US Alaska Airlines announces strategic plan to offer more international flights

San Francisco, Dec 11: US Alaska Airlines announced a new strategic plan to offer at least 12 nonstop global destinations with long-haul wide body aircraft from Seattle by 2030. Dubbing Seattle a "new global gateway," Alaska said it will begin offering nonstop flights from Seattle to Tokyo in May and Seoul in October, Xinhua news agency reported.

"There has never been a more exciting time to be a part of Alaska Air Group," Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in a statement. "Now, with the combination with Hawaiian Airlines, we will transform our business and solidify our competitive advantage for years to come." The Alaska Air Group, based in SeaTac, includes subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, McGee Air Services and the recently acquired Hawaiian Airlines.

Tokyo and Seoul were first on the list because Hawaiian Airlines was already in those two markets. While Alaska already flies Boeing 737 MAXs to Mexico and Central America, Hawaiian flies across the Pacific Ocean, using long-haul widebody jets to reach destinations in Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Alaska also updated its 2027 financial targets Tuesday to include 1 billion USD in profits and earnings per share of at least $10. It expects full year 2025 earnings per share to reach $5.75. For the three months between July and September this year, the most recent financial information available, Alaska reported $3 billion in revenue and $236 million in profit, which amounts to $1.84 per share.

The commercial side of the business will drive the vast majority of its anticipated profit growth, the company said, with an estimate that it will bring in an additional $800 million in revenue over the next three years.