SEATAC, Wash. — Alaska Airlines launched daily nonstop service between Seattle and London Heathrow on Thursday, marking another step in the Seattle-based airline’s international expansion.
The inaugural flight departed Seattle-Tacoma International Airport following a gate celebration, officially opening the airline’s newest transatlantic route.
The year-round service to London Heathrow is Alaska’s second European destination added this year, and comes just ahead of the busy summer travel season.
Last month, the airline launched its first-ever transatlantic service to Rome. On May 28, Alaska plans to begin nonstop flights to Reykjavík, Iceland.
The new London route will operate out of Heathrow’s Terminal 3, giving travelers based in the US access to one of Europe’s busiest hubs.
The route uses Alaska’s widebody 787-9 aircraft, featuring 34 enclosed suites with fully lie-flat seats in Business Class. The service is expected to cater to both corporate and leisure travelers.
London is the largest intercontinental market from Seattle, with more than 400 passengers traveling between the two cities daily.
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The service also creates new travel options for passengers from the United Kingdom looking to visit the Pacific Northwest, or connect through Seattle to destinations across Alaska Airlines’ West Coast network, including Hawaii.
