Alaska Airlines will begin cannibalizing Hawaiian’s long-haul flying ex-Honolulu next year, and the first move is to start flights between Seattle, Tokyo, and Seoul.
The daily nonstop between Seattle and Narita begins on May 12, 2025, and the flights to Seoul are scheduled to start in October, but the exact date and frequency have not yet been disclosed.
You can access Alaska Airlines here.
Alaska’s Announcement:
Alaska Air Group launches new global gateway in Seattle with unveiling of nonstop routes on Hawaiian Airlines to Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon
Alaska Air Group is launching Seattle as a global gateway for widebody flights with new nonstop service on Hawaiian Airlines between Seattle and Tokyo Narita, Japan (NRT), and Seoul Incheon, South Korea (ICN) beginning in 2025. We’re also enhancing our domestic network this spring to make it more convenient to travel between the Hawaiian Islands and our West Coast hubs.
Alaska Air Group is celebrating another milestone in the combination of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines with the launch of Seattle as a new global gateway, connecting our guests to the world through a remarkable travel experience rooted in safety, care and performance. New nonstop service with Hawaiian Airlines widebody aircraft between Seattle and Tokyo Narita, Japan (NRT), and Seoul Incheon, South Korea (ICN) will begin in 2025, and an enhanced domestic network for the two airlines will launch this spring.
Daily nonstop flights between Seattle and Tokyo Narita start on May 12, 2025, offering guests an enticing option when traveling between the Pacific Northwest and Japan on Hawaiian’s Airbus A330-200 aircraft. These flights, along with connections to other Asian destinations on oneworld Alliance partner Japan Airlines, can be purchased now at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Nonstop service between Seattle and Seoul Incheon is scheduled to begin in October 2025, with fares available for purchase early next year, along with additional flight details.
Conclusion
Let’s see how much of Hawaiian’s long-haul international flying remains touching Hawaii once Alaska is done with its “global gateway” project at Seattle.
It was inevitable that Alaska would cannibalize traffic and planes in Honolulu and move them to long-haul flying ex-Seattle, from where it can offer connectivity up and down the West Coast.
And what is the purpose of having “Hawaiian” branded planes flying from Seattle to destinations that do not even remotely touch Hawaii?
Alaska should kill the brand, repaint the planes, and be done with the acquisition.
