Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma International) has revealed the first European destination it will serve, starting in May 2026, Rome Fiumicino, as the airline and its subsidiary Hawaiian Airlines edge closer to obtaining a single operating certificate from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
According to an Alaska Airlines press release, both carriers expect to obtain the single operating certificate this autumn. This will allow the route between Seattle and Rome, which will have 4x weekly flights, to be served with Hawaiian’s B787-9 fleet and operated by Alaska.
The three-year strategic plan to deliver USD1 billion in incremental profits following the merger with Hawaiian is set to allow the company to transform Seattle into the West Coast’s new “premier global gateway”. “Rome will become the third widebody international route served out of Alaska’s global gateway in Seattle after Tokyo Narita, which launched on May 12, and Seoul Incheon, which begins service on September 12,” the company said in a statement.
Earlier this year, Alaska Airlines' chief executive Ben Miniccuci said the airline planned to serve 12 long-haul destinations out of Seattle by 2030.
ch-aviation data shows Alaska Airlines’ fleet comprises 240 aircraft: eleven B737-700s, three B737-700(BDSF)s, five B737-8s, fifty-nine B737-800s, two B737-800(BCF)s, seventy-nine B737-9s, three B737-900s, and seventy-nine B737-900ERs. Subsidiary Horizon Air operates forty-five E175s. Hawaiian Airlines operates seventy-three aircraft: twenty-four A330-200s, nine A330-300(P2F)s, nineteen B717-200s and three B787-9s.
Horizon delays deliveries
Separately, Alaska Air Group has temporarily delayed the deliveries of new Embraer-manufactured jets for Horizon Air as the parent company fears that import fares announced by the Donald Trump administration may increase costs.
The Seattle Times reported that Alaska was slated to receive two E175 aircraft in May but postponed their arrival citing it "will not accept additional costs imposed by tariffs." Horizon Air still has five E175s to receive, according to ch-aviation data.
