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Snapshot: A Look at Alaska Airlines by the Numbers

Aug. 30, 2019
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3 min read
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900ER photographed in April 2016 by Chad Slattery.
Snapshot: A Look at Alaska Airlines by the Numbers
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Alaska Airlines is the fifth-largest carrier in the United States and, though it's often seen as an outsider on the East Coast, its growth this decade has positioned it as a major player in domestic air travel. On the West Coast, Alaska has become a juggernaut on routes within the region.

The airline traces its roots back to 1932 in Alaska (of course), though the modern-day company has its biggest hubs in Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Though no one quite knows who its mascot is, the friendly face on its tail is has become a common sight at airports across the country.

Alaska was the last big carrier to join this century's trend of "consolidation," announcing in 2016 that it would acquire Virgin America, a brand that has since been discontinued. The move greatly expanded its Alaska's transcontinental footprint and gave it new hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Related: How to Earn Miles With the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Program

Alaska's Mileage Plan frequent-flyer program is regularly touted as one of the best among US airlines. It's the last major program that awards miles based in distance flown (instead of dollars paid) and has nearly 20 partner airlines, including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Fiji Airways, Icelandair and Qantas, among others.

Here's what else you need to know about Alaska:

Headquarters: Seattle

CEO: Brad Tilden

Destinations: 115, mostly in the United States and Latin America

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Hubs: Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anchorage and Portland, Oregon

Focus Cities: San Diego and San Jose, California

Daily Departures: About 1,200

Frequent-flier Program: Mileage Plan

Related: Alaska Airlines Adds 8 Routes, Drops 11 in West Coast Shakeup

Busiest Airports by Number of Passengers in 2018

  1. Seattle (23.16 million)
  2. Portland, Oregon (8.21 million)
  3. Los Angeles (6.09 million)
  4. San Francisco (5.61 million)
  5. Anchorage, Alaska (3.45 million)
  6. San Diego (3.28 million)
  7. San Jose, California (2.58 million)
  8. Las Vegas (1.90 million)
  9. Orange County/John Wayne, California (1.64 million)
  10. Spokane, Washington (1.27 million)

Source: Diio by Cirium

Related: Maximizing Redemptions With Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Busiest Airports by Daily Departures in 2018

  1. Seattle (292)
  2. Portland, Oregon (127)
  3. Los Angeles (68)
  4. San Francisco (67)
  5. San Diego (44)
  6. Anchorage (43)
  7. San Jose, California (38)
  8. Spokane (25)
  9. Boise, Idaho (23)
  10. Orange County/John Wayne (22)

Source: Diio by Cirium

Planes in Alaska's Fleet (Including Regional Affiliates)

  • Boeing 737 (166)
  • Airbus A320 (72)
  • Embraer E175 (60)
  • Bombardier Q400 (34)

Source: Alaska Airlines fleet information page

Related: See All of Our Alaska Airlines News, Reviews and Frequent-Flyer Coverage

Featured image by Alaska Airlines

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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.