Alaska adds 3 new routes, including 2 exciting cross-country flights

Alaska Airlines is beefing up its network this winter with access to some popular warm-weather destinations.

The Seattle-based carrier announced three new routes on Thursday, two connecting the East Coast with the West Coast.

The first, Portland to Miami, will launch on Nov. 17, and it'll operate year-round on a daily basis. Portland is a key hub for Alaska, and Miami is the largest underserved city from Portland and vice versa.

"Plenty of flyers are ready to travel between the Rose City and South Florida," said Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning for Alaska Airlines, in a statement.

Alaska's new Portland-to-Miami route will complement its existing service to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa. Though Fort Lauderdale and Miami are just about 30 miles apart, many flyers prefer one airport to the other.

Alaska likely won't have trouble filling its flights, especially in the winter season, when Miami becomes one of the most popular domestic destinations in the country.

Plus, Miami is a key hub for Alaska's Oneworld and West Coast International Alliance partner American Airlines, so the two carriers may be able to sell connections beyond Miami to fill the flights.

The next new route, New York to Palm Springs, will take off on Dec. 14, just in time for the holidays. This new seasonal flight will operate daily through April 22, 2024. Palm Springs is a popular destination in the winter, and Alaska is marketing the new flight to those looking to "get out and soak in the sun."

That said, Alaska is no stranger to this market. Virgin America operated flights between the two cities starting in December 2012, and Alaska kept them going after its takeover of Virgin through January 2019, Cirium schedules show.

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Interestingly, JetBlue already operates service on this 2,378-mile route on a daily basis, but Alaska's new flight is timed differently (and likely better for many travelers). It departs New York in the morning and arrives in Palm Springs in the early afternoon. It then departs Palm Springs around 3 p.m. and arrives back in New York around 11 p.m.

Meanwhile, JetBlue's flight leaves New York in the evening, and travelers land around 9 p.m. local time in Palm Springs. The return flight is a redeye — far from ideal for those who want to maintain a normal sleep schedule.

Finally, Alaska is adding a new regional route from Las Vegas to San Luis Obispo in California on Dec. 14. This daily service "was driven by the growing demand for travel between these two destinations," said San Luis Obispo airport director Courtney Johnson in a statement.

No other airline currently flies between the two cities, so Alaska will enjoy a monopoly when flights launch.

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