Alaska Airlines takes its battle for Seattle with Delta overseas
ALK•Alaska Airlines aims to triple its intercontinental destinations from Seattle to at least 15 by 2030 and launch Paris and Athens flights next year. About 92% of its scheduled intercontinental seats from Seattle overlap with Delta routes.
1. Seattle expansion plans
Alaska plans to become Seattle’s largest international carrier, using widebody jets acquired with Hawaiian Airlines and adding Boeing 787s, premium cabins and lounges. It plans to launch flights to Paris and Athens next year.
2. Competing with Delta
About 92% of Alaska’s scheduled intercontinental seats from Seattle in the 12 months through August 2027 are on routes Delta also serves nonstop. Alaska, including Hawaiian, has about half of scheduled airline seats in the Seattle area, roughly twice Delta’s share; across intercontinental routes from Seattle, Delta has about twice Alaska’s scheduled seats.
3. Costs and revenue goals
In the first half, Alaska spent about 17% less than the average of Delta, United and American to fly a seat one mile, excluding fuel, but generated roughly a fifth less revenue per seat mile. Alaska expects nearly 60% of revenue to come from outside the price-sensitive main cabin by 2030, up from 53% this year, and expects to end 2026 with net leverage at three times its long-term target. It also plans to join American’s transatlantic and transpacific revenue-sharing ventures, subject to regulatory and other approvals.
