Alaska Airlines adds 2 more European cities, growing its intercontinental map again
Alaska Airlines is adding two more European destinations to its route map as the carrier's global expansion picks up speed.
Nonstop flights from Seattle to Athens, Greece, and Paris will begin in May, giving the carrier a total of five destinations in Europe.
Until 2025, Alaska Airlines had never flown beyond North America and Hawaii. Now, with the addition of Athens and Paris, it will serve a total of seven intercontinental destinations — two in Asia (Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea) and five in Europe (London, Rome and Reykjavik are the others).
But Alaska's 2024 acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines set the stage for its overseas expansion. Using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners originally ordered by Hawaiian, Alaska set out to become the nation's fourth major global airline, using its Seattle hub as a launch pad for its new intercontinental service.
As for the addition of Athens and Paris, Alaska described the cities as "two of the world's most iconic destinations that rank among the most requested by Atmos Rewards members" — the latter underscoring how frequent flyer sentiment is increasingly driving airline decisions on where to fly.
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"We fly where our guests aspire to go, and Athens and Paris have been high on that list for years," Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in a statement. "As we build to more than 12 international long-haul routes from Seattle in the coming years, we're giving travelers more ways to connect to the world and more opportunities to use Atmos Rewards."
Alaska Airlines' new service to Athens
With its Athens service, Alaska will become the first airline ever to offer regularly scheduled service between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Athens International Airport (ATH). Alaska adds that it will become the only carrier to fly to the Greek capital from the West Coast.
The service will be seasonal, beginning May 12 and operating three times a week into October. Alaska says the 6,196-mile route will be the longest one ever flown by the airline.
Flight details are as follows:
| Route | Start date | End date | Departure time | Arrival time | Number of flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seattle to Athens | May 12, 2027 | October 2027 | 4:30 p.m. local time | 2:20 a.m. local time the next day | Three per week |
Athens to Seattle | May 13, 2027 | October 2027 | 4:20 p.m. local time | 6:55 p.m. local time | Three per week |
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Alaska Airlines' new service to Paris
Alaska Airlines will fly to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), where it will go head-to-head with both Air France and Delta Air Lines.
Alaska notes that the city is "one of the most searched destinations on alaskaair.com." Seasonal service will begin May 25, with five weekly flights running until the service ends in October.
The route is timed to allow for same-day connections between Paris and Honolulu, the main base for the Hawaiian Airlines brand and Alaska Air Group's second-busiest hub.
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| Route | Start date | End date | Departure time | Arrival time | Number of flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seattle to Paris | May 25, 2027 | October 2027 | 5:25 p.m. local time | 12:25 p.m. local time the next day | Five per week |
Paris to Seattle | May 26, 2027 | October 2027 | 2:25 p.m. local time | 3:50 p.m. local time | Five per week |
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