Alaska Air Group is making waves in the aviation industry, announcing a major expansion that solidifies Seattle’s position as a global travel gateway. The merger of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines continues to bear fruit, with the exciting unveiling of Seattle as a new international hub. This strategic move marks a significant leap forward in the companies’ ambitious growth plans, offering travelers seamless connections to destinations worldwide.
Starting in 2025, Hawaiian Airlines will spearhead this international expansion by introducing nonstop flights from Seattle to two major Asian cities: Tokyo Narita (NRT), Japan, and Seoul Incheon (ICN), South Korea. These routes will operate using Hawaiian Airlines’ comfortable widebody aircraft, providing passengers with a premium travel experience. The inaugural flight to Tokyo Narita is scheduled for May 12, 2025, offering a direct link between the Pacific Northwest and Japan. These flights, along with convenient connections to numerous Asian cities via the oneworld Alliance partner, Japan Airlines, are now available for booking through alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com.
Nonstop service between Seattle and Seoul Incheon will follow in October 2025, with fares and further flight details to be released early next year. This expansion builds on Seattle’s already impressive status as the largest West Coast hub for Alaska Air Group, boasting 104 nonstop destinations across North America. This vast network, combined with the new Asian routes, significantly enhances travel convenience and connectivity.
Alaska Air Group has set an ambitious goal: by 2030, at least 12 nonstop long-haul routes will operate from Seattle using widebody aircraft, with Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon as the first two. Further destinations and schedules will be announced in the coming months.
“We believe our guests will be as thrilled as we are about these new nonstop flights to Tokyo and Seoul – two of the world’s most dynamic cities,” said Ben Minicucci, chief executive officer at Alaska Air Group. “From our global gateway in Seattle, we can conveniently connect travelers from across our network as they head to Asia and beyond. Hawaiian’s spacious widebody aircraft, along with its excellent onboard service and amenities, will make for a terrific trip from one side of the Pacific Rim to the other.”
This expansion also involves strategic adjustments to optimize existing routes. The new Seattle-Tokyo Narita service allows for the reallocation of aircraft previously used on the Honolulu-Tokyo Narita route. This shift allows for an increase in flights between Honolulu and Tokyo Haneda, boosting service from 12 to 14 weekly flights. Hawaiian Airlines will continue to offer nonstop flights from Honolulu to Osaka and Fukuoka, maintaining a robust 24 roundtrip flights per week between Hawai’i and Japan.
Domestic improvements are also underway. Beginning in late March, with the launch of the spring schedule, Alaska and Hawaiian will enhance their West Coast to Hawai’i service, adding 20% more seats on the Seattle-Honolulu route, with three of six daily flights using widebody aircraft. Portland will see three daily nonstop flights to Honolulu, and San Diego will benefit from more flexible flight times to Maui. Additionally, adjustments to flight schedules will improve connectivity for East Coast and Midwest travelers, providing smoother connections via the West Coast to Hawai’i. These include additional redeye flights and convenient connection options.
To maximize efficiency and fleet usage, Hawaiian Airlines is increasing daily flight hours for its Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A321 aircraft, resulting in more flight hours for crews and increased union jobs. The A321s will operate 25% more hours. This approach helps mitigate delays in Boeing 737 deliveries and expands network coverage.
While Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines are working towards a single operating certificate from the FAA, expected by October 2025, both brands will remain separate until then. Even after integration, both beloved brands will be retained to ensure a seamless experience for passengers.
