Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci confirmed that the airline will start flying to Europe in 2026. In an interview with the Seattle Times, he mentioned nonstop flights to Europe from Seattle will be a key step in its recent international growth strategy.
During the interview, he highlighted Alaska’s strong position in Alaska citing that the company knows what the Seattle market wants and they are not afraid to give them what they want.
This boldness comes in the airline’s willingness to try new routes like the ones they tried a few years ago to the Bahamas, which ultimately didn’t pan out.
Seattle as a Launchpad for International Expansion
The airline has recently announced nonstop service to Seoul, South Korea from Seattle beginning in September.
This was accomplished thanks to the airline’s acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. Hawaiian Airlines brings along a widebody fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A330-200s. Something that Alaska Airlines definitely lacks with their pre-merger fleet.
These new inclusions to the fleet opens a plethora of opportunities for Alaska in Europe. However, assuming the airline wants to compete with Delta on European service, we’ll likely see the first routes from Seattle being to London-Heathrow or Paris-Charles de Gaulle.
What Does It Means for Seattle Travelers?
As it stands, Delta is one of the leading American air carriers with international service at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Alaska’s potential offering to Europe creates more opportunities for Seattle customers. It also gives them an alternative to Delta’s European service from Seattle. This competition can lead to increased quality of service and pricing amongst both airlines’ international product offerings..
The potential European expansion also cements Alaska’s prominent position in Seattle. The airline dominates the West Coast domestic scene. Many major commercial airports on the West Coast feature nonstop flights to Seattle via Alaska Airlines. This will allow Alaska to easily fulfill demand for their European flights as passengers will be able to easily connect to Seattle.
It is also unfeasible for Delta to compete with Alaska Airlines on the European international scene. While Delta does fly internationally from Los Angeles on the West Coast, the bulk of the airline’s total international options stem from Atlanta. It makes no sense for the airline to go tic-for-tac with Alaska Airlines on European routes from Seattle.
Alaska’s bold movement into the European market showcases the airline’s commitment to be daring. That symbolizes confidence, brings better service to its Seattle customers, and creates competition on some underserved European routes from Seattle.
