delivered to restaurants and grocery stores throughout the Pacific Northwest and across the country.

Native artist Crystal Worl designs Alaska Airlines aircraft taking Indigenous language and art to the skies

May 11, 2023
Community
Ali Garbino
28 min read

Summary

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Get savings of up to 50% on award redemptions to select international destinations

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It’s now easier to buy tickets with our domestic and global partners

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Our new streamlined award charts give a better idea of how many miles are needed to fly to and within regions of the world

Growing up near the shores of Juneau, Crystal Kaakeeyáa Rose Demientieff Worl was used to seeing Alaska Airlines fly over the mountains into her hometown. She says she dreamed of having her artwork displayed on a plane for years — and today, that dream became a reality.

Photos by Ingrid Barrentine

Today, we’re honored to reveal Crystal’s latest masterpiece: Xáat Kwáani (Salmon People). It’s the first aircraft in the history of any domestic airline to be named in an Alaska Native language and to depict the ancestral importance through Northwest Coast formline art.

“My heart is so full and warm,” says Crystal. “Every time I create something big or small, it’s the same feeling of just fulfilling this need and wanting to create something and share my story, to stimulate something that’s in me that feels connected. It feels good to say that I live in Juneau and fish and hunt here and eat off this land. My family’s been here for a long time, and I can say my ancestors are from here, and I’m eating the same food in the same place that they once were, and that’s really special to be able to share that and say that and feel that—and to create and retell their stories through my eyes. It’s powerful.”

Alaska Airlines has always had a profound connection to the state of Alaska—after all, it’s the foundation for becoming the premier West Coast airline we are today. In 1932, we took our first flight between Anchorage and Bristol Bay, home of the world’s most extensive sockeye salmon run.

Our support in the state of Alaska encompasses everything from transporting critical medical supplies/cargo and investing in airport infrastructure to working with Alaska Native-owned businesses and organizations, as well as partnerships with universities to increase access to education and aviation careers.

The Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 will fly in our fleet for many years throughout our network and enter passenger service on May 12, 2023, with an inaugural flight from Anchorage through Southeast Alaska. The first stop of Flight 62, will be through Crystal’s hometown of Juneau, then it will continue through Sitka, Ketchikan and Seattle.

Rosita Worl (top left) serves as the president of Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI). Crystal and her family recently honored their clan’s origins at SHI’s celebration ceremony of 12 new totem poles along Juneau’s waterfront for its Kootéeyaa Deiyí, or Totem Pole Trail.

A tribute to strength and resilience

As a tribute to salmon and its ancestral importance, this aircraft is the first in the country to be named in an Alaska Native language and the first time Alaska Airlines has featured a language besides English on the main door of an aircraft.

“This will be significant to have Indigenous language on an airplane,” says Crystal. “People will see it, they’ll read it, they’ll try to say ‘Xáat Kwáani’ (Salmon People), and they’ll want to know more and be curious to learn about it and want to feel connected to it. I think that’s significant in terms of the relationship we need to make between our languages that need speakers. So, I’m excited to be part of this.”

Learn to pronounce Xáat Kwáani

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Having read about Crystal, seen her murals in Juneau and Anchorage and knowing her love of monumental art, she came to mind when we had the opportunity to paint a very large canvas— a 737-800,” said Marilyn Romano, regional vice president in Alaska. “Only this time, instead of remaining stationary and having viewers come to the art, we will take the art everywhere this plane flies, inviting guests to learn more about Alaska Native and Native American history, art, culture and language.

- Marilyn Romano

Regional Vice President in Alaska

At a family gathering recently, her uncle, Marcelo Quinto, shared the significance of Crystal’s latest work, “She is part of us, she is part of the state of Alaska — her art is something that belongs to all of us here in Alaska, and it’s just fitting that it’s going on Alaska Airlines so that it gets to go through the whole state of Alaska. So, I hope everybody congratulates her and will enjoy knowing this is all a part of us.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Crystal Worl (@crystalworl)

lo sharing a proud moment with Crystal at a family gathering.

Crystal has high hopes that this aircraft will encourage people to learn and embrace Indigenous culture, values — and to do our part to make the world a better place for the salmon.

Salmon has a special meaning and significance in the State of Alaska and the West Coast. For Alaska Natives and Native American cultures of this region, the salmon is part of a spiritual and cultural identity.

“Salmon are perhaps probably the strongest beings on earth,” she said. “We have a great amount of respect for salmon because they’re feeding my family, clan members, community members, and Alaskans. The nutrients in their bodies feed our people, this community. It’s how our Tongass rainforest is so lush and how our animals are so big and strong. Their muscles feed our muscles and stimulate so many facets of our existence and have for thousands of years — I just hope that will remain for the next generations.”

Crystal standing in front of her 60-foot by 25-foot mural of Tlingit activist Elizabeth Peratrovich on Juneau’s downtown library building, which is designed in a modernized version of the Lukaax̱.ádix̱ clan crest, the Sockeye Salmon along with Peratrovich’s moiety, the Raven in formline design.

We are honored to share the vibrant art of Northwest Coast formline with Alaska Airlines and the world. We see the ‘Salmon People’ design symbolizing the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultural value of Wooch. Yax, Gu dlúu, Ama Mackshm: social and spiritual balance. Our Indigenous artists continue to utilize and evolve formline art, honoring our ancestors and inspiring future generations.
– Sealaska and Sealaska Heritage Institute

Alaska has always been, and will always be, a Native place with deep, rich cultural heritages. For too long, Alaska has been viewed primarily through a geographical lens, when it is the many Indigenous cultures and peoples that truly make our state unique. We honor and appreciate Alaska Airlines’ commitment to ensuring that from the moment someone sets foot on this airplane, they will have an opportunity to learn about Alaska’s First Peoples, who have inhabited Alaska since time immemorial
– Emily Edenshaw President and CEO, Alaska Native Heritage Center.

Crystal Kaakeeyáa Rose Demientieff Worl is Tlingit Athabascan from Raven moiety, Lukaax.̱ádi Sockeye Clan, from the Raven House and is Deg Hit’an Athabascan from Fairbanks, Alaska, and Filipino.

Crystal has created several public art installations in Alaska including a design on the side of a Juneau’s Capitol City Fire Rescue ambulance, a steel cut medallion installed in downtown Juneau, and last year, painted a mural 125- foot by 48-foot in Anchorage.

In March, Crystal designed “The Art of Skateboarding” stamps for the U.S. Postal Service that laud the sport of skateboarding — and what Indigenous groups have brought to the skating culture.

Today, Crystal lives in Juneau, Alaska, as a co-owner and co-designer of Trickster Company with her brother Rico Worl. Trickster Company promotes innovative Indigenous design focused on the Northwest Coast art and exploring themes and issues in Native culture.

Alaska Airlines unveils salmon livery designed by Alaska Native artist to celebrate Indigenous culture & language

May 11, 2023
Community
Alaska Airlines
4 min read

As a tribute to Xáat Kwáani (Salmon People), this special Alaska Airlines aircraft is the first of any domestic airline fleet to be named in an Alaska Native language and to depict the ancestral importance of salmon through Northwest Coast formline art.

Alaska Airlines unveiled its newest aircraft paint theme today – Xáat Kwáani – designed by the talented Alaska Native artist Crystal Kaakeeyáa Rose Demientieff Worl. Xáat Kwáani means “Salmon People” in the Alaskan Tlingit language and refers to the spiritual link between the people who interact with the beloved salmon and all of us who benefit from their stewardship of the environment.

Using Northwest Coast formline art, the salmon design by Worl is a one-of-a-kind work that honors salmon, culture, artistic expression, and language. Traditional formline art dates back thousands of years and is a two-dimensional design style of the Northwest Coast.

“Every time I looked at an Alaska plane, I couldn’t help but visualize the salmon being in formline, or having some sort of design that represents identity. I can’t help but look at things and see how to Indigenize them,” said Worl. “I have high hopes this project will encourage people to learn and embrace Indigenous culture and values.”

Through her art, Worl aims to bring attention to Indigenous culture and to pass on ancestral values to a new generation.

Crystal Worl has a love of monumental art — most recently murals gracing the sides of buildings in Juneau and Anchorage for locals and visitors to enjoy. And we had a large blank canvas — a 737-800,” said Marilyn Romano, regional vice president, Alaska Airlines. “During our first conversation, Crystal shared her desire to paint an Alaska Airlines plane — she has flown with us most of her life. Salmon as a focus was intentional and Crystal shares the relationship between salmon and Native people through storytelling and artistic design.”

Salmon has a special meaning and significance in the state of Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and along the West Coast. Some travel as far as 600 miles each way, each uniquely adapted to its particular river system, ocean and watershed environment.

Learn more about how Worl’s design came to life at https://bit.ly/3MhaZ6G.

The Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 is the first livery of a U.S. airline fleet to have the name of the plane in an Alaska Native language and the first time Alaska Airlines has featured a language besides English on the main door of an aircraft.

“This will be significant to have Indigenous language on an airplane,” said Worl. “People will see it, they’ll read it, they’ll try to say ‘Xáat Kwáani’ (Salmon People), and they’ll want to know more and be curious to learn about it and want to feel connected to it. I’m excited to be part of this.”

The aircraft will begin flying on May 12, 2023, with an inaugural flight from Anchorage through Southeast Alaska. First stop of Alaska Airlines flight 62 will be through Crystal’s hometown of Juneau, the state’s capital, before it continues through Sitka, Ketchikan and Seattle.

Xáat Kwáani (Salmon People) paint facts:

It took 117 gallons of paint to complete the livery.
Four main colors were used to create the livery: Midnight Blue, Atlas Blue, White and Pink.
From landing to take-off, it took just 12 days to paint.
The specially painted livery will fly for a number of years through a paint system that applies a protective clear coat over the base coats. This protective coating will keep the livery looking fresh for many years.
Down a timelapse video of the painting of the plane.

Learn more about Worl, download photos and the full Xáat Kwáani media kit at https://bit.ly/3LW4PHI.

Download Media Kit

More choices at 30,000 feet! Alaska Airlines adds bigger variety of food & beverage options

May 10, 2023
Guest Experience
Alaska Airlines
6 min read

Along with new meal selections in First Class and the main cabin, we’re introducing our take on a classic sandwich for all ages that’s infused with West Coast flavors

If variety is the spice of life, it’s also a great thing to have when selecting something to eat on your next flight on Alaska Airlines. Our guests told us they enjoy our fresh food options but were eager for more to choose from. That’s why, beginning today, we’ve increased the variety of our food offerings, from doubling the number of pre-order options in the main cabin to giving our First Class guests up to five different entrees to pick up on their flights.

We’ve also added a new, family-friendly sandwich to our onboard menu in the main cabin – great for young travelers and even those who are young at heart. Named by one of our employees, Jetsetter’s Jam is our take on the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich – that’s peanut free. It’s made instead with toasted cashew and oat butter and a homemade strawberry compote on a sweet croissant bread, paired with fresh fruit and a slice of Tillamook cheese.

We’re always looking to spark joy with great food and drink on board our flights, delivering a delicious meal or craft beverage with care as part of our award-winning service,” said Todd Traynor-Corey, managing director of guest products at Alaska Airlines. “What our guests have to say is important, and they told us that more food and beverage variety would be great, so we set out to make that happen. We’ve worked hard to give our guests of all ages a wider selection of food, from classic comfort food to more healthful options all while representing the vibrant flavors of the West Coast.

Alaska continues to offer freshly-prepared meals in First Class on our flights as short as 550 miles. Other U.S. airlines don’t offer fresh food items on flights unless they’re longer than 900 miles. Our guests in First Class also have more vegan and gluten-free options available to reserve before their flight by using our industry-leading pre-order feature on our mobile app or website. Fresh food in the main cabin is available only by pre-ordering it, so making a selection before you fly is the way to go.

A sampling of what’s new in First Class

Guests have a choice of up to five different entrees on coast-to-coast and Hawaii flights, and four options on most other flights
Breakfast features menu options like our Beecher’s Mushroom Omelet, Chicken Sausage Breakfast Bowl and Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
Lunch options include a Wedge Salad with Applewood Bacon, Korean Barbeque Chicken Sandwich and Caramelized Onion Angus Burger
We have new dinner options on long-haul flights including Chimichurri Flat Iron Steak, Herb Roasted Chicken, Lemon Fennel Manicotti and Ginger Beef Stir-Fry Noodles
We’ve added Beecher’s Flagship Mac and Cheese as a comfort classic on certain flights
For a little spice, Alicia’s Pork Carnitas Tamale – handcrafted with organic ingredients in the Bay Area – is now available on select flights departing the Bay Area
Vegan options are available for pre-order on all meal service flights including items such as a Harissa and Chorizo Frittata made with plant-based JUST Egg, a Spicy Tofu Wrap and a White Bean Chili with Grilled Polenta
As we continue to elevate our guest experience, glassware is returning on our regional E175 flights and printed menus return on our coast-to-coast and Hawaii flights

What’s new in the main cabin

We’ve more than doubled the number of pre-order options that our guests can purchase in the Main Cabin, with a wider variety of selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner by offering different choices for outbound and inbound trips.

Breakfast options will include a Turkey, Bacon & Tomato Bagel Sandwich and Smoked Salmon Bagel Sandwich

Lunch and dinner options include two new salad choices designed in partnership with Evergreens Salad: Stand Banh Mi and Strawberry Fields for Chevre

There are also two new wraps to enjoy: Mediterranean Chicken Shawarma and Chicken Mango
On flights to and from Hawaii, we’re bringing back hot food with the return of our famous Tillamook cheeseburger with more hot food choices planned for the future
Our famous Signature Fruit and Cheese Platter and Fresh Start Protein Platters remain available in addition to more variety of sandwiches and salads

The new Jetsetter’s Jam sandwich is available for purchase by pre-order in the main cabin on flights over 775 miles. We made the decision years ago to be a peanut-free airline. The development of this new sandwich was created with safety in mind for guests with nut allergies. To prevent any reactions to food items we serve, allergens are listed on all guest-facing pre-order platforms as well as on the meals themselves. We’re also offering the Kid’s Choice Picnic Pack which is completely nut free and available on all flights over 670 miles. 

For beverages, First Class guests can enjoy wines from Ste. Chapelle – the oldest winery in Idaho led by a female winemaker – and we now serve Fat Tire Amber Ale from New Belgium, which is the first-ever completely carbon-neutral beer. In July, Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing Hazy IPA will join the mix along with a Schilling Hard Cider.

We know convenience matters. That’s why we emphasize our pre-order program for meal selections. It’s easy for our guests to order their favorites up to two weeks before their flight and up to 20 hours prior to departure in all cabins. Picnic Packs do not require pre-ordering and they’re available on board most flights longer than two hours.

See our full food and drink menu on alaskaair.com.

Alaska Airlines names a new vice president of strategy, analytics and transformation

May 9, 2023
Other News
Alaska Airlines
2 min read

Alaska Airlines has promoted Tiffany DeHaan to vice president of strategy, analytics and transformation. DeHaan assumes the role currently held by Sandy Stelling, who will retire from Alaska Airlines in July after 23 years.

DeHaan will oversee the execution of company strategy, development of all strategic initiatives and overall project execution for Alaska. She is responsible for Alaska’s data strategy to drive improved decision-making and value creation, while also providing leadership across the enterprise through successful collaboration and disciplined execution to deliver results for guests, employees and the airline.

“Tiffany is a big-picture strategic thinker who knows how to drive results and get things done,” said CEO Ben Minicucci. “We are well positioned to execute on our strategic growth and we are fortunate to have someone with Tiffany’s expertise and skills lead this work.”

DeHaan joined Alaska in 2018 as managing director of culture, learning and inclusion. In that role, she provided strategic and operational leadership for diversity, equity and inclusion, employee engagement, recognition and events, people communications, and leadership and organizational development to elevate Alaska’s culture and enhance the employee experience across Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. She launched Alaska’s 2025 DEI Commitments, developed a vision and strategy for the Leader Academy to equip leaders to effectively lead in alignment with the company’s values and expectations of their role, redesigned the talent management strategy, and launched employee engagement programs including Leader Immersion and Flight Path.

Prior to joining Alaska, DeHaan spent 12 years at Point B, a global business consulting firm, leading the strategic execution of critical initiatives for major organizations.

DeHaan earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in management information systems from Oregon State University. She and her family reside in Sammamish, Washington. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

New Washington Law Incentivizes Local Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production

May 4, 2023
On The Record
Alaska Airlines
1 min read

Alaska Airlines applauds Washington state Governor Jay Inslee, and bill sponsor, State Senator Andy Billig, for the signing of new legislation to help drive growth in the market for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Washington state.

Investing in SAF has multilayered benefits, including the creation of family wage manufacturing jobs. Using SAF is also the most significant way we can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of aviation over the next several decades. This legislation will help ensure that SAF is more available at a cost and scale that enables its use and continues to position Washington State as a leader on climate action.

This is a step in the right direction, and we look forward to working with public and private partners to realize its full potential.

Getaway Goals: when the Seattle Kraken score, fans can win a getaway on Alaska Airlines

May 1, 2023
Community
Alaska Airlines
3 min read

To celebrate our home team’s run through the playoffs, we’re offering deals, chances to win and priority boarding

This story was updated on May 8, 2023

As the Kraken make hockey history, we couldn’t be prouder to be the team’s official airline. We’re so proud, we’re getting our guests in on all the fun.

Getaway goals

When the Kraken score, you win round trip tickets!

Starting with Round 2 Game 3, the first player to score a goal unlocks the chance to win round trip flights. How many? The number on his jersey! For example, Jordan Eberle (#7) scored the first goal in Game 3, so we gave away 7 round trip tickets to 7 lucky winners.

Who will score first in Game 4? Tell us for a chance to win the next getaway!

Fans can enter by following @alaskaair on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, replying with the player you think will score first and using the hashtag #AlaskaAirGoals. Entry opens 24 hours before and ends at puck drop for each game, and we’ll keep playing as long as the Kraken do.*

$99 flights to away games

We’re slashing ticket prices so hockey fans can cheer on the Kraken when they’re playing in enemy territory. As we’re playing the Dallas Stars in round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, fares between Seattle and Dallas (both DAL and DFW) are only $99. Restrictions apply, see terms and conditions at alaskaair.com/sale.

Score a Deep Discount

We are so proud of everything the Kraken have accomplished so far this season, and now we want to fill the rink in Dallas with as many Kraken fans as we can,” says Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci.

Priority boarding

As always during hockey season, guests sporting Kraken gear can board early on all Alaska flights departing from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), following group B.

American Hockey League fans of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Palm Springs’ (PSP) new professional ice hockey expansion team of the Seattle Kraken, can also board early if they’re wearing Firebird gear.

*Terms and Conditions apply. Read more here.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. We strive to be the most caring airline with award-winning customer service and an industry-leading loyalty program. As a member of the oneworld alliance, and with our additional global partners, our guests can travel to more than 1,000 destinations on more than 25 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com and follow @alaskaairnews for news and stories. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.