Alaska Airlines adds 3 new routes just days after dropping 1

Alaska Airlines is growing its presence in San Diego with the addition of three new routes.

The Seattle-based carrier announced Monday that it'll add the following flights starting later this year:

• San Diego International Airport (SAN)-Dulles International Airport (IAD), starting June 15.
• SAN-Eugene Airport (EUG), starting June 15.
• SAN-Tampa International Airport (TPA), starting Oct. 4.

The transcontinental flights will be operated using Boeing 737 aircraft. The short 850-mile route to Eugene, Oregon, will be flown by an Embraer E175 regional jet. All flights will operate daily.

Alaska will enjoy a monopoly on the route to Tampa; Southwest Airlines pulled out of this market in September 2021, according to Cirium schedules.

Meanwhile, the Dulles International flight will go up against multiple daily frequencies on United Airlines, which operates a major East Coast hub in Dulles.

Finally, the West Coast hop from San Diego to Eugene is also operated by ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air.

That said, Alaska is seemingly trying to position itself as the carrier of choice for locals based in California. The move comes years after acquiring Virgin America, which used to have a sizable market share in the state.

"Our guests in San Diego asked for more nonstops to the East Coast and we’re excited to add service to both the nation’s capital and to Florida’s vibrant Gulf Coast,” said Neil Thwaites, regional vice president of California for Alaska Airlines, in a statement.

While this expansion is undoubtedly good news for those based in San Diego, the airline isn't exclusively growing its West Coast network.

Alaska filed plans this weekend to drop service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), as first seen in Cirium schedules.

The airline was planning to resume twice-daily summer service in this market on June 15, but those plans have now been scrapped entirely.

All of these route-map changes in California come as Alaska is busy selling its subscription-based Flight Pass, which allows you to pre-purchase a certain number of monthly trips for flights throughout California and to Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Phoenix.

This subscription is seemingly targeted at California natives who frequently explore the region, and is another example of the airline trying to boost its relevance in what's historically been a pretty tricky market.