Alaska Airlines has announced the launch date for one of its most anticipated new international routes.
The Seattle-based airline revealed Tuesday that its new nonstop service from the Pacific Northwest to London will launch on May 21, 2026, before Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of the summer travel season.
The new flights to London Heathrow (LHR) will come just weeks after Alaska Airlines debuts on the continent with flights to Rome at the end of April.
When to go: This is the best time to buy international flights
Flights from Heathrow are due to go on sale immediately on Tuesday. These include Atmos Rewards redemptions for customers who want to use points to book flights to Europe next summer.
Alaska Airlines’ internationalization process
The addition of London (and Rome, among other long-haul international destinations) is a major shift for Alaska Airlines.
The airline has historically operated only domestic and short-haul international flights using its fleet of Boeing 737s and regional aircraft.
But after acquiring Hawaiian Airlines in 2024, Alaska gained a new fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners that Hawaiian Airlines ordered before the merger.
Alaska Airlines will fly one of its new 787-9 aircraft on its London routes in a new international livery that the airline will introduce on its London routes next year.
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Related: Alaska Airlines plans global expansion with help from Portland, San Diego and Atmos Rewards
The planes feature 34 lie-flat business-class suites with sliding privacy doors — the same snazzy “hard product” Hawaiian is launching in early 2024.
While Alaska Airlines’ flights from Seattle to Rome only operate during the warmer months, the airline’s flights to London will operate year-round.
London is one of the world’s top business travel markets and a major hub for the oneworld alliance, of which Alaska Airlines is also a member.
As part of the new route to London, Alaska Airlines said it will “deepen its alliance” with oneworld members British Airways (where LHR is based) and American Airlines.
Details: Alaska Airlines New London Route
Below is the itinerary for Alaska’s New London flights to and from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) headquarters – again available on May 21, 2026.
- SEA-LHR: Departs at 9:40 pm and arrives at 3:05 pm the next day (both local times)
- LHR-SEA: Departs at 5pm, arrives at 6:50pm (both local times)
Use points and miles to book Alaska Airlines flights
The best way to use points and miles to book Alaska Airlines flights is with its Atmos rewards program — the company’s joint loyalty program launched with Hawaiian Airlines in August.
If you don’t have Atmos Rewards points in your account, please note that this program is a 1:1 transfer partner of Bilt Rewards.
Learn more: Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Atmos Rewards Summit: Which card is best for points and benefits on Alaska Airlines vs. Hawaiian Airlines?
Looking to the future
Alaska Airlines has repeatedly stated that it plans to launch at least 12 new long-haul international routes from Seattle by 2030.
These include flights by Hawaiian Airlines to Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea earlier this year, although starting sometime next year these flights will be operated by Alaska-branded aircraft.
Starlink Wi-Fi Update
Alaska Airlines also shared news on Tuesday that it plans to install high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi on all aircraft.
The airline announced that Starlink service will begin appearing on its Dreamliner fleet next fall.
Once online, Alaska plans to offer free Starlink Wi-Fi service to all Atmos Rewards members, matching the connectivity already available on most of Hawaiian Airlines’ long-haul aircraft.
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