Alaska Airlines international flights: Rome to be 1st destination for new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
June 3, 2025
Alaska Airlines is saying ‘Ciao!’ to Italy, as the group has announced flights to Rome, beginning in May 2026. It’s the latest addition to Alaska Airlines’ international flights, with Seoul and Tokyo already on the map.
Launching from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), the service will be four times a week to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO). It will serve as the debut for Alaska’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
Outbound flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, departing Seattle at 18:00. The return will be on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, leaving Rome at 15:45.
“Serving Rome nonstop from Seattle is a dream come true,” says Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci. “Rome has been at the top of the list ever since we announced our new global gateway out of Seattle.”
Despite its popularity for tourists, Alaska’s service will be the first time Rome has been connected to Seattle. It is, Alaska Airlines says, one of the most requested international destinations by its Mileage Plan members.
Where is Alaska Airlines flying internationally?
At the heart of Alaska Airlines’ international ambitions is its merger with Hawaiian Airlines. The Group acquired its first widebody aircraft when the airlines merged in 2024, including Boeing 787s and Airbus A330s.
The group launched its first overseas connection in May, flying from Seattle to Tokyo’s Narita Airport. It has also announced flights to Seoul in South Korea, starting in September, but both of these services are operated by Hawaiian Airlines, using its Airbus A330s.
The airline has stated that, as more Dreamliners are delivered, Alaska Airlines international flights will eventually be operated with a fully liveried, Alaska-operated aircraft. Minicucci hinted to TPG that an all-new business class could be coming too.
Hawaiian ordered a dozen Dreamliners long before the merger, of which two have been delivered so far. Alaska Air Group CFO Shane Tackett noted on the Q1 2025 earnings call,
“We’ve got some more 787s coming, and we continue to look forward to expanding international out of Seattle next year.”
Minicucci stated the Group was targeting at least 12 international destinations by 2030, describing the strategy as, “…a bold move that positions Alaska Air Group to capture high-value international demand while deepening our relevance and loyalty across our network.”
The question now is, where next? In its investor day presentation, a number of other destinations were highlighted, including Paris, Bangkok and Delhi.
The Group noted that London is the largest international market out of Seattle. If it does launch London flights, it will put the airline head-to-head with not only Delta, but also British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
Are Alaska Airlines’ international flights going to work?
As an airline, Alaska has made a huge success of the domestic market on the West Coast. Soaking up Virgin America in 2016, and before that Jet America and Horizon Air, Alaska became the fifth-largest airline in the US.
But the international market to and from the USA is softening significantly. Economic worries, a spate of aviation incidents and sweeping border control changes have left many US citizens reluctant to go abroad.
Several US airlines have reported a softening demand, both in the domestic and international markets. United, Delta and American have all withdrawn their 2025 financial guidance and signalled they will cut flights in the second half of the year.
But the Alaska Group is hedging its bets. Its position with Hawaiian Airlines means it has a dominating presence in one of the most popular domestic markets for premium leisure travel – Hawaii.
On the earnings call, Tackett concluded, “If folks, for whatever reason, decide to not travel as much internationally, I think Hawaii is a great destination for those folks, and we’ll be the people who are carrying them there.”
