Snapshot: A Look at Alaska Airlines by the Numbers
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
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
- Seattle (23.16 million)
- Portland, Oregon (8.21 million)
- Los Angeles (6.09 million)
- San Francisco (5.61 million)
- Anchorage, Alaska (3.45 million)
- San Diego (3.28 million)
- San Jose, California (2.58 million)
- Las Vegas (1.90 million)
- Orange County/John Wayne, California (1.64 million)
- Spokane, Washington (1.27 million)
Source: Diio by Cirium
Related: Maximizing Redemptions With Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Busiest Airports by Daily Departures in 2018
- Seattle (292)
- Portland, Oregon (127)
- Los Angeles (68)
- San Francisco (67)
- San Diego (44)
- Anchorage (43)
- San Jose, California (38)
- Spokane (25)
- Boise, Idaho (23)
- 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
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.