Alaska Airlines has just unveiled plans to launch two new routes to Europe in the summer of 2027, as the airline will fly to both Athens, Greece, and Paris, France. This builds on the carrier’s recent expansion, as it tries to turn its main hub airport into a global gateway.
Alaska Airlines adds Europe service with two new routes
We know that Alaska Airlines is currently building up a global hub at Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEA), as the airline hopes to operate a dozen global routes out of the airport by 2030. So far, the airline flies Boeing 787-9s from Seattle to London (LHR), Rome (FCO), Seoul Incheon (ICN), and Tokyo Narita (NRT), and flies Boeing 737 MAX 8s to Reykjavik (KEF).
The airline has plans to add two new routes in the summer of 2027, and we now have those details. I don’t think the choices will be much of a surprise. These flights will operate the flight with Boeing 787-9s, featuring 34 business class seats and 266 economy class seats.
Tickets are already on sale, and if you’re quick, you might even be able to snag some premium cabin award availability at a good value. There’s not a ton of space, but there is some.
Alaska Airlines’ new Seattle to Athens flights
As of May 12, 2027, Alaska plans to launch 3x weekly seasonal flights between Seattle (SEA) and Athens (ATH), which will operate with the following schedule:
AS196 Seattle to Athens departing 4:30PM arriving 2:20PM (+1 day)
AS197 Athens to Seattle departing 4:20PM arriving 6:55PM
The 6,197-mile flight will operate eastbound on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with a block time of 11hr50min, while it’ll operate westbound on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with a block time of 12hr35min.
This will be Alaska’s longest flight ever operated. Also, there’s a significance to the AS196 flight number, as the 196 is intended to pay homage to Greece’s capital as the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games, in 1896.
Alaska Airlines’ new Seattle to Paris flights
As of May 25, 2027, Alaska plans to launch 5x weekly year-round flights between Seattle (SEA) and Paris (CDG), which will operate with the following schedule:
AS136 Seattle to Paris departing 5:25PM arriving 12:25PM (+1 day)
AS137 Paris to Seattle departing 2:25PM arriving 3:50PM
The 5,017-mile flight will operate eastbound all days except Sundays and Wednesdays, with a block time of 10hr, while it’ll operate westbound all days except Mondays and Thursdays, with a block time of 10hr25min.
There’s also a significance to the flight number, as AS136 is a nod to the city’s 136 museums.
These seem like logical route adds for Alaska
I don’t think there’s anything surprising about Alaska’s next two long haul route additions out of Seattle. If your Europe service already includes London and Rome, adding flights to Athens and Paris seems like the next logical move. Perhaps the only surprise is that there’s not a Spain route in the mix, like to Madrid (MAD), given that oneworld partner Iberia has a hub there.
I think the big long term question is how Alaska approaches counter seasonal flying. Obviously demand across the Atlantic is highest in summer, so what will the airline do with spare Dreamliners, when routes to Athens and Rome aren’t operating? Will it simply fly them more to Hawaii in winter, or could we see seasonal flights deeper into the South Pacific out of Seattle?
For what it’s worth, as of now Alaska will be the only airline flying from Seattle to Athens, while Seattle to Paris is also served by both Air France and Delta. I’m curious if we see Delta also announce service from Seattle to Athens, as Delta has copied Alaska on long haul expansion in the past.
Delta already flies seasonally to Athens out of Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), and New York (JFK), so you’d think there could be merit to also having service out of a West Coast airport.
Bottom line
Alaska has revealed its two newest long haul routes out of Seattle, as the airline will fly from Seattle to both Athens (seasonally) and Paris (year-round). Alaska will be the only airline flying between Seattle and Athens, while it’ll be taking on Air France and Delta in the Seattle to Paris market.
This seems like a logical expansion for Alaska, as these are among the highest demand European destinations. I look forward to seeing how Alaska’s long haul strategy continues to evolve.
What do you make of Alaska adding flights to Athens and Paris?
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