Alaska Airlines targets 15 intercontinental routes from Seattle by 2030

Alaska Airlines plans to expand its intercontinental network at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport sharply over the next several years, according to comments at the carrier's Investor Day on Tuesday.

Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Harrison said Alaska currently serves five intercontinental destinations from Seattle and expects to reach 10 by 2028 and 15 by 2030. No new routes were announced at the event.

The airline's existing Seattle long-haul service covers Rome, Reykjavik, London, Tokyo and Seoul. Flights to Paris and Athens are due to start next year.

Harrison said more announcements focused on Asia are coming, describing the future mix as leaning toward Asia over Europe. He also pointed to growth work on the ground. A three-bay hangar under development in Portland is designed to hold two widebody aircraft, with completion expected in June 2028. Harrison said it would further strengthen Portland's place in the network.

Additional gates coming online this fall will give the airline room to add flying, he said. International service at Seattle remains largely untapped.

Harrison framed the shift as a change from 2024, when he said Alaska had essentially no ability to serve Seattle's long-haul international demand with its own aircraft. Two years on, he said the airline has built a network that closes most of that gap, and by 2030 it expects to be the leading international carrier in Seattle.