Alaska Airlines

This article is about the airline named Alaska Airlines. For its parent company, see Alaska Air Group.
Not to be confused with Akasa Air.

Alaska Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
AS ASA ALASKA
FoundedApril 14, 1932; 92 years ago (1932-04-14), as McGee Airways
Commenced operationsJune 6, 1944; 80 years ago (1944-06-06)[1]
AOC #ASAA802A[2]
Hubs
Focus cities
Frequent-flyer programMileage Plan
AllianceOneworld
Fleet size328
Destinations128[4]
Parent companyAlaska Air Group
HeadquartersSeaTac, Washington, United States
Key peopleBen Minicucci (CEO)
FounderLinious "Mac" McGee
Employees20,144 (2023)[5]
Websitealaskaair.com

Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the sixth-largest airline in North America when measured by scheduled passengers carried, as of 2023. Alaska, together with its regional partners Horizon Air and SkyWest Airlines operates a route network primarily focused on connecting cities along the West Coast of the United States to over 100 destinations in the contiguous United States, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico.

The airline operates out of five hubs. Its primary hub is Seattle–Tacoma International Airport.[6] Alaska Airlines is a member of Oneworld, the third-largest airline alliance in the world.[7] As of 2020, the airline employs over 16,000 people and has been ranked by J. D. Power and Associates as having the highest customer satisfaction of the traditional airlines for twelve consecutive years. In December 2023, Alaska Airlines announced plans to buy Hawaiian Airlines in a $1.9 billion deal.[8] On August 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice completed its regulatory review of the proposed merger and declined to file a lawsuit to block it.[9] The merger received the approval of the U.S. Department of Transportation on September 17, 2024, and was completed the following day.[10][11]

  1. ^ Norwood, Tom; Wegg, John (2002). North American Airlines Handbook (3rd ed.). Sandpoint, Idaho: Airways International. ISBN 0-9653993-8-9. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  2. ^ "Federal Aviation Administration – Airline Certificate Information – Detail View". Av-info.faa.gov. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  3. ^ "Alaska Airlines offers guests largest summer schedule ever in preparation for busy travel season". Alaska Airlines (Press release). June 6, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  4. ^ "Alaska Airlines on ch-aviation.com". ch-aviation.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  5. ^ "Alaska Air Group, Inc. 2023 Annual Report (Form 10-K)". February 14, 2024. p. 14. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  6. ^ "Network – Alaska Airlines". Newsroom. Alaska Airlines. August 2018. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2018. Though Alaska calls Seattle home, the company has hubs in Anchorage, Alaska, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Other focus cities include San Diego and San Jose, California
  7. ^ "A World Of Possibilities: Alaska Airlines Officially Joins oneworld". Archived from the original on April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  8. ^ Dougherty, Evan (December 4, 2023). "Alaska Airlines to Acquire Hawaiian Airlines". Blue Sky News. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  9. ^ Casey, David (August 20, 2024). "Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines Merger Clears DOJ Review". Aviation Week Network. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  10. ^ Chokshi, Niraj (September 17, 2024). "Alaska Airlines' Acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines Cleared by Regulator". The New York Times. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  11. ^ "Alaska Airlines completes acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, expanding benefits and choice for travelers". Alaska Airlines News. September 18, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024.