Three Cities Are Getting Their First-Ever Nonstop to Seattle

Alaska Airlines is using next summer to push its Seattle hub deeper into the American South and Midwest. In an announcement on November 12, the carrier said it will add daily nonstop flights from Seattle to Charlotte, Norfolk, Jacksonville and Des Moines, and launch a seasonal route to Guadalajara, Mexico. The airline describes the package as its biggest summer launch ever at Seattle. For three of those cities, Jacksonville, Norfolk and Des Moines, it will be the first time travelers have had a nonstop link to the Pacific Northwest at all, rather than a connection through another hub.

The domestic routes start in two waves. Charlotte and Norfolk begin on June 10, 2027, with Charlotte set up as a year-round daily service. Jacksonville and Des Moines follow on June 24, 2027, also daily. Charlotte is the most interesting of the four from a network point of view, since it is one of American Airlines’ biggest hubs, so Alaska is planting a flag in a city where most travelers already have a strong default carrier. The other three are mid-sized markets where a single daily nonstop can noticeably change how people plan West Coast trips.

The Guadalajara flight runs three times a week from March 18 to August 9, 2027, on a Boeing 737. It is a red-eye in the southbound direction, leaving Seattle at 11:15 p.m. and landing in Guadalajara at 5:11 a.m. the next morning. That timing suits visiting friends and family travel and anyone who wants to arrive with a full first day in Mexico’s second city, though light sleepers may prefer to plan for a slow morning after landing.

With these additions, Alaska says its Seattle nonstop map reaches 119 destinations. Tickets are already on sale at AlaskaAir.com, though the airline did not publish launch fares. Alaska also used the announcement to point out that First Class passengers get complimentary chef-curated meals, and that travelers in First, Premium and Main Cabin can pre-order meals in the Alaska app up to 14 days before departure. If you are in one of the new cities and have been routing through Denver, Dallas or Chicago to reach the Northwest, next summer is worth a fresh fare search.

Sources: Alaska Airlines via PR Newswire