See what's new with Alaska Airlines.
Welcome to a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into your travel experience through our places, our products and our people.
PLACES
From local to global
New routes from Portland
With 54 nonstop destinations and 131 daily departures, Alaska Airlines offers more routes out of Portland International Airport than any other airline. And you can add one more to that list—starting in June 2020 we'll be offering direct service between Portland and San Luis Obispo. That means easier connectivity to California's fastest-growing wine and recreation region. And don't forget: On your return trip, wine flies free.
As you may have noticed, we've started replacing our turbo props with new regional E175 aircraft. Our guests love that these jets come equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi, onboard entertainment, and First and Premium Class seating.
Access to the world
Along with our strong domestic network, we've continued to expand our global partner network to make Portland your gateway to the world. Earn and redeem miles to 800-plus destinations worldwide, with routes connecting the Northwest and Europe. You can visit Frankfurt on Condor, Reykjavik on Icelandair, and other exciting international destinations.
PDX Next
The Port of Portland is embarking on a significant construction program at Portland International Airport. This multiyear initiative will transform the heart of the airport with a new main terminal, as well as plans to expand Concourse E, demolish Concourse A, and rebuild Concourse B as a mix of jet bridges and ground load gates. To support these changes, the port will be moving Horizon's operations from Concourse A to Concourse C on November 14, 2019 for approximately 18 months. This involves moving Q400s flying to newly constructed ground load gates and moving most of the E175s to jet bridge gates at Concourse C. A few gates on Concourse B may also be used for E175 flying.
PRODUCTS
Recline, wine and dine.
Portland lounge
We're taking relaxation to the next level with our recently completed renovation of the Alaska Lounge in PDX. Step inside and you'll find expanded seating and upgraded amenities, including made-to-order meals and handcrafted espresso drinks from our baristas. Not only that, but our newly added full-service bar makes us the only lounge at the airport that serves spirits!
Starting November 1, Priority Pass™ members will no longer have access to our Portland lounge. As we continue to grow, we want to ensure that we have space available for Alaska's lounge members, cardholders and First Class guests.
New aircraft interiors
Since acquiring Virgin America, we've been working hard on updating all our aircraft interiors. So far, 42 Airbus and Boeing aircraft have been completed, and these interiors come standard on our next-generation Boeing deliveries. Thoughtful touches make for an easier travel experience, including tablet holders, accessible power outlets, cupholders in Premium Class, and a spacious and comfortable First Class with footrests and plenty of room to recline. We're also installing satellite Wi-Fi that's 20x faster than previous ground-to-air access, and at price points lower than that of other airlines. We've completed Wi-Fi updates on 90 of our aircraft, with 90% of our mainline fleet to be equipped by summer 2020. This allows you to stay connected gate-to-gate, even on flights to Hawaiʻi, which previously had no internet access.
Fresh fall tastes
We know that having great food and drink is important. Before we introduce new options in flight, both guests and flight attendants taste test our seasonal inflight menus to be sure you're going to love it. In September, we introduced fresh fall ingredients like cranberry, root vegetables, and pumpkin. Pair your meal with a beverage from our list of craft beers, including Full Sail Brewing Session Lager of Hood River. For dessert, you can indulge in Portland's own Salt & Straw ice cream on most coast-to-coast and Hawaiʻi flights during dinner. If you still have a craving for Salt & Straw's delicious ice cream, you can visit one of their five locations in Portland.
For inflight savings, we've recently introduced 20% back on Alaska Airlines purchases of food, drink and satellite Wi-Fi, when you pay with your Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card.
PEOPLE
Making flying matter
Fill before you fly.
Join us on a journey to decrease inflight plastic waste by packing a reusable water bottle for your next flight. Post a picture of your bottle on social media with #FillBeforeYouFly and we'll plant a tree to help keep our waters clean. Just remember to fill up between TSA check-in and boarding, as we are not able to fill personal bottles on board. #FillBeforeYouFly is just one of the ways Alaska Airlines strives to "fly greener"—part of our values around creating lift for our people, our communities and our planet. Locally, we are partnered with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation as part of our tree-planting commitment, and Alaska Airlines employees volunteered on October 19 with the North Clackamas Watersheds Council to help prep the Olson Wetlands in Gladstone for tree planting.
Oregon LIFT Project
On Friday, October 18, over 50 Alaska and Horizon employees volunteered their time at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). Our employees came together to build teacher appreciation gifts and organize the museum's warehouse space. Additionally, we partnered with local environmental stewardship organization SOLVE to restore some of OMSI's riverside pathways on the Willamette River. Alaska Airlines has been a longtime supporter of OMSI's Outreach Education initiative, and our employees look forward to supporting this partnership with their volunteerism.
Portland Rose Festival
In last summer's Rose Festival, we worked with one of our charity miles partners, Make-A-Wish Oregon, to create a special experience for a child whose wish was to visit Australia. We made sure there was a seat reserved on our float, highlighting our partnership with Qantas and making a special day for a special child. We are proud to be an ongoing supporter of Make-A-Wish Oregon. We also partner with the Portland Timbers' Corners for Kids program, which raises over 500,000 Alaska Airlines miles for the cause. Mileage Plan™ members are welcome to contribute miles to continue making these children's wishes come true.