Alaska Airlines will launch 787 Dreamliner flights from Seattle to London and Reykjavik in spring 2026, plus a bold new livery inspired by the Northern Lights.
Alaska Airlines just announced two more international destinations that will be operated by its Boeing 787 Dreamliners: London and Reykjavik.
Two months ago, when the airline first announced its intention to fly to Europe, we speculated that London would be on their list of initial destinations. But in a surprise to us, in this latest announcement the airline has also included a route pairing between Seattle and Iceland.
Alaska’s announcement didn’t include any start dates or flight frequencies yet, but they did mention they hope to start these routes in spring 2026.
Alaska’s international expansion means one thing: they’ve become laser-focused on being the premier carrier out of Seattle. As it stands now, they already have a dominant share of the domestic market from SEA. With Europe and Asia coming down the pike, Alaska is positioning itself to serve Seattle customers in all capacities.
London was a no-brainer target for their expansion. Rome? Less obvious, but there was a case for it. However, Iceland? That was unexpected—a direct challenge to Icelandair.
Icelandair serves Iceland nonstop from Seattle using its Airbus A321XLR fleet. Can Alaska consistently fill the widebody 787 on this route? Is there enough demand for a widebody to Iceland? We’ll find out in a few months. Alaska will have a better onboard experience, but matching Icelandair’s frequency and low fares will be a challenge. Still, this is an interesting move for the airline. All we can do is speculate until the first flight leaves the runway.
Delta is the only competitor at Seattle that seems to be pushing back. After Alaska announced its Rome route pairing, Delta countered with its own from Seattle. Will Delta add flights to London from Seattle? Possibly. But I doubt they’ll engage in competition over Iceland.
We called it. We had major debate and received some flak on our Facebook page about whether the Boeing 787s acquired through the Hawaiian merger would receive Alaska branding. But according to the announcement, it’s official—Alaska Airlines has showcased a new livery. And it’s nice!
The 787 design is inspired by the aurora borealis (Northern Lights) and signals Alaska’s global initiative. But one element is notably missing: the Eskimo logo will not be present on the tail. This move showcases Alaska’s commitment to a more universal look as the airline begins a new chapter in international markets.
“Our new 787 exterior embodies Alaska’s transition to a global airline with beauty, grace and a nod to our heritage,” said Andrew Harrison, Chief Commercial Officer at Alaska Airlines. “As we significantly expand to new destinations around the globe, we’re eager for more and more travelers to recognize our new livery as being Alaska Airlines and appreciate the outstanding service we’ve long been known for.”
We really enjoy this livery. It’s sleek, modern, and feels like a great step forward.
