Snapshot: A Look at Alaska Airlines by the Numbers

Aug. 30, 2019

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3 min read

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.

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

Busiest Airports by Number of Passengers in 2018