Alaska Airlines is currently undergoing a global expansion, as the airline is increasingly operating long haul service out of Seattle-Tacoma Airport (SEA), with the plan being to operate 12 long haul routes by 2030.
With Alaska Air Group now also owning Hawaiian Airlines, we’ve known that the company is investing in its lounge network, including opening a new lounge in Seattle that’s intended to up the bar. We’ve now learned more details about what we can expect from the lounge, and it’s pretty exciting.
In this post:
New two-part Alaska Lounge Seattle will be 41,000 square feet
Alaska Airlines plans to open a new lounge in Seattle in late 2027, located in the newly refreshed Concourse C. The airline views this as a key part of its broader investment in the global passenger experience. We’ll see how Alaska ends up branding this lounge, though the airline uses both the word “landmark” and “global” to describe it, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of those terms end up in the name.
The lounge will be roughly 41,000 square feet, with approximately 700 seats across two levels. So it’ll be the largest lounge at the airport, and among the largest in the country. It will also offer views of the Olympic Mountains and the airfield below.
The oneworld carrier is promising a “sophisticated design” with showers, multiple premium bars, a la carte dining, and chef-curated seasonal menus, “unlike anything else in the Alaska Lounge network.” There will also be Pacific Northwest beers and craft cocktails, along with barista coffee.
What’s interesting is how the lounge will have two sets of entry requirements:
- The main level will be for Alaska Lounge members, day pass guests, and eligible first class passengers
- The upper level will be dedicated to international long haul travelers, including those traveling in business class, as well as Atmos Rewards Titanium members (it remains to be seen if this will otherwise follow oneworld lounge access rules in terms of being open to oneworld long haul premium passengers, as well as oneworld Emerald members through partner programs)
So far, the only rendering that has been shared of the new lounge is the below one.
I can’t wait to see the new “global” Alaska Lounge!
We’ve know that Alaska planned on opening a new “flagship” lounge in Seattle, so it’s exciting to finally learn some more details. I’d say this is roughly what we were expecting — there will be a separate premium international lounge for eligible passengers, and then also a standard Alaska Lounge, since there’s obviously not enough demand to fill a 41,000 square foot lounge just with eligible long haul passengers all day.
In a way, this sounds similar to the new Delta lounge complex in Seattle, which includes a Delta Sky Club on the bottom floor, and a Delta One Lounge on the top floor. Alaska knows what the competition is doing, so I have to imagine the new lounge will be on Delta’s level, or may even possibly beat it.
Bottom line
Alaska Airlines has finally revealed some additional details about its new lounge that’s coming to Seattle, which is expected to open in late 2027. The lounge will be 41,000 square feet with seating for around 700 people, so it’ll be (by far) the carrier’s biggest lounge ever, and will also be the largest lounge at the airport.
This lounge will have two sets of entry requirements, with long haul business class passengers and Atmos Rewards Titanium members getting access to the more exclusive lounge, and other guests being eligible for the standard lounge.
I can’t wait to learn more, as Alaska really does a solid job with its passenger experience, and I’m sure the airline will invest nicely in this experience.
What are you expecting from the new Alaska Lounge coming to Seattle?
Showers and decent hot food (not just soup and salad). About time Alaska!
BTW, nothing prevents you from implementing the above in your other lounges too. It is the bare minimum for a lounge.
Hey, ex qatar airways crew here!
The company just send internal memo that there will be no bonus this year for its employees.
This comes after years of mistreatment from the management and there is currently huge backlash in the private QR crew groups. I believe it is worthy of an article to shine some light on the current working conditions there. The last company instagram post got flooded with #bonusforstaff, though soon...
Hey, ex qatar airways crew here!
The company just send internal memo that there will be no bonus this year for its employees.
This comes after years of mistreatment from the management and there is currently huge backlash in the private QR crew groups. I believe it is worthy of an article to shine some light on the current working conditions there. The last company instagram post got flooded with #bonusforstaff, though soon after they deleted all comments. I can send the memo if needed.
The new PDX lounge will be 14,000 square feet. It is scheduled to open on June 4th and is located above the new gate B1, just past TSA to the left.
Sounds great, but are they making any investments in their products that the vast majority of their passengers (i.e. economy) will find to be beneficial?
Besides elevated cafeteria food and liquor, if you drink, what do US based lounges really provide anymore? I have honestly found empty airport gates more pleasant than Centurion lounges.
Ditto , also not "elevated" from what you can get for yourself in the terminal
Delta One lounge food quality is decisively above the rest of the pack. Flagship or Polaris might be elevated cafeteria food, but the Delta One food is significantly better than those
But does anyone go to lounges for anything other than cafeteria food, alcoholic drinks and maybe a chance to have a shower? The only other worthwhile thing that they reliably provide is the ability to go to the toilet without worrying too much about one's stuff when travelling alone.
I'm not sure what more people expect to find at such a facility (or indeed why there's any need to single US lounges out- most...
But does anyone go to lounges for anything other than cafeteria food, alcoholic drinks and maybe a chance to have a shower? The only other worthwhile thing that they reliably provide is the ability to go to the toilet without worrying too much about one's stuff when travelling alone.
I'm not sure what more people expect to find at such a facility (or indeed why there's any need to single US lounges out- most non-US airlines rely on contract lounges in the vast majority of their outstations, and the quality of those varies wildly). Anyone who wants true VIP treatment can always fly privately.
Looking forward to the new C gate lounge complex. I've never actually spent time at the current one (I walked into the lobby and decided the trek to the N lounge would be worth it). Will have to plan an international trip out of SEA once it's done.
And it will only be 2 trains away from international departures. I thought they were looking at a lounge at S gates.
S gates are being torn down and rebuilt beginning November of this year.
When I fly out of SEA, I usually see the 787s (or the HA 330s) parked at the N gates, so C won't be that far away. I'd guess those departures move to the new C concourse anyway.
Once upon a time i entered this Alaska Lounge in SEA (someplace i don't often go to) and i could see aircraft taking off. If there was a list of lounges with the best views, this lounge would be #1.
Hopefully this lounge has great views as well.
How about they announce that GGUs can now be used for something other than toilet paper?
@Gene initial reports suggest that ggu’s on the new international flights are the play.
But yea the past several years Alaska upgrade certs have been useless. I’ve let so many expire it’s not funny.
Can these be confirmed in advance? These are the regular GGUs?
You cannot apply them in advance. 30 days before the flight, you fill in a form that requests an upgrade. I think it's just wait and see at that point, up to a couple of hours before the flight. With a GGU upgrade request, you should should be in front of any Titanium looking for a free upgrade.
And yes, these are regular GGU's. You just need 2 for a longhaul, as opposed to...
You cannot apply them in advance. 30 days before the flight, you fill in a form that requests an upgrade. I think it's just wait and see at that point, up to a couple of hours before the flight. With a GGU upgrade request, you should should be in front of any Titanium looking for a free upgrade.
And yes, these are regular GGU's. You just need 2 for a longhaul, as opposed to 1 for a domestic flight.
I have a flight in November where I will be trying this - so I have no personal anecdote to share yet.
Niceeee the existing lounge in the C gates is on par with a mediocre contract lounge. The colors in the rendering are a little curious though. Not necessarily ugly but does not feel close to their current color scheme
That is exciting! Hopefully can use passes from the Atmos Summit card to enter...
Maybe "exciting" to some , but not to the suave .