Alaska Airlines is a major American airline. It’s headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and operates from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Currently, Alaska Airlines is the sixth largest airline in North America.
Airbus vs Boeing vs Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is phasing out Airbus aircraft from its fleet. In fact, it is expected to have a 100% Boeing-powered fleet by the end of 2023. It plans to retire the entire A319 and A320 family of narrow-body jets by the end of 2023.
The decision to move to Boeing is in part a result of a desire to streamline the airline’s fleet. With a large percentage of its operations in the short-haul sector, the company is looking for ways to dispose of older planes.
The Boeing 737 is the core of Alaska’s short-haul operations. Its performance and low maintenance cost has made it a popular choice for many airlines.
Alaska’s fleet is composed of 737-8, 737-9 and 737-10 aircraft. There are also a number of Airbus planes, including a handful of A320s.
Alaska inherited a large number of Airbus A320s and A319s when it acquired Virgin America in 2018. But in the past couple of years, it has been replacing those Airbus planes with Boeing models.
First-class experience
Alaska Airlines’ First Class is a more comfortable and luxurious way to fly than its regular economy product. It includes priority check-in, two checked bags, and free meals. If you choose this premium cabin, you will also receive access to the airline’s lounges. You will have extra legroom and the comfort of a dedicated flight attendant.
Alaska’s first class seats are much wider than most domestic airlines. They come with a foot rest, tablet holder, and cup holders. However, there is no privacy pod.
The main First-Class flight attendant was friendly. She brought a self-serve snack basket that included a variety of snacks. Unlike the secondary flight attendant, she did not greet passengers or make announcements.
The in-flight entertainment system is limited. There is no in-seat monitor to watch movies, but there are plenty of audio selections and streaming TV shows. In addition to the free Wi-Fi, there is also a USB port and power outlet.
Depending on the flight, you can order a meal in advance. These meals can be ordered up to 20 hours before departure.
Food and beverage offerings on shorter flights
If you’re flying on a shorter flight, you may be wondering what foods and beverages you’ll be able to enjoy. Some airlines have eliminated in-flight food and beverage offerings on shorter flights, while others have restored the options.
Alaska Airlines has recently announced the expansion of their in-flight services. In addition to offering the most extensive domestic food and beverage program in the industry, the airline has now added a snack option for shorter flights.
The snack option can be purchased during the flight or in advance. Pre-ordering is available through the mobile app or onboard. Guests can also use their onboard credit or debit card to purchase a snack.
First class passengers on domestic flights between one and two hours twenty minutes can choose to receive a “all-in-one” snack bag with water. The snack bag will include an assortment of snacks from the snack basket.
Economy class passengers on domestic flights between four and six hours can select a selection of Biscoff cookies. For longer flights, economy passengers can also choose to receive pretzels, stroopwafels, or a variety of other snack items.
Award chart
Alaska Airlines has introduced a new award chart. The new award chart will help you get the best value for your miles. Before, Alaska offered different rates for each partner airline. But they have now merged the prices of all their partners into one. This may be the first step towards more dynamic award pricing.
Before, Alaska’s Mileage Plan had two award charts for each partner airline. One for flights to North America and another for flights to international destinations. That meant that you could get good mileage rates from Alaska, but you had to search to find the best awards. If you wanted to book flights to Australia, you would need to look at another airline’s website.
Alaska’s new award chart is more opaque than the old one. Instead of showing the exact price for each partner flight, the award chart shows the minimum and maximum prices, with each being set at a “starting” rate.
Now, if you want to book a business class seat between the US and Europe, you need to use 57,500 miles. While you can also use miles to travel from the US to Asia, you’ll need to pay more for a business class seat.