Alaska Airlines is wasting not time in changing up the Hawaiian Airline route map as they focus on redeployment of widebody long-haul aircraft which can fly long-haul international routes from their other hubs. As Alaska’s largest hub is in Seattle, it only makes sense that Alaska moves some of Hawaiian’s planes to Seattle and goes head to head with Delta on transpacific flights. In today’s media announcement, Alaska Airlines announced plans to serve both Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon with direct flights from Seattle in 2025.
Hawaiian Adds Long-haul Asia Flights From Seattle
Hawaiian Airlines will offer daily nonstop flights between Seattle and Tokyo Narita starting May 12, 2025. This is in addition to Hawaiian’s existing direct service from Honolulu to Tokyo Haneda. Hawaiian Airlines will compete with ANA, JAL, and Delta on the Seattle-Tokyo route. While Delta and ANA both serve Tokyo Haneda from Seattle, JAL and Hawaiian will operate flights to Tokyo Narita.
Interestingly, Hawaiian’s flight schedule closely mirrors JAL’s, providing excellent onward connectivity options in both Seattle and Tokyo. However, it raises the question of whether JAL might eventually cede the route to its future oneworld partner, Hawaiian. Personally, I hope not, as JAL’s onboard product and seats are superior to Hawaiian’s.
Hawaiian’s Seattle-Tokyo Schedule:
- Depart Seattle at 1:30 PM daily, arriving in Tokyo Narita at 4:00 PM the next day (+1)
- Depart Tokyo Narita at 6:25 PM daily, arriving in Seattle at 11:30 AM the same day
JAL’s Current Seattle-Tokyo Schedule:
- Depart Seattle at 1:30 PM daily, arriving in Tokyo Narita at 3:40 PM the next day (+1)
- Depart Tokyo Narita at 5:40 PM daily, arriving in Seattle at 10:25 AM the same day
Hawaiian Airlines’ new flights, along with connections to other Asian destinations via oneworld partner Japan Airlines, are now available for purchase.
New Seattle-Seoul Nonstop Service
In addition to Tokyo, Hawaiian will also launch nonstop service between Seattle and Seoul Incheon in October 2025. Flight schedules have not yet been released. Alaska Airlines will face competition from Delta, Korean Air, and Asiana on this route, which will add a fourth daily flight option. It remains unclear if Alaska will secure onward connections via Seoul through its Mileage Plan partner, Korean Air, especially given the joint venture between Delta and Korean Air.
Expanding Long-Haul Destinations
To capitalize on the integration of the two airlines, Alaska Airlines is hinting at further long-haul growth from Seattle, likely under the Hawaiian brand unless aircraft are eventually transferred to Alaska Airlines. Including the upcoming Tokyo Narita and Seoul Incheon routes, Alaska plans to serve at least 12 nonstop global destinations with widebody aircraft from Seattle by 2030.
While no specific destinations have been confirmed, it seems likely that Alaska will initially build on Hawaiian Airlines’ existing expertise. Potential routes could include Sydney, Auckland, Osaka, and Fukuoka. A mix of Boeing 787s and Airbus A330s could allow Alaska to connect Seattle with other major oneworld hubs. London, for example, would make sense following American Airlines’ exit from the SEA-LHR route. Similarly, Sydney would offer connections via Qantas to destinations in Australia, the South Pacific, and Southeast Asia.
Widebody Domestic Opportunities
Another benefit of the Alaska-Hawaiian integration is the expanded use of widebody aircraft on domestic routes. Hawaiian Airlines already flies widebody jets between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland. With the integration, we’ll also see the A330 on routes like Seattle to Anchorage and Seattle to Sacramento, as well as additional services to other states.
From the press release:
“To accommodate additional guests, we will operate Hawaiian’s larger A330 aircraft on three flights between Honolulu and Seattle, and shift to one daily A330 flight between Honolulu and Sacramento. During Alaska’s peak summer season, Hawaiian A330s will fly between Seattle and Anchorage, maximizing seating and cargo capacity. Alaska and Hawaiian have complementary cargo networks, which play a crucial role in the communities they serve. Alaska Airlines will operate at least 18 daily roundtrips this summer between Seattle and Anchorage.”
Bottom Line
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are shaking up their route maps to integrate their schedules and maximize connections. Hawaiian Airlines’ underutilized aircraft will be deployed to increase flying and open new long-haul routes. With Tokyo and Seoul leading the charge, this marks the beginning of an exciting period of growth.
What are your thoughts on these announcements?
