If you haven’t flown with Alaska Airlines in a while, you’ll likely notice more premium seats the next time you board.
The Seattle-based airline is nearing the end of a two-year effort to revamp its aircraft to add first-class seats and extra legroom seats.
It’s part of the airline’s efforts to add 1.3 million high-priced seats to its schedule each year.
As of Friday, Alaska had completed cabin updates on 218 Boeing 737 aircraft, executives said.
This means the airline is about 86% complete with its modifications, which include adding two rows of first-class seats to its 737-800 aircraft.
Incidentally, on the 737-800s, these seats are the airline’s new first-class offering and feature foot rests – a style more common in competitors’ international premium economy cabins.
Elsewhere, Alaska is adding a few extra rows of “premium” cabin seats with extra legroom to its larger 737-900 and MAX 9 aircraft, which already have four full rows of first-class recliners in the front.
“All of these renovations will be completed in time for sales during the summer tours [season]”, Alaska Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Harrison said on the company’s earnings call on Friday.
Like most U.S. airlines, Alaska Airlines hopes to capitalize on customers’ willingness to pay for premium seats.
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As a reminder, all elite members of Atmos Rewards, the shared loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, are eligible for free upgrades with available space in the airline’s premium and first class cabins.
And, because Alaska is a member of the Oneworld alliance, elite members of top partner American Airlines’ AAdvantage program are also eligible for upgrades.
Related: Why American Airlines passengers should care about Atmos rewards
Starlink Wi-Fi update available in Alaska
Alaska is adding another big upgrade to its jets: free Wi-Fi from Starlink.
Hawaiian Airlines, which Alaska Airlines Group acquired in 2024, had already begun installing ultra-fast internet on many of its aircraft before the merger.
The airline’s corporate leaders said last summer that they also planned to add Starlink satellites to Alaska-branded jets (Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines continue to fly under their separate airline brands despite being part of the same company).
Starlink systems began being installed on Alaskan aircraft late last year, and the company has installed the high-speed technology on two dozen aircraft so far, executives confirmed Friday.
Sixty-six aircraft (16% of the fleet) under the Alaska and Hawaii brands are now equipped with Starlink Wi-Fi.
The service is free for all passengers with an Atmos Rewards account.
Alaska expects that half of its aircraft will be equipped with Starlink by the end of this year, and all aircraft will be equipped with Starlink by the end of 2027.
If you are traveling on a plane No While having Starlink, Alaska typically charges $8 for full access browsing. But you can send and receive messages on the fly for free.
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