Alaska Airlines is expanding its domestic network with four new routes as the carrier records a sharp rise in operational scale following its integration with Hawaiian Airlines.
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Alaska Airlines is expanding its domestic network with four new routes as the carrier records a sharp rise in operational scale following its integration with Hawaiian Airlines.
According to reporting by Simple Flying, Alaska’s flights have increased by around 25% year-on-year after Hawaiian Airlines services were transitioned to the ‘AS’ IATA code. Despite the jump in operations, the airline’s share of the wider US aviation market has increased by only one percentage point to 6%, underlining the size and competitiveness of the domestic airline industry.
The latest additions include a return to Long Beach in California and three new regional routes from Santa Rosa.
The most prominent addition is the relaunch of nonstop flights between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Long Beach Airport.
Alaska will restart the route on September 8 with double daily services operated mainly using the Boeing 737-900ER aircraft.
The airline last served the route in 2015. Excluding Hawaii operations, this marks Alaska’s return to Long Beach after an 11-year gap.
According to the airline schedule cited by Simple Flying, the route will initially operate twice daily in both directions.
Seattle–Long Beach launch details:
The route also places Alaska in direct competition with Southwest Airlines, which plans to begin nonstop flights on the same corridor from August 4.
The Seattle–Long Beach market has remained without nonstop services since JetBlue Airways withdrew in 2020.
Industry data cited in the report suggests the market previously supported significantly higher frequencies.
Cirium Diio data showed the route once operated with up to seven daily services in 2013, when both Alaska and JetBlue were active on the corridor.
According to US Department of Transportation figures referenced by Simple Flying, airlines operating the route previously achieved seat occupancy levels of 89%, despite intense pricing competition.
The report noted that although strong passenger demand existed, aggressive fare competition weakened yields, contributing to Alaska’s earlier exit from the route.
The market now returns with a combined three daily flights operated by Alaska and Southwest.
Alaska will also introduce three new routes from Santa Rosa beginning November 1.
The services will operate with Embraer E175 regional jets flown by Horizon Air or SkyWest.
New Santa Rosa routes include:
The Phoenix route will compete directly with American Eagle, which currently operates two daily services to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
Department of Transportation data cited by Simple Flying showed American Eagle carried 83,107 passengers on the route in 2025 while recording a 71% load factor.
The Boise and Salt Lake City markets currently have no direct competition.
The Boise and Salt Lake City routes were previously served by Avelo Airlines during 2024 and 2025, although passenger volumes remained relatively modest.
According to Department of Transportation figures referenced in the report:
Simple Flying noted that Avelo operated the routes with lower-frequency Boeing 737 services and highly competitive fares designed to stimulate demand.
Alaska appears to be pursuing a different strategy by deploying smaller Embraer E175 aircraft with potentially higher frequencies and greater schedule flexibility.
The latest network additions come as Alaska continues integrating operations following its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines.
The combined operation has substantially expanded Alaska’s overall flight footprint across domestic and Pacific markets.
However, despite the increase in scale, the airline remains a relatively small player compared with the largest US network carriers.
Analysts cited by Simple Flying noted that Alaska’s expansion strategy continues to focus on strengthening regional connectivity while selectively re-entering competitive point-to-point markets with proven historical demand.
The Seattle–Long Beach relaunch in particular signals Alaska’s willingness to challenge rivals in high-volume West Coast markets as the carrier builds a larger post-merger network.
With four new routes entering the schedule across late 2026, Alaska is positioning itself for broader domestic growth while testing demand recovery in both regional and metro-focused markets.
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