New Alaska Airlines Boeing 787 Debuts In Northern Lights Inspired Livery

It’s a fascinating time for Alaska Air Group, given the company’s acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. In August 2025, we learned about the company’s long term branding plans, including the intention to repaint all Boeing 787s in a special Alaska Airlines livery, reflecting its global growth strategy.

Well, the airline has just unveiled its first Dreamliner in the new livery, and we’ve also also learned a few more details about what we can expect from the airline going forward.

Alaska unveils new Boeing 787 look for global experience

With Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines now being part of the same company, we know that the two brands will maintain their distinct identities. When it comes to wide body aircraft, the plan is for all Boeing 787s to fly under Alaska’s branding, while all Airbus A330s will continue to fly under Hawaiian’s branding.

Over the coming months, the airline will repaint all Boeing 787s in an updated Alaska livery, described as the first phrase of a new global experience for long haul flying. Alaska is of course trying to turn Seattle into a global gateway, with the hope of having 12 long haul routes by 2030. The airline has 17 Dreamliners on order, split between the 787-9 and 787-10, to fuel that growth.

The new livery is described as an evolution of the Alaska brand, where the Alaska name remains, but with an all-new look and feel. The first plane with the new livery has just debuted, and the plan is for all Dreamliners to feature this design by the spring. The first plane to roll out of the paint shop with the new design has the registration code N784HA.

The new 787 exterior design draws inspiration from the natural wonder of the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights), which “captivates global audiences, and it’s an experience that’s well known across the state of Alaska.” Here’s how Alaska describes some key elements of the new design:

• “A palette of deep midnight blues and lush emerald greens channels the aurora’s energy and spirit into our brand”
• “Flowing aura lines – seen in our current core livery and premium cabins – guide the design with light, motion and flow”
• “We also looked to our heritage, incorporating thoughtful details like an eye-catching horizontal stripe along the fuselage – a contemporary nod to our classic liveries of the 70s and 80s that bridges our past to our future”

One other subtle detail you may notice is that the nose of the plane now says “Proudly Boeing” rather than “Proudly All Boeing,” clearly reflecting that Alaska Air Group also owns Hawaiian, which has a primarily Airbus fleet.

These Dreamliners feature very nice interiors, so don’t expect many changes there for now. We’re going to see some minor cosmetic updates to the cabins, including some slight updates to finishes and new mood lighting, but that’s about it. It makes sense that the airline wants to give them more of an Alaska feel rather than a Hawaiian feel.

In 2028, we’re also going to see these planes get a premium economy cabin, though details beyond that remain limited. And speaking of cabin updates, Hawaiian’s A330s will also get full cabin overhauls as of 2028, including business class suites, premium economy, updated tech, and more.

Here’s how Andrew Harrison, Alaska’s Chief Customer Officer, describes these updates:

“Our new 787 exterior embodies Alaska’s transition to a global airline with beauty, grace and a nod to our heritage. As we significantly expand to new destinations around the globe, we’re eager for more and more travelers to recognize our new livery as being Alaska Airlines and appreciate the outstanding service we’ve long been known for.”

How Alaska Air Group’s overall branding will evolve

Alaska Air Group’s long term plan is for all Boeing 787s to be based in Seattle (SEA), and all Airbus A330s to be based in Honolulu (HNL), so you can expect the branding of aircraft to reflect that.

Interestingly, Alaska isn’t updating its livery on all aircraft. The above livery will be specific to the Dreamliners. Alaska’s narrow body aircraft will continue to feature the Alaska Native design, while Hawaiian’s aircraft will continue to feature the Pualani design.

Bottom line

Alaska Airlines is introducing a new livery for its Boeing 787s, which in the long run, will all be operating long haul flights out of Seattle. The first 787 with the new livery has now broken cover, and all Dreamliners should be repainted in the coming weeks.

The new livery looks fantastic, if you ask me, and it makes sense in the context of Alaska’s long term fleet and branding strategy. Expect 787s to all be based in Seattle, while A330s will all be based in Honolulu. It should be an exciting several years for Alaska Air Group.

What do you make of Alaska’s new Dreamliner livery?